The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1914-04-07

who in the past trusted him and credit
ed him when he was hard up but to
the man he had never seen--the man
who ran the mail order house in the
Big City.
Business is business" Henry got his
stove One OF the legs was loose
wouldn't fit His friend the black
smith in town fixed it. lie ordered
his clothes and his hats and his shoes
and his wagons and his furniture and
his carpets and his crockery and his
boots and shoes and rubber boots from
the mail order house.
Business is business.
Many OF his neighbors followed his
eXample-"busines is business"
Henry had been so busy getting in
the crop and sending orders to the mail
order house that he forgot all about
going to town for some months.
One day he thought he would take
in some dressed poultry and fresh eggs
and visit round
He called up the storekeeper to lind
the price OF his stuff.
Central said line disconnected" and
Henry wondered.
Finally he went out and htched up.
Went to town: didn't seem to be much
dong there.
Drove To the store-it was closed!
Went over to the furniture store
closed, too. SO was the drug store I;
also the hardware store and the hotel
and restaurant didn't look prosperous.
Nobody makes the town now" said
the hotel man To Henry. Business too
poor-town going Bookstores all
closed"
Henry sought his friend, the black
smith yes, he was doing business at
the old stand.
"Nothin." said the blacksmith. Eek
cep, lot of crazy people around here
have taken the notion that they don:
need any town and are sending all
their money away to millionaires who
run the catalogue houses. Course
they've got to come to me and I'm here
yet just because the catalogue fellows
haven't devised ways and means for
shoeing horses by mail But when
they do I'll have to fly too"
Henry was astounded.
why. I'd no idea" he commenced.
Course you hadn't" rejoined the
blacksmith. Course you hadn't. you
hadn't any idea You don't think
Well you had better do so now Where
arc you going to sell your butter and
eggs Can YOU sell 'cm to the mail
order houses You can get rid of your
wheat at the elevator. but you won't
have any fun any more in this town
visiting with your neighbors cause
there isn't any town and the people you
used to know have all gone away TO
some place where they can make a liv-
ing.
Pretty soon the town will be all
gone. Then your good roads will be
gone. too. And you can't bring your
mail order jewelry and castings to
der shoes don't fit you'll just natural
ly have tn squeeze your feet and bear
it. II your mail order clothes which
you buy sight unseen aren't what you
vant, what are you going TO do about
it?"
The blacksmith paused. II was a
long speech for him and il had got to
Aufgang.
Business is business" finally said
Henry.
Yes foolishness is foolishness," an
swered his friend You may think it's
business to kill off your town. but
don't. Thing it over, Henry, think it
over"
Henry did think it over" as he drove
slowly homeward with the dressed
poultry and eggs which he had intend
ed to sell to his friend, the store
keeper
As he neared the house his lips NOV.
ed business is business" he said.
"and self-preservation is natures first
law. We've got to preserve our town
and our neighborhood and our good
roads. That's business.
The next day he called a meeting of
his brother farmers for miles around
and they all came.
After the meeting Henry invited
them all to stay TO supper and after
supper there was big bonfire out in
ward near the well.
In that bonfire we're consumed all |
the mail order catalogues in the coun- |
try!
Moral-Don't wait for il to get too
had.