Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-24
BUSINESS CAREER
OF PETER FLINT
Il Story Of Salesmanship by
Harold Whitehead
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I
what mother thought Of Rosie and me
being engaged but then--oh. dear
! was afraid to look in case--well, never
mind what my feelings were, this is the
| letter. tAnd believe me as soon as
had read her greeting I felt ready to
die):
MY poor, dear boy
tThe next paragraph cheered me up
I little bitD
Fancy you worrying about what
mother would think Of her boy being
engaged. Why. my dear lad, nothing
would give me or your father greater
happiness than to know that you had
picked out some nice young girl to
marry 1t doesn't matter whether she
sells in a department store or not. IL she
, Is a nice. good girl. and Is willing to
let us help her and loves my boy-thats
all we expect. Well" / thought. "Ro-
sic might measure up to that" The
next paragraph brought the glooms, on
the stage again.
of course. Peter. that doesn't mean
that any frowsy topped. empty-headed
slip OF a girl measures up to this denni-
ton. You must remember. my boy, that
when you marry. you marry for all time
and while love Is a wonderful thing, II
isn't everything in life, or rather IT is
everything in life. but the love for one
woman or one person Is not everything.
Love Is so big that 1t should INCLUDE
everybody. and II the love for one person
takes from you the affection and friend
ship of others. there Is something wrong
with that love.
Perhaps you wonder why didn't
write to you before. Well. your dad has
had another one of his bad turns and
everything had to stay until he got
around again. As usual, he got well as
quickly As he was taken ILL.,
Yesterday he went down to Philadel-
pha on business, and he is going to
stop at Newark and meet Miss Lever
there on Friday afternoon or Saturday
morning. Then he will stop in New York
for dinner with you. He said he would
telephone you at the Magnitude Life
Insurance Company as soon as he Is at
Liberty
Remember. my boy, that whatever
father says is said for your good. and
remember that he has only just gotten
up from a serious Illness
And now. good morning and Cod
bless you. hope, for all our sakes, that
your engagement will prove very. very
happy one. Still. | am sure II will for,
while my boy is fighty, l think he Is
sensible.
YOUR LOVING MOTHER"
That letter puzzled me. for 1t didn't
sound Just like mother, somehow. SEEM
ed as il she were holding something
back as If she wanted to congratulate
me and yet was undecided whether she
should or not
remember the last time Francis and
I were home mother had a long talk
with him by himself, and l guessed 1t
was about me. for when I went into the
room where they We're they stopped sud-
denly and began to talk about the
weather OF course. l pretended / didn't
notice it, but
l had call TO make on the way
to the Office, but felt like skipping It.
for l was very anxious to see dad A.
soon as possible. This fellow | had TO
see owns little hardware store and I
guess everybody in the office has had a
try at selling insurance to him. Perkins
told me to take whack at him.
He Is one of those cold blooded fish
who never say anything to you at all.
just let you talk and you never know
how YOU are getting on--whether YOU
are pleasing or displeasing him. When
you have finished your talk he Just looks
at you blankly and when you ask it
he wants insurance he just shakes his
head and says, mo, l don't think So"
He ought to be a poker player. for he
can make his face look about as intel
| nsent as wooden Indian.
Perkins told ME that his type of man
could be sold TO, hut that instead of
going ahead with your story YOU should
, ask him questions. So followed
Perkins's plan and began by saying,
Mr.. Featherstone CHATS his name),
you are, of course. familiar with the
Magnitude Life Insurance Company"
MIN"
Il am sure that man Of your busi-
ness ability realizes the importance of
insura nee"
! Never word did he say So T per-
sisted, Don't you, Mr.. Featherstone ?"
he wanted TO run away and then said,
Yes"
You have no insurance with the
Magnitude now. Mr., Featherstone?
Silence again. Have your
NO"
| Mr. Featherstone. IL could show
you how an investment of about $500
year would protect your family against
want in the event Of your death, woula
you be nterested?"
He looked at me and said nothing.
wanted to say, Would you?" but ! felt
il wasn't wise to press him too far, SO
| said, How old are you, Mr.. Feather
| stone?"
"Thirty-eight."
"Thirty-eight? raised my brows
and said. rs that all?"
Y A little smile crept over his face for
| the first time. That's enough"
Then I tried bold stunt. "I don't
want to talk insurance with you, Mr..
| Featherstone, If you don't mind"
I Then he woke up. Why not?'
| II don't know but that It would be
waste of time, | thought you were an
older man than YOU really are. Really.
now, you look it Have you seen doctor
! lately?"
| Don't need to. In perfect health"
well. Mr.. Featherstone, frankly
don't want to talk insurance with you
until our doctor has tlooked you over.
| I'll bring him around tomorrow"
Don't bother"
mo bother at all"
! only waste your time" he said.
/ I'm not going to take insurance"
"Of course, II you know there's some
| thing wrong with you, all right"
Nothing wrong with me at all, and
/ I'm not going to take out insurance but
[ II YOU want to waste your money and
have the doctor look me over you can
| do So"
I Fine: that's all can expect, MIR.
Featherstone."
That's all you'll get"
What time will ! bring the doctor
around tomorrow"
! "Oh, he'll have to take pot luck" and
! don't know whether it was per-
|