Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1921-04-28
The Winning
Smile
By FREDERICK CLARKE
20. 1921, Western Newspaper Union


on two dollars and a half. The week
ahead, unless he secured employment,
would start with an empty pocket
book and no credit. The situation
was a desperate one.
Still, John smiled. 1t was a habit
with him, and no gloom or disap-
pointment could change it or daunt
him. A naturaI-born Optimist ener-
getic, ambitious, clean cut in his char
acter and habits, he had come from a
little country village two months pre-
vious, full of enthusiasm and hope.
AS he reviewed the sixty days in
question just now, he was forced to
confess that they had brought neither
comfort nor encouragement.
wish I'd stayed at home now," he
sOlilOquized, as he walked thoughtful
ly down the street. 1.-TWO weeks work
out of two months won't do at all.
hate to go back and confess myself
beaten, though"
1t was the unfriendly ways of city
folks that hit John the hardest.
Every succeeding day John had felt
more and more friendless.
One morning, his worst morning
yet, for he had lived up what he had
earned three weeks previous, John
was passing a large establishment
given over to the manufacture of an
improved carpet sweeper. In it's Of
fee windows was a large advertising
picture. 1t showed the delight of
one of their clients in using their
device. A neat, pretty-faced girl was
running the machine in the picture
and looking up, her face all abeam
with smiles.
A girl, neat and bright as a new
gold coin, had swung aside the paste
board sign, and was bent close to the
great plate glass window FASTING a
written sign upon it. She CHANGED to
look up. She must have been both
kind-hearted and a reader of human
nature. The startled yet wistful ex-
preston of the face of John amused,
interested her. She smiled at him
in a pleasant, friendly way. 1t was
like benson to his thirsty, longing
soul
Then the girl disappeared, and then
almost mechanically John read the
sign: solicitors wanted-liberal COM
mission"
A sudden resolution braced him up.
He entered the place. At telephone
desk bearing the sign Information,
he stated his mission.
"See Miss DennisOn about that"
said the youth at the desk; that's
her at the first office. She has charge
of the solicitors"
John removed his hat and entered
the little office, to face the young lady
he had seen putting up the sign.
Again she smiled, again John felt his
heart warm up.
Il saw the sign" he said, a trife
awkwardly, swinging his hands to-
wards it.
Il know you did," replied the young
lady. you are a prompt caller"
II have to be, you see," smiled back
John, seeing that I have no work.
Tell you, miss, 1 don't know whether
will do or not, but I'm desperately
ready to try"
"And not get discouraged, if at
first you don't succeed?" challenged
Miss Dennison playfulIy. Keep on
smiling under all circumstances"
II always do that" declared John.
Miss Dennison became all business
at once. She explained their system
of canvassing in detail. John listened
| ut
he said:
you couldn't let me have one of
those smiling pictures with the sam
pie, could you? have an idea, you
see."
THAT'S good. Originality pays" re-
sponded the girl. you shall have
one, certainly"
John Bartley's idea was based on
a system of smiles.
| He struck out for the suburbs. AT
the first house at which John stopped
| its mistress was seated on the porch.
John began diftident, he wound up
| eloquent. First he showed the pic
ture. He declared that smiles meant
health, wealth and happiness. He
claimed that any one using his carpet
sweeper could not help but become
satisfied, well nigh gay over the eco
nomic, sanitary and labOr-saving
features it represented. He sold one
sweeper. The purchaser gave him
the address of a sister. The sister
sent him to a neighbor, the latter to
cousin, the cousin to a friend. By
nightfall eight sweepers were sold
all on smiles. Fifty cents commits
sion on each; four dollars. HurrahW
Every morning John reported to
Miss DennisOn, every morning that
encouraging smile of hers armed him
for a day of striving and victory.
He learned that her name was Ma
bel. He discovered that she lived
with an invalid mother. With his
first new suit of clothes, proudly
earned, he was prOuder still to be
invited to call at her home.
At the end Of six months John was