Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-26
Winner of SIS Prize
A TON OF LARD

SELL lard!' said the chief, tapping the
- table with his lead pencil. "Sell lard
| this week-next week-all the time! We
need the business, and we must have it. Put
your shoulder to the wheel, young man! Get
a move on you'll Use your head. Talk quail
itv all the time; but if the quality won't
move the goods, think up some scheme that
will make your customers buy, and if one
scheme won't work, try another. It's to
your interest busy!'
| The short, sharp sentences, uttered IN
clear, cold voice, sounded almost like rep
rimand to me, and / almost wished had not
contracted to make the Southern territory
for the Hammer Smith Packing Co.
| The Southern territory, my territory, was
considered the hardest in the State. Many
good statesmen had tried to make it pay, and
had failed. twas composed mostly of small,
mining camp towns, with poor hotel accom-
modations. Making good was hard propo-
ness pretty well corraled. l worked like a
nailer but somehow or other the business
did not seem to increase very rapidly.
| One morning, after | had made several
| trips over the territory, message came from
| the boss:
| Your tonnage last week was two thousand
pounds short of what we expect at this time IN
your territory. Get busy!
That telegram was a command; for |
knew by the tone that if didn't come across
there would be something doing at head
quarters when returned. Talk about stiff
thinking and scheming! Why, l tied my
brain in bowknots trying to formulate
selling plan. Even now my head hurts when
all night, had the glimmer of an inspiration.
| If I followed Instructions, l must sell at
least two thousand pounds of lard at Bax-
ter, and on former visits this town had failed
to give me single pound. There was one
store there, run by grouchy old customer
named Bolt. For some reason Bolt seemed
to have little use for me in general, and the
house represented in particular. He was
absolutely tied to the Eastern packers. The
| job of selling him two thousand pounds OF
lard seemed to be impossible.
Baxter was the center of Mexican popu-
lation. These Mexicans were mostly sheep
men, and lived with their families in adobe
houses along the creek bottom. Mexicans
are very fond of lard.
Just before leaving for Baxter telegraphed
the house to send me case of 3Snowbloom"
lard. The case arrived in Baxter the morn
ing did. Driving around to the little box
car depot, loaded the case into the buggy,
and took it to my room in the boarding
house to unpack There were twelve pals,
of five pounds each, and each pail had a
bright red label on it. At a saloon bought
a cigar, rendering ten-dollar bill in pay
ment. "Give me the change in ffty-cent
pieces" told the barkeeper. Going back
to my room, removed the tops of the lard
pals, and laid shining half-dollar in the
smooth, white contents of each pail, then re-
placing the covers repacked them in the
case, and nailed on the lid.
After dinner | placed the case of lard into
the buggy, and drove slowly toward the
Mexican settlement. The day was warm,
and the whole settlement was out, idly
squatting about on the shady side Of the
adobe dwellings. There were old men and
young men, old women, and maidens, and
a vast array of scantily dressed children and
NANCY dogs The last did not take kindly
to me, and barked savagely as turned into
the crooked road through the settlement, and
some of them darted out after me, growing
at the horses heels. This frightened the
animal, as | hoped it would, and he plunged
forward with jerk, sending the case of lard
| from the back of the buggy into the road,
where it broke open, scattering five-pound
pals with bright red labels on them in all
| directions.
| could have checked the horse in half a
minute but instead l almost shook the
l