Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-15
BUSINESS CAREER
OF PETER FLINT
4 Story Of Salesmanship by
Harold Whitehead
(CopprtohU
fCopprfoht)

| L ''HD NY TTSt UHy SellliE iiie
l surance today and had no luck at all.
I got home feeling tired, dirty and
blue, and | went straight UP to my room
and prepared to have a good wash.
As was drying myself I heard a bang
in the next room. I listened. Again
heard bang. This time with"an accom-
panying jingle. Even through the thick
walls Of the house could hear angry
voices, but could not distinguish the
words. Once again came that bang, and
I decided it was some one pounding the
table in Francis Graham's room.
Gee" thought. that's old Pillsbury.
and perhaps Question is there as well. 1
guess the Consolidated Machine Com
pany is laying down the law to Francis y
And hands and face damp and hair all
rfumpled, I hurried into my coat and.
going into the corridor, knocked at Fran
css door. There was dead silence for
door. He was apparently as calm as
ever, but I noticed little throbbing in
his neck, which I at once read as sign
of repressed excitement.
You are late this evening, Flint" he
said In cold tone.
| looked surprised for a minute and
then 1t flashed upon me he wished me to
act as his secretary again.
] walked into the room. but neither
Pillsbury nor Question was there. In
stead there was rather short. solid,
! foreign-looking man. He looked about
| forty-fve or ffty. had a very red face
and gray moustache, which turned up at
the corners. and gray hair which stood
up all over his head, giving him ~ look
of surprised indignation.
| My Binnen, my secretary, Mr.. Flint
How do" ! said. holding out my
hand He didn't take it, but bowed and
said
| I'm glad to meet you"
There was a moments pause before
| Francis said. You may speak perfectly
frankly in front of my secretary. He
knows all the particulars of this affair
Il wish then" said Mr.. Binnen to me.
you would convince your foolish en-
ployer that he Is not studying his own
| interests in refusing to talk business
with my company"
Perhaps | had better explain" said
Francis to me. that Mr.. Gustav Binnen
! is the agent for the Swedish Metals Ma
! chine Company, and he Is also hired by
! his company to buy and sell anything he
wishes in their interest. He wishes to
buy complete rights in my new metal
stamping machine"
But didn't he promise To-"
I A warning look from Francis showed
me I was getting in bad. I was going to
say, Didn't he promise to do no business
on this matter except through the Con-
! noldated?" / found out afterward that
Binnen apparently didn't know that
Question had shown his letter TO this
effect to US.
Francis continued. MIR. Binnen didn't
promise anything. but I told you that I
hoped he would come and see me before
making any negotiations with the Con-
solidated-"
And for that reason growled Bin
men. This stupid fellow refused to do
anything with me. I went to the Con-
soidated first because I presumed it was
some trifing matter which was keeping
Mr.. Graham from the Consolidated. and
I quite expected to see him there. Now,
Mr.. Graham" said Bnnen, with his
mouth set in a hard. firm line. will you
or will you not negotiate with us for
your machine?"
YOU" said Graham. what assurance
turn around and resell Il to the Consoli-
dated?"
'If they won't buy it from you they
won't buy it from me
They are willing to buy 1t from me.
but won't pay my price"
We'll, I'm not interested in their
troubles, said Binnen Name your price
spot cash-and if it's reasonable I'll
close the deal right away"
,.I sail - 4 hnt ha
right to this machine will not he resold."
Ridiculous. Who ever heard of any
one promising ever to sell anything that
they have once bought? How do you
know that in fifty years time We won't
want to go out of business and If your
machine were the only one of its kind
we could not sell 1t? Don't be stupid
Come. name your price"
why don't you name one?" Graham
smiled as he said IT,
| There was another pause. and then
Mr.. Blnnen said, "lll give YOU 100000
CASH"
I. And undertake not to resell without
my permission?'
Mr.. Binnen exploded. He clapped his
hat on his head, shook his finger angrily
In Graham's face and said: You shall
regret this arrogance as long as you
| live" He stamped out of the room and
banged the door behind him so hard
that the pictures all clattered on the
wall.