The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1914-12-24
HOW WE DIVIDED THE MONEY

catalogue was a great and immediate
success. The fake" illustrations
caught the eye of the people and the
orders poured in with every mail. We
found out that whenever a customer
ordered one article there were always
a number of others included with the
first And the orders were all cash.
of course. l don't remember in those
days that we ever had an inquiry for
credit. They seemed glad to get the
goods by paying the cash and they
seemed to get the money together in
some manner.
We were busy. We moved away
from the city where the business was
started and now had a big establish
ment in one of the biggest of the east
ern cities. Our tiny leaflet IF a cata-
logue had increased to over fifty pages
and there seemed to be no limit to our
prosperity
My work was now almost entirely
connected with the catalogue. I wrote
the descriptions, ordered the illustra-
lions made by the wood engravers,
superintendent the printing and mail
ing departments and was up to my
collar in work all Of the time. When
ever anything of Importance arose in
connection with the business / was al
ways called into conference with Y
and and we settled any question
that arose.
One day I was called in and the
doors were shut and locked. There
was something of Importance to be
discussed.
Look here, x, we are going to in
corporate this business said Y with
a peculiar expression in his eyes.
had seen this expression before and
l held myself on guard, in readiness
to be very careful of my speech and
action as l knew l had need of eau
ton. 1t was like the hands up of
a highwayman, that look was.
Yes, we are going to incorporate
and we are going to take you in as
one of the incorporates" supple
mented z.
l held my peace. Here was some
thing worth listening to.
Seeing that l asked no questions
and was waiting for them to 20 ahead
they looked at each other until finally
Y said: We are going to incorporate
Tor one hundred thousand dollars
He continued to explain, with inter
polatlons by z and an occasional ques-
ton by myself until it came about
that they had decided to make me a |
present of one thousand dollars of the |
capital stock
Sounds generous, don't it? Well, it |
didn't to me. We had always dis
cussed the. possibility some day of
and it had always been
held out to me that I was to have a.
good slice of the capital stock. So
took up the burden of the argument.
explained my viewpoint, recited the
various services l had rendered, the
I had introduced. the i'm
proVement in the business, etc., for
all OF which claimed a good part of
tne credit. It was due me, too, be-
cause had developed into the handy
man about the shop for doing all of
the hard work.
We nearly had a row over it. II
was determined that if they did not
treat me with fairness, that I would
and knew where I could
interest capital if necessary to start
another mail order business. In fact,
had the capital myself, for by this
lime was drawing a salary of three
year, about $50 per week,
and l had saved good share of my
salary. I told them so with all frank.
less.
IL resulted in their giving me $4,000
II the capital stock and an increase
n salary to $4,000 a year. Y and z
ook each $4,000, which took out $685. .
'OO of the stock. 1t was decided to
ell out the other $4,000 of stock at
ar if they had buyer for cash and =,
u this sum was to have Is per cent. ,
The deal was put through and I
ound myself a comparatively rich ,
nan. Later, when the capitalization
'as increased to millions, I got my i
mare OF the increased valuation SO
nat l have made pretty well out of :
=
lg fictitious figures. l will not give :,
ny more details now because it would =
o too easy for you to guess more, for
IS no part of my plan to tell you +
20 much about the interior workings
our organization.
We have figured it all out many =
mes just what becomes of your dol r
II that you send in to us with an or -
er.
About one-half of it goes for pay
ent for the goods ordered. The rest
divided into dimes and cents for :,
lie payment of postage, printing, 9
alntenance of plant, insurance, Of y
1e help, etc., and last and best of all h
TO dividends for the stockholders. =,
ne families of Y and q are now a
oked upon as merchant princes. n
Iey nave their yachts, their automo- r,
ieS' their racing stables, their vari- Fl