Twenty Years of Hus'ling
changes I had made, I noticed the Doctor's door was opened, and that he
was inside.
Suddenly we came to a room directly opposite his, which I had had
papered and re-furnished, and she remarked that it suited her exactly,
and that it showed good taste. I said, in a loud tone:
"Well, landlady, the Doctor suggested this, and I have depended largely
on his taste and judgment."
We then stepped to the Doctor's door, and were invited in. She aided me
as much as possible in keeping up a conversation, and complimented the
Doctor on his exquisite taste.
He was immensely pleased, and after she left I remained with him a few
moments.
He jumped up and closed the door, and was about to give me a
tongue-lashing, when I anticipated him by saying:
"Doctor, don't it beat thunder about that girl? Great Heavens! Had I
known she was just out of the Asylum I never would have hired her. And
isn't it strange that she twits every one else of being crazy? I
wouldn't have her around ten days for the price of the hotel. But you
will not be bothered any more, Doctor, for she is gone."
He gave me a very searching look, and said:
"Johnston, was it she or I that was considered crazy?"
"Well Doctor, I understand that she was crazy and you followed her down
cellar to prevent her from committing suicide. At least that is the way
the matter has been represented to the landlady and me."
"Well, I understood," said he seeming much relieved, "that they
considered me crazy."
"O, my! Doctor! the landlady considers you one of the bravest and most
courageous men she ever saw, to follow a raving maniac down cellar the
way you did."
He said he was really surprised to learn that such was the case, as he
had gotten quite a different idea.
A few days later my wife and boy arrived, as I had sent for them some
days before.
The Doctor and I sold off our personal property and things moved on very
harmoniously.
One day a lady called to consult him professionally and paid him five
dollars in cash. This gave him renewed courage and he declared his
intention of locating there permanently, as he not only believed it to
be a good point, but he was rapidly becoming known and could very soon
establish himself in a lucrative practice.
The business of the hotel increased, and to the landlady's astonishment,
was making money. She could not understand how it had cleared so much,
till I explained to her that I had raised the rates from one dollar to
one dollar fifty and two dollars per day. She became much frightened and
declared I would ruin her business.
I declared it would be run on those terms, or not at all if I run it.
She became reconciled, and in a few weeks found a responsible party who
paid her a good rental for the house and furniture, and leased it for a
term of years.
CHAPTER XXII.
OUT OF A POSITION--MOVED TO ANN ARBOR--HOW I MADE A RAISE--A RETURN TO
FURNITURE POLISH--SELLING EXPERIENCE--HAULING COKE--MY SUMMER CLOTHES IN
A SNOW-STORM--A GLOOMY CHRISTMAS--AN ATTACK OF BILIOUS
FEVER--ESTABLISHING AN ENFORCED CREDIT--THE PHOTOGRAPH I SENT MY
MOTHER--ENGAGED AS AN AUCTIONEER AT TOLEDO, OHIO--MY FIRST SALE.
The leasing of the hotel by the landlady threw me out of a position, and
at a time when cold weather had set in, and I had spent all the money I
had received for the horses, besides the salary I had drawn, in clothing
my wife and boy comfortably. I had intended to provide myself with
winter clothing with my next month's salary, but the change came too
suddenly for me. Consequently I was left with my summer clothes, and a
dozen bottles of Furniture and Piano Polish as stock in trade.
As soon as I saw there was going to be a change in the hotel, I wrote
to an old lady in Ann Arbor, whose name was given me by a medical
student, making inquiries about furnished rooms for light housekeeping.
She wrote in reply that she could rent me one room suitable for that
purpose, at one dollar per week. We decided to go there, as we could not
procure furnished rooms in Pontiac for light housekeeping, besides I
considered Ann Arbor a good town to operate in.
I had just money enough to pay our traveling expenses, and explained to
my wife we had better leave on the morning train, which would get us
into Ann Arbor at two o'clock in the afternoon. And as that day would be
Saturday, I could "hus'le" out and sell polish enough to pay our rent
and buy provisions for over Sunday.
She agreed with me and we started accordingly. But our train was belated
by a freight train being ditched, so we did not reach our destination
till six o'clock that night without a single cent in our pockets.
The night was dark and gloomy and the snow flying, while I hus'led
around in my low-cut shoes, high-water pants, summer ulster and a straw
hat. We walked nearly all over the town, following directions given by
first one fool and then another, lugging the boy and our baggage,
searching for Mrs. Hogan, corner of Second and Ann streets. At last we
reached the place and I introduced myself as the one who had engaged a
room of her by letter. After explaining to the old lady that we had just
arrived from Pontiac, she looked us over carefully and remarked:
"You didn't walk did you?"
I replied that we had come part of the way on the cars, and then I told
her of our march around town.
I noticed at once that she was anxious about her rent, as we had taken
possession. So I said to my wife:
"Well I must go out instantly to find those parties, or I wont be able
to see them till Monday. I will be back just as soon as I possibly can,
so you must not worry. Mrs. Hogan will you direct me to a wood yard?"
