Twenty Years of Hus'ling
came towards me in a threatening manner. "And if you're Johnston you
ought to have your heart cut out. Look at me, look at me, sir: Do you
think there is anything funny about this?"
"Well, I thought I'd give you a little sharp detective work to do before
capturing my horse, so you would have something wonderful to relate when
you arrived home."
"Then you're the man I want, are you?"
"Yes, sir, I suppose I am; but really, my friend, I didn't suppose you
were going to lose all your clothes, and get completely knocked out and
so thoroughly demoralized. How did it all happen?"
"Oh, you're too ---- funny! It's none of your ---- business how it all
happened. I'll get even with you. I'm sorry I haven't a warrant for your
arrest, instead of a writ of replevin for a horse, ---- you!"
"See here; don't you ---- me, sir, or I'll finish you up right here, in
less than one minute!"
He then quieted down, and after serving the writ, took possession of the
horse, before leaving for Sturgis. However, he spent nearly an hour in
mending his clothes, patching up his nose and face, and dressing the
slight flesh-wounds on his hands and arms, after which he borrowed a
hat, and as I supposed, returned to Sturgis with the horse.
I remained over night at the hotel, although I was completely stranded,
and wondered what I should do to make a raise. I realized fully that I
would be obliged to lose several days' valuable time were I to remain
there to contest the ownership of the horse, as return day had been set
six days ahead. Hence I considered it folly to lose so much time for the
value of a horse.
The next morning I arose early, and after breakfast began to search for
an opportunity to make a few dollars.
I happened into a drug store and entering into conversation with the
proprietor found him a very agreeable gentleman and explained to him
that I was a "little short," and inquired if he had any patent
medicines, pills, or anything in that line that a good salesman could
handle. He replied that the only thing he had was about a gallon of
lemon extract which he had made himself from a recipe he had been
foolish enough to pay ten dollars for, and had never yet sold ten cents'
worth of the stuff.
I asked to see it and on tasting it found an excellent article. I then
asked if he would let me take the glass jar and a small graduate to
measure it with, and he said: "Certainly."
With the flavoring extract and measure I started for a general canvass,
going from house to house and introducing "The finest grade of lemon
extract, twenty-five cents per ounce or five ounces for one dollar."
Each purchaser must furnish her own bottle to hold it.
I returned at noon with seven dollars sixty cents, when I took the
balance of the dope back to the druggist and asked how much I owed him.
He said:
"Well, I'll tell you, I'd like to sell the whole of it out to you. I'll
take fifty cents and you own all the flavoring extract there is left,
and I'll sell you the jar and graduate cheap if you want them."
"All right sir," handing over the fifty cents, "I'll return after dinner
and try it again."
This little experience about convinced me that there was more money in
that business than in patent rights.
As I was on my way to the hotel I met a man with a small flour-sifter
for the sale of which he was acting as general agent in appointing
sub-agents.
I asked his terms.
He said he required each new agent to buy four hundred sifters at
twenty-five cents each, which he could retail for fifty cents. Unless a
man could buy this number he could not have agency.
After dinner I started out again with the flavoring extract. At the
third house I entered, an old gentleman asked if I could get him the
agency for it. He said it wasn't necessary for him to do anything of the
kind, as he owned a nice home and a small farm and had some money on
interest, but he didn't like to spend his time in idleness. I told him
that our house had no vacancies, but I could intercede in his behalf in
making him an agent for a patent flour-sifter.
He asked what terms he could make. I told him they retailed for fifty
cents each, but in order to secure the exclusive sale in his town he
would have to pay the regular retail price for the first four hundred,
after which he could have all he wanted at half that price.
He said he wouldn't care to invest more than one hundred dollars anyhow,
and expressed a desire to see one of them.
"Well," said I, "I am always glad to do a man a favor, and I will run
down town and bring one up to you."
I went immediately to where the gentleman was unpacking his sifters, and
asked if he would be willing to sell two hundred and give the exclusive
sale.
He refused to do so, and I saw there was little use in trying to
persuade him, when I explained the nature of my case.
He said it wouldn't pay him to sell so few.
"Then I'll tell you what I'll do," said I. "You see if I was to sell two
hundred at the price I have quoted, I'd make fifty dollars. Now if you
will let me make the sale I'll give you half of my profits."
He agreed, and I returned to my victim and put the deal through in less
than an hour, and pocketed twenty-five dollars--my share of the profits.
I then returned at once to my flavoring extract and sold over three
dollars' worth that afternoon, making a clear profit of thirty-five
dollars for my day's work.
I then joined Frank at Sturgis, and after settling up our affairs there,
he left for Ohio with the understanding that I would meet him at Elmore
three days later.
CHAPTER XVI.
