Evening star., 1922-08-20
$50 my LUCK -BEGAN''


mark borne by some hundred thousand
cars of the first class upon the nations
thoroughfares. His appointment with
Dean was for 2:s0 in the afternoon
but he was in the reception room out
side the others office little ahead Of
time.
While he sat there Dean came out
with an older man. to whom he was
saying good-by. and when this older
man was gone the millionaire turned
to Jenkins with a friendly nod of In
vitation and Jenkins followed him into
his Office. But Dean at once went to
a closet in the corner and brought out
his coat and hat, saying: I'm going
to have to put you off till tomorrow.
Mr.. Jenkins. Old Jasper Hopkins. my
first boss-that was him who just went
out-has just told me something 1
should have known twenty years ago.
I've got to-straighten it out. Come
in tomorrow. can't your?
The writer's disappointment showed
in his face. IT had. figured on taking
the s o'clock tonight"
Dean hesitated, glancing at his
watch. Just what Is it you want Of
Nme?" he asked.
Jenkins smiled. "The usual thing.
The story. of how you did 1t. People
are always interested IN such things.
Self-made man, you know. It's old
stuff. sir. but it's .sure-tire."
4 know" the !. automobile man
agreed, nodding tnoughtfully. He
considered for a moment. then. with
abrupt decision, took off his coat and
hat.
After all. it's waited twenty years
he said. Another two hours won't
matter. And-the affair may interest
you" He turned back to his desk.
down." he directed. II think I under
stand what you're planning. How to
Make Yourself. By One Who Has
Done It. Is that the idea?"
Yes"
Dean smiled. i've heard folks
speak of me as self-made." he con-
fessed. I'm fact. that has been. Sc
cretly my own idea. Until an hour
ago. Just how much do you know of
my history, anyway.
Il know you're the head Of one Of
the half dozen biggest concerns in the
business ,-,
know how I came to be here"
You were managing vice president
in the beginning; bought out Hopkins
ten years or so ago"
Can you go back any further than
that"
i've understood you were sales man
ager of the old Hopkins Tool Com
pany; that you were a world beater
in that job
Dean laughed. Those were boom
times and sales jumped. happened
to be the head of the department and
I got the credit. Ever hear how Hop
kins came to make me sales man.
ager?' Jenkins shook his head
He had put me on as a salesman
Dean explained. MY first trip a big
prospect hunted me up. said he'd de-
cided to trade with US and gave me a
whooping order. My predecessor had
worked on them four years; they fell
was a worker Of miracles from that
day"
Jenkins shook his head, smiling
You give yourself the worst Of It," he
commented.
+ r X II
DEANS eyes had become sober and
thoughtful. He spoke slowly, as
though invoking memory. You've
called me self-made man. But, as a
matter Of fact, 1t was the mere acci-
dent that was on-the spot which gave
me that first order. and that order
made me sales manager within two
months time. By-and-by the auto.
mobile came along and Old Jasper re-
modelled his factory and went after
the business, with me in charge. He
gave me some stock, and a year or
two later his son Charlie died and
took the heart out of the old man.
He offered to sell out to me and ]
gave him bundle of notes for the
whole thing. The business paid them
off inside of five years. Do you see!
The fact that I was salesman made
me sales manager; the fact that ]
was sales manager made me vice
president; the fact that I was vice
president threw the business into my
hands: and the fact that everybody
wanted to buy cars has done the rest
Still call me a self-made MANI
After ALL" Jenkins suggested, you
had made good or you wouldn't have
been given the job as salesman"
Dean nodded emphatically. That's
the key to the whole structure" he
agreed. That first job as salesman
And that's what 1 want to tell you
about. II you care to hear"
The reporter did care to hear, and
this, as he shaped the tale In his
thoughts thereafter, Is what he heard
Homer Dean and Will Matthews
grew up in adjoining back yards
fought and bled with and for each
other as boys will, went through high
school side by side. took business
course given by a broken-down book
peeper in a bare room over the Thorn.
ton drug store and went to work in
the Offices Of the Hopkins Tool Com
pany within a mouth Of each other
as vacancies occurred there. Will got
the first job, Homer the second. They
helped with: labels in the shipping
room. kept checking lists and even
tually graduated to keeping books.
The tool company was a one-mar
concern: Old Jasper Hopkins ha6
founded it: and intended to turn II
over to his boy Charlie when his owr
time should be done. Old Jasper-ht
was then no more than In his late
forties. but he was Old Jasper just tn,
same-was a man Of many eccentrici.
fiaS He had hAeiln aa a mechanic