Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-08-06

ReHefalty o0
to be stocked up
with them. Not encouraging, TO be sure.
But the youngster wasn't dscour-
aged He knew there was brisk
market for him as a door to door
salesman II he could hit on wares
that were somewhat out of tile ordi-
nary. He put away the staple articles
of the trade and stocked up on chro-
mos. He did lund office business
with them.
The hoy, who later built up tho
mail order business Of Sears. Roe-
buck 4 Company. got his first les
sons as salesman ut the age OF ten.
lie learned then that there was al
ways market II you had goods peo-
pie really wanted or could use.
Springfield was the place OF his
birth. He was born In 1896 In house
not far from the old home Of Abra-
hum Lincoln. His fnther WIS In the
clothing business so the hoy seems to
hive come by his ability MS sales
man naturally enough.
Even before he turned 10 selling
goods to the thrifty housewives Of the
Illinois city he hnd earned money.
lie got five cents an hour for pump
in. ii church organ when he Was just
about able to perform the task.
While he attended public schools
he earned money lis newsbo, as well
| us salesman Of chromos. He sold
pamphlet programs when the Lincoln
monument was dedicated in Spring
| field. He earned $...1 that day and
| hnd the added pleasure OF getting \
close up Of President Grant. the great
| hero 0f the Civil war. The general
was the first nun he ever saw wear
| Ing kid gloves
| He was u busy and thrifty young
| ster. He had chance 10 work as
!! clerk In fnncy goods store during
| his vacation WHEN he was fifteen years
old. Even ut that age he was known
| as good salesman. otherwise ho
| would not have had such an oppor-
| tunity.
lie saved So of his first earnings In
| the store and used it to buy his moth
| er a ten set MS a gift for the twentieth
anniversary Of her wedding. much to
her JOY and 10 the great surprise OF
| his brother and two sisters. He was
already man In the eyes Of the lat
ter.
That year he went to New York
10 work as a clerk In the store OF hi8
uncIcs. They thought the yUungster
was deserving Of chance In the big
city. He lived frugnily in the metrOp-
oils. developed his natural ability
as d salesman and saved his money.
| New York, even In the early eighties,
had many destinations and time vast
ing diversions for young men from the
country who thought more OF pleas
ure than Of business.
The youngster from the West was
interested In little other than bust
ness He passed up any excessive
recreation for the serious task OF
learning his job thoroughly and put
ting by his money He wanted to es-
tahlish his own business. Even tn
those days it took real money ana
good credit to open store of your
own.
After six years as worker La the
establishment Of his uncles he de-
cided he had enough money and sui
ficient experience to take the plunge.
He was twenty-one when he opened
his own clothing store. He made money
1 with his business for four years. But
he was looking for bigger worlds to
conquer. He had his eyes open for OPP
portunity.
He heard of clothing manufac-
turer who couldn't fill his orders for
summer weight goods because he waa
unable to meet the demand The
young merchant decided that any bust
ness where the demand was greater
than the supply, was an excellent one
with which 10 tie UP. He moved Il
Chicago to put his money and his
energies In the manufacture of clothes
4 His business prospered from ths
outset. r. w Sears, pioneer In tn,
mail order business and president o.
Sears. Roebuck & Company, was on,
! of the young manufacturers best Gus
toners. Sears. watching the newcome
9 to the clothes making business, wa
. deeply impressed by his direct meth
i. DDS and business acumen. He foun
the young man to be a person of few
IS words but mighty quick on the trigge
when 1t came to making decisions.
The Rosenwald concern did 30 vel
! that when Its directing genius wa
offered a chance by Sears to buy
half interest In the mail order hons
for $4,000 he was able to flnanc
the deal. That was In 1896. The mex
year he became Vice President Ro.
q enwald. He was made president .
the company when Sears retired (
: 1908. Now the business Ii worth mi
lions OF dollars and the boy who sol
= chromos at the age OF ten II deyotin
re his vast fortune to philanthropy.
al (D, BY The North American Newspaper Alliance