Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-06-21
Creating the
Conditions
By CORONA REMINGTON
10000 Sc006S000sc5t99GS9G0
(CopyrlghtD

IN NoNlON looked up from MS |
- desk MS his son came into the Of !
flee ana saw at glance that the trip |
had been unsuccessful.
Father, | guess I'll never get to |
be vice president of the firm, no mat |
ter how hard | work. I simply don't |
seem to have business head"
NONSENSE Just because you failed |
once Is no reason for talking that |
way"
"Yes, but all the time | sat there |
talking to old Anderson | kept think
Ing, IF dad were here he'd sell him
twice as much as he originally wanted
and I'm going back without thing"
Something wrong with your meth
DDS son. Now, you've handled this
prospect from start to finish; suppose
you tell me about 1t and Wen see
where you got off the track"
Jim Norton, president and owner Of
the Norton Boiler works, leaned back
in his chair and listened.
"Well. Anderson wrote us letter
about six months ago asking for rates
and SO forth. | answered immediate.
ly and offered to run down and talk
1t over with him. l made the price
as attractive us | could"
"You stressed the price primarily
ayes. l got little inside tip he
was in correspondence with the Out
last Boiler people and knew we'd have
to cut pretty close to meet them"
"Thats just where you got on the
wrong track. When l was on the road
l never talked much about prices
You have got to make the prospective
customer want your boiler because Of
something about that boiler that ap-
peas to him, and it's up to you to
create the conditions. That's true Of
everything in life. You young folks
are too prone to try for results In,
stead of for conditions that will bring
about the results naturally. | never
tried to sell one of our boilers In my
life. l tried to make the customer
want to buy our boiler, and then the
selling did itself. If, instead of talk
ing prices to Anderson, you had ig-
nored the money side and stressed
the merits Of our product, you would
probably have got the order It's up
to you to make him want your stuff.
Create the conditions-see?"
Young Norton went to his office, his
head whirling with new ideas. Why
hadn't his father told him sooner and
thus saved him from making this
bunder all his life2 That little talk
had thrown light on hundred differ
ent subjects In his eagerness and
Impotence he had been continually
trying to force things, and his every
effort had defeated him half the time.
Dad, may l have my two weeks
off soOnY he asked his father as they
went down in the elevator together.
"Pretty early in the year for va
cation, son. What do you want to do
with it,"
"Create some conditions" the
younger man said.
well, see no particular reason
noon if you want to-"
1t was nearly three weeks later
that young Norton burst into his IA
TIERS Office and flung his hat into the
air
81 did It." he exulted, II did i'll"
did what?"
''I'm engaged dad. Pm engaged 90
the lOvcllest, prettiest girl that ever
lived. Wait till you see her. I've been
in love with her ever since l first met
her"
you! | didn't know you'd ever
been in love In your life"
'Me? I've been In love continually
for the last four years and I've pro-
posed to Katherine every time rye
ever seen her, including the first night |
| met her"
THAT shows how much father
knows about his son. But suppose |
you tell me how you did 1t and who
she Is"
81 created the conditions" he quot
ed. 81 made her want to marry me. |
This time | didn't say word about |
love or marriage until last night. We
went everywhere together and treat
err her like chum or a sister II was
the hardest thing ever had to do In i
my life, but somehow / got through.
Then / proposed again and she &C.
cepted me. can't believe 1t yet"
Mr.. Norton rose and put gentle
hand on his sons shoulder.
"Im mighty glad for you" he said.
"But you haven't told me yet who my
new daughters to be-"
katherine Sedgwlck."
mot old Sedgwlck, the Outlast
Boiler peoples daughter" exclaimed
Norton
ayes. That's where got the In
side tip about old Anderson"
81 didn't even know he had daugh.
ter. Where did you meet herr"
at one of the varsity dances
I've loved her ever since. She says
her fathcr'll want to consolidate with
u.s."
Mr. Norton thought minute.
Il would not have my son marry
for business reasons, but nothing
could have been better for us. He's
the worst competitor we have,
"You can have the business side
of 1t, dad All want Is Katherine"
laughed young Norton.
"Funny. I've always dreamed OF
getting hold Of Sedgwlck somehow,
but had no idea 1t would ever come
about"
"You must have created the condl-
lions" laughed the young man.
II guess did when married your
mother and we had son." answered
Norton with twinkle In his eye.
DIrDmnN m nnUTn