The Washington herald., 1914-07-05
MERCHANT PRINCE TAKES HIS HAT OFF TO MR. WILSON

1 in bed. Frederick, in Maryland. was
the place OF his birth His father was
an invalid the last nfteen years Of his
life.
But my mother he said. was an
extraordinary woman-enthusiastic. in
! dustrious, and wise. She II was who
gave me Inspiration. We moved TO St
Louis when ! was seven years old. My
mothers brother sent Us money for the
journey. didn't attend school regu-
larry after coming here. The schools
were poor and. besides. hadn't any
clothes Mother taught me at home.
"At the age Of fifteen, | went to work.
after two years in grammar school
and one year at a high school. always
had a craze for pocket-knives. loved
to examine them and asked every man
and boy / knew 60 show me his. Ma
turaIly. looked for a place in a store
where pocket-knives were sold.
II want work I said to the first
merchant on whom l called.
What can you do? he asked.
Anything replied. that can be
done by a boy Of my age. Where shall
I hang my coat?
The last sentence got me the job. We
made a three-year contract. ! was to
receive $50 the first year. 500 the second
year. and 500 the third. decided to
quit when my time was up. The store
was too large. I thought. There were
forty clerks. A firm of three partners
was Just starting in business. The firm
/ offered me $50 a month. Ny old en-
ployer bid so. I sacrificed SO a month
because l felt my chances for promotion
were better in a small store than in a
large one. My judgment was correct.
The key that brought Success.
The names Of the partners were VIII
son. LeverinE and Waters. I was the
only clerk. although I wasn't permitted
to sell goods Putting up orders and
opening boxes was my regular work.
You are too young TO go behind the
counter / was told. You are a good
boy. but. you are not old enough 10 be i'm
pTessive.'
Il didn't say anything but I had a
plan in nv head just the same. The
porter came to the store at o'clock in
the morning. / asked for a key so that
could get to work an hour earlier. The
partners held a conference and gave me
brass key, a foot long. to the front
door. There were no railroads in those
DAYS. Merchants came to ST. Louis on
boats. 1 argued that the noises of the
city. the strange beds, and the mental
excitement of their new experiences
would cause the merchants to get awake
early in the morning.
Waking up. l argued, they would dress
and go out into the streets and browse
around. Seeing an open store, they would
90 in. And so II worked out in practice.
BY and by I would learn the names OF
the newly arrived merchants at the three
hotels and then / would walk the halls
until one Of them appeared on his way
to breakfast
introducing myself. l would go to
breakfast with him, tell him all about
the city and make myself as agreeable
as possible. After breakfast We would
go TO the store. When l had sold $4,000
worth Of goods in one month. my en-
pIoyers acknowledged that l was a sales
man. I have always been a salesman
and nothing else and l claim no other
distinction.
Wilson withdrew from the partner
ship and Levering died. l was still get
ting so a month. The stock Of goods
was worth $lSj.G0. Waters had sl5.G1
equity in the establishment 7 had moth
in=. We bought the store of LsverinEs
heirs Waters. being the capitalist, took