Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1917-12-27
A College
Peddler
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union.
By ALAN HlNsDALE

Billy Waterman had gone to college
with a rich father behind him, and
had gotten away with three thousand
dollars of his fathers money, SPEND
ing g thousand q year on himself,
when Mr.. Waternan's business went
to smash and there was not a thou
sand cents for Billy's senior year.
Billy had good grit and made up his
mind that he would make the money
needed for his senior year. Seeing
an ad for canyaSSerS for Il new kind
of cooking utensii, he answered it. He
was invited to call on the advertiser.
He did SO, and an arrangement was
made by which he was to sell, on
commission, the wares for the con-
Germ manufacturing the articles.
Billy's social position had been at
the top round of the ladder. He had
not climbed to it; he was born on it,.
He had the energy necessary to carry
out his plan, but to go forth as solic-
itor was the great ogre that he had
to combat. He shrank from soliciting
from his acquaintances, combining HIM
self to strangers. He had good ar
ticle to sell and was we'll fitted to
demonstrate it. Nevertheless, in the
beginning he met with little success.
One morning he mounted the steps
of a stone-front dwelling and was
about to ring the bell when the door
was opened by a young lady in walk
ing costume. Billy had his samples
hanging to his arm, peddler-like. The
young lady looked at him in q way
that made him feel desire to vanish,
but he stood his ground, saying:
Il have some valuable implements
for cooking which I would like to
show the lady of the house,
'"The lady of the house is not in"
was the reply, "but will look at your
wares"
She invited Billy in and listened at
tentively to his demonstration. When
he had finished, without asking the
price of the articles, she said she
would take them. Billy told her that
those he had with him We're samples
and took her order in book he car
ried for the purpose, mentioning that
the goods would be sent from the fac
tory. He also stated the price, which
did not seem to interest the young
lady. Thep he took his departure,
congratulating himself on the ease
with which he had made the sale, and
at the same time relieved at Having
escaped from acting the drummer to
a young lady with whom it would
the cotillion.
A few days later, on going to the
Office OF the firm, he was handed let
ter written in a delicate hand, his. own
name being written on the envelope.
The writer stated that the culinary
articles he had sold her had been so
satisfactory that she had recon-
mended them to number of her
friends. Then followed half a dozen
names of persons to whom he was re-
quested to send the articles.
Billy was puzzled to know how the
young lady had learned his name. He
had not LETT card, nor had he spoken
his name to her. He asked the person
who had shipped the goods if his name
had been brought into the shipment in
any way. The man could not remem-
Der, but he did not see why the mem
ton of Billys name should have been
necessary.
During the vacation period Billy
succeeded in making commissions
enough to put him through his senior
year at college. He was puzzled by
the fact that While he had very poor
success in making sales directly, he
had excellent success in making them
indirectly. Orders We're continually
sent in to be credited to him from per-
sons he had no remembrance of hav-
ing solicited. He oftsa left his bust
ness card with persons who said they
would "thinll it over" but he did not
often succeed in connecting the names
of those who sent in orders with these
persons.
Billy's standing for his senior year
was far better than any other year.
He had worked for what he was get
ting and therefore appreciated it. He
was given an appointment to speak on
commencement day, and while deliver
Ing his GRAFTON, his eye lighted on Il
familiar face in the audience. 1t was
the girl to whom he SO easily sold
Il set of kitchen utensils. She was
looking up at him with great interest.
Billy came very near being thrown
off the thread of his discourse by
thus suddenly seeing the girl whom
he had supposed only knew him as Il
peddler of kitchen utensils. He
stopped and stammered for while,
but righted himself and proceeded.
That evening the graduating class
gave Il dance and again Billy's eye
lighted on the girl whom he had met
as Il peddler. She was dancing With
one of his classmates. Billy "cut in
that is, he touched the man with
whom she was dancing on the shoul-
lap Siypifyipr thot ho lasir,l RI