"Never mind the wood Mr. Johnston. It will be impossible to get a load
delivered to-night. I will let you have enough to last over Sunday."
We thanked her and she left the room.
Then my wife said she had often told her parents that she was sure of
three meals a day as long as I lived, but she guessed I was cornered for
once in my life.
"But," said I "if it were only one meal that we were liable to miss it
would not be so terrible, but here it is late Saturday and if I can't
raise enough for supper, I certainly can't for over Sunday. But this is
what the preacher termed a 'wood-chuck case' and something must be done
at once."
She didn't understand what the wood-chuck case meant, till I told her
that it simply meant we were "out of meat."
I picked up my little valise, containing twelve bottles of Furniture
Polish and started out. I walked down town, not knowing what to do. The
snow was flying through my straw hat and the wind whistling around me at
a terrible rate as I stood on the corner wondering where to go next. I
looked up street and saw a meat market to which I was naturally
attracted. Although the gentleman in attendance was very busy, I rushed
in with:
"How are you this evening sir? I am glad to find you when you have time
to look at my wonderful preparation for renovating furniture, I'll show
you how nicely it operates right here on your desk."
Then as I began polishing it up, I rattled on at lightning speed,
explaining how perfectly dry it would become in less than a minute from
the time it was applied leaving no chance for dust or dirt to settle and
stick upon the furniture it was not in the least sticky or gummy to the
fingers giving no displeasure in using a cloth--any lady could apply it
and easily renovate her own furniture it would remove all fly specks
from picture frames and brackets as well as stained furniture caused by
hot dishes hot water cologne camphor or medicine and----
"And for goodness sake, what else?" cried he. "Will it make you stop
talking if I'll take a bottle?"
"Yes sir, I always stop then."
"How much is it a bottle?" he asked.
"One dollar, and I want but fifty cents in cash and the balance in
steak."
He was about to say he would take it, when he asked who in thunder I
was, anyhow, and if I had ever patronized him, and stated that he didn't
remember ever seeing me before.
I now realized that the moment had arrived when to decide the meat
question. I had got to be equal to the occasion. Looking up at him, I
confidently said:
"Well, for Heaven's sake! Don't you remember my little red-headed
brother that comes in here after meat every day?"
"Oh, yes, that little hair-lipped cuss," said he. I laughed, said:
"Well, he isn't a bad sort of a lad, when you get acquainted with him."
He then cut off four pounds of steak and gave me, with fifty cents cash,
and I departed in much better spirits than when I called. I then made a
bee-line for the nearest grocery store; and although I found the
proprietor very busy I managed to get his attention, and after showing
him my preparation on one of his show-cases, succeeded in selling him a
bottle for one dollar.
I offered to take it in groceries, but he said he preferred to pay cash,
and let me do the same when I patronized him. I invested seventy-five
cents in potatoes, coffee, sugar, etc., and then started for a bakery,
where I came in contact with a lady. She fought me very hard, but I
needed bread, and worked like a trooper to get it without parting with
the few shillings I had. I at last succeeded in getting her so far
interested as to ask the price.
Realizing that her intuitive quickness and shrewdness surpassed that of
my two gentlemen patrons, and that she evinced but little interest,
anyhow, I reduced the price to fifty cents, and offered to take half in
trade and the balance in cash. This she agreed to, and I very soon
departed with my arms full of provisions, and one dollar in cash.
I then visited Tremain's drug store, and ordered more Polish put up, to
be ready the following Monday.
I went directly home, more pleased with my success than anything I had
ever before accomplished. Nor can I now remember of ever succeeding in
anything since, that gave me more satisfaction. As I entered the room,
about nine o'clock, with my arms loaded with packages, my wife sang out:
"Little late, but still in the ring."
With grim irony I replied: "And the villain still pursued her."
However, I appreciated the joke as much as she did; and we were but a
few moments in preparing a meal that each pronounced the best we had
ever partaken of.
Our landlady looked in upon us again that night, when I handed her the
dollar due for rent, saying as I did so, that I might as well pay it
then as to wait till Monday.
We felt quite comfortable, and congratulated ourselves on our success in
pulling through, and making such a narrow escape.
My wife's faith in the three-meals-a-day theory was strengthened more
than ever after this; and I felt myself that I had come about as near
missing a meal as I would probably ever again experience.
When Monday morning came I was ready for business with my nine bottles
of Polish.
The first house I visited was a large stone front, showing the owner to
be a man of wealth. I noticed the front window blinds were closed, and
as it was Monday morning I concluded that the lady of the house would
likely be found at the side door, or possibly overseeing in the laundry.
The latter I found to be the case, and when I rang the bell she answered
it herself. Upon seeing me with my valise, she slammed the door in my
face, and I heard the bolt shove, as though expecting me to attempt to
break in.
This exasperated me more than the rebuff, and I could feel my hair
standing straight up almost piercing my straw hat. I started around
toward the front of the house, expecting to try the next neighbor. When
I neared the front steps, I was seized with a determination to either
get into that house or make the old lady some trouble for her impudence.
So I ran up and pulled the bell vigorously several times. Directly I