The Marietta journal and courier., 1917-11-30
HUMAN NATURE is MUCH
THE SAME IN EVERY TOWN


the same town, were left an estate
netting each the sum of five thous-
and dollars. 1t don't matter about
their names, or the name of the town,
in this story. You may even know
them, and if you don't, you certain
ly have known others who have done
the same things they did. We will
call the first Joe and the other jim,
lust because that was not really their
names at all. Well, when they got
this money they both decided to go
into business in the town, and as they
each felt like being his own sole boss,
each went to market and bought his
own stock of goods, and when they
opened up neither one seemed to have
any advantage over the other. They
had rented stores right across the
street from each other, and each one
had employed a bright boy clerk. So
far all was equal.
The very first day they got back
from the market, the local editor, who
was also advertising director, social
writer, sport writer and all the other
things necessary and useful to, the
home paper, came around and asked
about news of the trip to market, and
incidentally, will admit that he went
so far as to suggest the advisability
Of outlining to the readers of the
paper, some of the attractive fea-
lures of the new goods which they
expected at an early date. Joe fig
ured for quite while in making up
very simple statement of where he
had been, and what he had bought,
and at that he had the help of the
editor, who was perfectly willing to
stick around and assist any good man.
Although the town was too small
for competition, advertising rates
were not high enough to require the
editor to carry wheel-barrow a.
round with him when he made col
lection trips. However when he told
Joe what that ad would cost, it al
most got his goat, and it did get Jim's
for he said "let Joe do it" and Joe
did. Jim said he would probably
"give" the editor an ad later. Really
he did not think the editor would be
"giving" him anything. He did not
Ao1s -, cyoanlinor
sarily. But he did spend that same
amount before night, and in way
that he would not care to have put
in the paper, so will not speak of it.
But jim was a good fellow, and he
said all the boys knew where to find
him anyway. However, he did feel
sorry for that Editor, and he really
did intend sometime to give" him
little ad AS | said before, Joe
did, and what is more, he did it
again. 1t just seemed like he got
the habit, and you know habits are
hard to break. And right from that
moment Joe seemed to get the break
on jim. Everybody liked Joe, too,
wished him well, and thought he
would succeed, but when any one
came up in a hurry it seemed as if
they could find what they wanted in
Joes place quicker, and the railroad
agent knew more about the town
than Dunn or Bradstreet ever will,
he noticed that goods kept coming for
Joe, while only few small shipments
were coming for jim, and these US
ually stayed in the depot until stor-
age charges amounted to more than
the freight, and then some had to be
returned to the shipper, because the
shipper had been foolish enough to
send the bin of lading through the
bank Jim said, and all the while Joe
kept right on "giving" that, editor
ads, and he did not seem to mind it
at all now.
* Well, this thing just kept up this
way, only more so, for nearly two
years, and there is no telling how
long it would have kept up, but for
the fact that clerk hire, rent and in
surance at last ate Jim's stock of.
goods, and after little seance with
the sheriff, Jim went out of business.
and now he has got q job as steno-.
grapher for livery stable, taking
down hay for the horses"
But Joe don't seem to mind, and
he is there yet, only he is in big
new store around on the main street,
and they do say that Joe is one of
the best business men in all that sec
ton. The town too, has grown, and
the editor and lot of other men in
it all seem to be doing well, but not
poor Jim. Yes, that is the way they
speak of him in that town, only
have not seen Jim here yet. Is that
you, jim?
But Joe don't seem to mind.