Atlanta Georgian., 1914-03-01
American Sunday Monthly Magazine Section

| began to think of earning my own way.
The postmaster at Pittsheld Massachu-
setts, initiated me into the Government serv-
ice and put me to work at s. week, pay
ing me every three months. The first day
| worked from seven in the morning until
six at night but the second day | had to
go to work at $50 in the morning, doing duty
until o.3o at night, and was informed that
those were to be my working hours. 1t was
furthermore agreed that | sleep in the
office SO as to answer calls made in the night,
and if anyone came along bent on robbery |
would be on hand
| resigned from this place after awhile
and went to work for paper company at
the same wages, with the advantage that |
was paid once a month. However, advance
ment was rapid here, and | was soon sent
out by the company as travelling salesman
at $24 per month. After making my can
vass from town to town, | would come back
to Pittsfield, tie up the goods had sold,
and haul them to the station in a wheel
barrow. Suddenly | was fired; and it was
the only time in my life that | was dis
charged. They felt they could get along
with a cheaper boy. Soon after this, |
went with my uncle to the Philadelphia
Centennial, and, passing through New
York City, | was impressed with the fact
that New York would be the place of my
fortune, and SO after getting letters OF
recommendation, | started for Gotham
where real hardship began.
| found these letters were of little ac
count, and with this experience lost faith
in them that have never by any chance
regained | boasted about paper" being
my speciality, and | found Beekman Street
was the habitat of this trade | had but
little money and got busy at once. | COM
menced my opportunities at No. I Beck
man Street, and by noon | had zigzagged
the street and included No. rs in my calls,
with no results. | was tired. No one had
asked me to sit down and refresh myself
with a ten cent lunch; | couldn't under
stand it, considering the letters | proudly
showed at each shop. No 1 looked at my
recommendations indifferently and mo-
toned me to the front door; No. 2 was
discharging and not hiring men; No.
had no place for me, might notify me in the
sweet by-and-by. At one o'clock, | ap
piled at No. 10 and was driven away. No.
Is sized me up critically, questioned me at
length and hired me at So week. The
house was to pay my expenses and was to
travel | wrote home at once that | had
captured New York. The "jinx' was with
me at the start, for the country was getting
ready for a panic and the merchants re-
fused to negotiate. The trip covered north
ern New York and eastern New England,
and in no time, my employer suggested a
new salary arrangement on commission. |
did not like this, and thought my boss a
mighty unprogressive man. | had a streak
of luck L found in Hartford, an official of
a big insurance company who used to re-
side in Pittsfeld. | bustled into his Office
showed him my samples and landed an
order for an immense bill of goods. hur-
ried to New York with this order and handed
in my letter of resignation at the same time.
Ny boss rubbed his hands and patted me
on the back, but | wanted only my COM
mission, got it and walked out. | worked
at odd jobs that winter, and in the Spring |
became an accountant at $I2 week. |
had finished graphing with the jinx.
think was the gamer by those hard knocks.
| believe in self-reliance. The boy who has
never faced the strain of poverty is likely