Evening journal., 1913-02-20

went to Battle Greek, Mich. to
visit a friend. I had not been there
twenty minutes until he began telling
me about Battle Creeks best known
product-C. W. Post--the man who
makes Postum and several we'll
known brands of breakfast food. That
afternoon he took me across the car
tracks to see how Postum and Grape
Nuts we're made, and that is how
met Lena Stark, a stenographer; but
that is getting ahead of my story.
Caught under the brow OF a hill is
the first building that G. w. Post when
forty-two years old and In i'll health,
used in making Postum. He used a
skillet and a peanut roaster. That
was all he had, except belief in him
self and a square chin. But when a
person has those two things. 1t does
not make any difference IL the build
ing is barn.
He rolled bran and wheat over and
over in his peanut roaster, testing
and testing until he found a combina-
tion that could not be told from coffee
with a bandage over your eyes. He
had something that tasted Just as
good as coffee, named Postum, a drink
that didn't keep one kicking around
half the night All he now had to do
was to sell it-he just had to carry the
bricks up to the top of the building,
where somebody would do all the
work of laying them. There is a lot
of difference between having some
thing to sell, with the accent on the
TO, and getting it on half the break
fast tables in the land. But, anyway,
It did sell. so that today the man who
came to Battle Creek seventeen years
ago now owns ten acres of factory
buildings, a hotel. an Office building,
a theatre and town site. My Battle
Greek friend whispered into my ear
that his income whether he sat at his
desk with his sleeves rolled up or
played shuffle-board on his yacht, was
$4,000 a week.
The offices didn't look like Offices,
didn't smack of the treadmill where
most employees have to stay six days
a week to get an envelope on Satur-
day afternoon at three. Coming up
the hill, they looked like houses
where a man Of means lived whose
hobby was his lawn: Coloniol
architecture, vines and a home air
that set you looking for the hammock.
Inside. it was still more of a home,
and yet an office-beautiful rugs. big
leather chairs and an art gallery. In
the midst of the Office I found Lena
Stark, as CHEEKY as a hostess and as
busy as a bee. IN a moment we we're
chatting as though at a reception:
How long have you worked here?"
I asked.
Seventeen years"
"And now you own three houses?"
She smiled
Seventeen years ago she started to
take a course In a business college.
but did not finish e. One night she
went TO c. w. Post. who had just
started his business. and applied for
a position. Coming there before the
supper hour. Mr. and Mrs. Post in
sisted that she eat supper with them.
and afterward Mr. Post took her out
10 the little Office and dictated two
letters to her to see her work. As
she says now. he dictatedd them very
slowly and carefully, and even be-
ginner could have taken the letters;
but he was satisfied with her work
and started her in his Office the next
Monday morning at So per week. The
second week her salary was advanced
10 Sc. At that time the Office force
consisted OF Mr.. Post. a bookkeeper
and herself. The Office at that time