ARRIVING AT ELMORE, OHIO, STRANDED--RECEIVING EIGHT DOLLARS ON A
PATENT-RIGHT SALE--DUNNED IN ADVANCE BY THE LANDLORD--CHANGING
HOTELS--MY VISIT TO FREMONT--MEETING MR. KEEFER AND BORROWING MONEY--OUR
VISIT TO FINDLAY--A BIG DEAL--LOSING MONEY IN WHEAT--FOLLOWED BY
OFFICERS WITH A WRIT OF REPLEVIN--OUTWITTING THEM--A FOUR-MILE
CHASE--HIDING OUR RIG IN A CELLAR.
I stopped at Bronson, where my wife and boy were visiting her people and
in a couple of days we all started for Elmore, where we arrived bag and
baggage without a cent.
My wife said she couldn't see why I should want her to accompany me when
I was meeting with such poor success. I explained that it would possibly
come very handy to have her Saratoga trunk along occasionally to help
satisfy the landlords of our responsibility.
"O, I see you want to sort of pawn us, occasionally for hotel bills,
don't you?"
"Well, yes," I answered, "it might be convenient to do so should we get
cornered."
She said she didn't think she cared to be detained for hotel bills.
"Well, you wouldn't see a fellow starve would you?"
"No," she replied, "but if ever we _are_ pawned I want you to try and
redeem us as soon as possible."
We took quarters at one of the best hotels, and the next day after our
arrival a young man came there selling ornamental stove-pipe hole covers
made of plaster of paris.
I made his acquaintance at once and learned that he was from Battle
Creek, Mich., where his father resided and owned a good property.
I asked his reason for engaging in that business. He said his father
suggested it so that he would gain experience.
"Oh, I see, you are looking for experience."
"Yes, that's what I want."
"Well sir," I said, "you are in a poor business to get experience. You
ought to get into the business I am in if you want experience."
"What is your business?" he asked. I then introduced my model and
explained its merits.
He said he would like Calhoun County, Mich., and asked the price. I
looked the map over and set the price at one hundred and fifty dollars.
He said he would like it, but hadn't money enough.
I asked how much he had.
After counting what he had he said eight dollars was all he could spare.
"Well, I will take the eight dollars and your note for one hundred and
forty-two dollars, payable three months after date."
He agreed, and I made out the papers, receiving the cash and note.
This amount of money, though small, came just in the nick of time,
because of the Saratoga-trunk scheme not proving a success. In less than
one hour after I had made the deal, the landlord asked me to pay in
advance. I immediately flew into a rage and demanded him to make out my
bill for what we had had and receipt it in full, which he did, and I
paid it with a flourish and with the air of a millionaire!
There was another hotel just across the street, and when our landlord
happened to step out in front of his house and I noticed the landlord
of the opposite house also standing outside of his door I at once took
advantage of the situation and began to abuse my landlord at a terrible
rate for his impertinence and cussed meanness and gave him to distinctly
understand that he would lose boarders by the means.
I then called on the other landlord and explained how his competitor had
shown his narrow ideas of running a hotel and how quickly he secured his
pay after demanding it and then asked if he could give us
accommodations. He said he could, and we moved at once.
The new proprietor proved to be our kind of a landlord. The next day
Frank, who had stopped off at Toledo, came on and joined us.
We left my family there and went over to Fremont, where by accident we
met Mr. Keefer and my mother.
They asked how we were progressing.
I explained everything and "just how it all happened."
My mother said she thought we had done splendidly. Mr. Keefer said: "It
did beat the d----l."
I then called him one side and began negotiations for a hundred-dollar
loan.
He explained that he was absolutely hard up, but would be glad to help
me if he could.
I then reminded him that his signature at the bank would be all that was
needed.
"Well," said he, "I believe you will come out all right some day, and I
guess I'll sign with you if you think you can meet it."
We stepped into the bank and procured the money.
The next day Frank and I went over to Findlay where we met a man selling
a patent washing machine. We there succeeded in effecting a trade in our
patent, and also found a customer for a large sale on the washing
machine, for which the agent paid us liberally.
The two trades netted us thirteen hundred dollars in cash and a fine
horse, harness and carriage.
We then drove over to Elmore, where I had left my wife and boy. After
leaving her money enough to convince her that she would not be pawned
that week we started the next day eastward, stopping at Fremont for
supper about six o'clock.
We had traded the State of Illinois in our patent to a gentleman in the
lightning-rod business, and that night while walking up street we
noticed a large crowd of men standing on the corner talking.
We stepped across the street to see what the excitement was.
On looking over the shoulders of the men we saw our customer, the
lightning-rod man, standing there holding his pitchfork in one hand and
valise in the other. We were about to crowd in when we heard him say:
"Well, if I can find them I shall have them arrested and replevin the
horse."
Frank and I then held a short consultation. Our first idea was to go to
him and ascertain what he meant by saying he would arrest us. We felt
certain we had violated no law, or at least had no intention of doing
so. But after reconsidering the matter we concluded that he was simply a
"squealer," and as we had made a square, fair trade with him we decided
to let him find us instead of our looking for him.
Our experience of a few days before with the writ of replevin had been a
very good lesson. We didn't consider it worth while to deliberately turn
our stock over to "squealers," when they were taking so much pains to