The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-01-20

Reading Of the initiative, pro-
grcssiveness that marked the
life of one Charley Foster as q
young man, who was ambitious
to become a drummer, one does
MT wonder why Ohio honored
him by electing him governor.
One doesn't wonder that later
he became q national figure. As
John Barr, Waterbury's in
teresting student Of history, re-
calls in his series Of stories
about Old Fifth Avenue Hotel,
Charley Foster sold himself as
well as his products.
MIR. Fosters story as told at
the famous table Of Charley
Hackett reads as follows:
Another member Of the Harri-
son cabinet who was a frequent
guest at the Fifth Avenue Hotel
and who sometimes sat at the
Charley Hackett' table-was the
Honorable Charley Foster, of
Ohio, who had served as governor
of his state before he was APP
pointed secretary Of the treasury.
And no one enjoyed more than
he the following story Of Dwight
Lawrence's In which his father,
Mr.. Charles Foster, ST., played a
part:
I hadn't been in that Chicago
position long before I developed
an aspiration to try my skill as a
drummer
This became known to my fell
low clerks and our travelling sales
man-who undertook to put over
a little Joke on me.
It seemed that 1t was a stand
ing Joke in that establishment to
play on any new man whose self
confidence. they thought, needed
a little setback.
SO they conspired to encourage
me in my ambition and advised
the boss to send me out on a
trial trip. SO 1t was arranged
that I was to 60 to Fostoria, Ohio,
and try to sell a bill of goods to
Mr.. Charles Foster, the leading
merchant In that town and Vi
cinity. And II I succeeded I was to
be promoted to 'drummer'-with
increased salary.
I didn't know 1t then, but It
was regarded as an impossibility
for any salesman representing
that house to make a sale to Mr..
Foster. Many had tried-and all
had failed. For some unaccount-
able reason Mr.. Foster wouldn't
listen TO them or give any order
to our house.
But in my innocence said, "All
right, I'll make a try at It," and
in great glee they fitted me out
a sample-case and set me of on
what they thought was a fools
errand.
On the train I thought matters
over and began to suspect a mig
ger in tn wood-pile"-and made
up my mind to do a little quiet
investigating before I approached
Mr.. Foster.
arrived in Fostoria at noon
Saturday; put up at the best ho-
tel. and spent the afternoon and
evening scouting about town.
learned that Mr.. Foster was
most estimable citizen with
strong likes and dislikes-and that
his pet hobby was his church and
Sunday school, which he ruled
with autocratic sway.
Sunday was stormy day, and
the attendance at Mr.. Fosters
church was small-but I was
there with a dripping umbrella,
and as luck would have 1t was
greeted at the church door by
Mr.. Foster himself. who inquired
pleasantly, "Are you stranger In
our town, young MANI"
Eyes, SIR" I answered, II am
stopping at the hotel over the
Sabbath"
"Come right to my pew" he
said, putting my umbrella in
rack and leading the way. ION
account Of the storm my family
will not be here"
He left me there alone till the
preacher and the choir were in
their places, and all the congre-
CATION who were coming were In
their seats.
With the announcement Of the
opening hymn, he found the place
and when the organ started we
rose and held the hymn-book to-
gether.
He led off with twangy tenor
and I Clipped in with a growly
bass. Then q nice little old lady
and a buxom spinster, in the pew
in front Of us, filled out the guar