CHAPTER X

GREAT SUCCESS AS AN INSURANCE AGENT—SOLD OUT—ARRIVED AT
CHICAGO—SELLING GOVERNMENT GOODS—ACQUIRING DISSIPATED HABITS—ENGAGED
TO BE MARRIED—BROKE AMONG STRANGERS—HOW I MADE A RAISE—MY ARRIVAL HOME.

One day I met James Forster, an old acquaintance, who was engaged in the
insurance business. He asked me if I didn’t think I would make a good
insurance agent.

I told him I had never tried it, but I knew I would.

He asked how I knew so much, if I had never tried it.

“Because I am no good at anything else,” I answered.

He asked how I would like it. I assured him I ready to try it, and that
I owned a horse and buggy to travel over the country with.

He then took me to his office and after giving me a few instructions,
gave me the necessary papers and sent me out.

[Pg 123]

The very first day I took three applications. The company insured on
the installment plan, by issuing a policy for five years, the first
payment of forty cents a hundred per year, was to be paid when the
application was taken, and the balance made payable in equal annual
installments.

The agent’s commission was the first installment, or twenty per cent. of
the gross amount.

I was not long in learning that the rate charged by this company was
just double that of any other in existence, but the people readily fell
in with the idea of paying their insurance by installments.

I gave it a week’s trial and was immensely successful, and turned my
applications over to Mr. Forster, but was careful to sign my name to
them in full, as sub-agent.

He made an equal division of commission with me, which I was not
satisfied with. I then quit, when Mr. Forster called in about a week to
see why I didn’t keep “hus’ling,” as I had been doing so nicely.

“Well,” said I, “Mr. Forster, it’s against my principles to steal and
give some one else half. I can’t afford to go out and rob my neighbors
and acquaintances, and give you any part of it.”

[Pg 124]

He had no more to say. A few days later, I received a letter from the
secretary of this company, asking if I would like to become their agent.
I answered that I would, and on receipt of my certificate went to work
in earnest.

Before two weeks had elapsed, I was the agent for three other
first-class fire companies, whose rates were as low as the lowest. I
also had a first-class life and accident company. I commenced in the
morning, and worked until late at night.

The first intimation I had that I was doing an extra good business, was
when I received a letter from the secretary of one of the companies
saying: “Go for them, Johnston, you have sent in more applications under
one date, and made a larger thirty days’ average, than has ever been
made by any agent of our company,” and added that I might consider that
as a compliment, as they always had hundreds of agents, and in all parts
of the United States. This letter was received from him after I had been
working at the business some months. And I decided at once to quit the
business forthwith.

As soon as I read it I said to myself:

“Now it is certain I can never get rich [Pg 125]working at the insurance
business.” At least, I could not recall to my mind a single instance,
where anyone had ever made more than a living, especially in a country
town, and I argued, that if I had proved myself so far superior to all
other insurance agents, I couldn’t see why it wasn’t possible for me
also to excel in a better paying business.

I therefore desired to sell out, the first chance I got, which I soon
did, receiving five hundred dollars for my business, horse and buggy.

I also had four hundred dollars’ worth of notes I had taken for
insurance, which belonged to me as commissions. These I got discounted,
receiving in cash three hundred and twenty-five dollars. I then
collected my note against the man to whom I had sold the jewelry.

Now I had over one thousand dollars in cash, and was ready to start for
Chicago. I called on those creditors who held my notes, which were not
yet due, and assured them I was on the right road to success, and that
with the use of the money I then had, I was certain to win, as I thought
of investing in jewelry as a jobber, which business, I had from my first
experience, always determined to try again if I ever succeeded in
getting money enough.

[Pg 126]

During this same summer, Mr. Keefer traded his fine farm three miles
from town for a house and lot in town, and a small fruit farm one mile
out, and received some cash besides. They had moved in town about the
time I was ready to start for Chicago.

My mother said, that while I had so much money, it would be a good to
pay back some I had borrowed of them, before I lost it all.

Mr. Keefer said there was no hurry about that, he knew I would pay it
all back some day, because I had always told him I would, and he
believed now I was going to make lots of money.

I bade them good-bye, and left for Chicago, where I arrived the
following morning, when I immediately set out to investigate the jewelry
business. I very soon became satisfied that the few wholesalers I had
called upon were “wolves,” and convinced that there was a wolf for every
lamb, I “hus’led” away “to try the jewelry another day.”

I then began scanning the “wants” and “business chances” in the
different daily papers, when I noticed an advertisement from Colonel O.
Lippencott, who was the United States agent for the sale of government
goods, such as guns,[Pg 127] saddles, harnesses, blankets, soldiers’ clothing,
etc., which had been left over after the late war.

I called on him, and he convinced me that with a stock of twenty-five
hundred dollars, I could make money fast.

I asked how about one thousand dollars’ worth. He said it wouldn’t pay
with so small a stock, and said I could pay one thousand dollars down,
and give a bond for the other fifteen hundred dollars. I told him about
Mr. Keefer, and he very soon ascertained that his bond would be good. He
then filled one out and I sent it to him marked “confidential,” along
with a letter explaining “just how it was.”

It was promptly returned to me with his signature attached.

The goods were soon packed and shipped to a point in Michigan. I hired a
young man to go with me as clerk.

Our success was better than I anticipated.

I would rent a room in a fair-sized town and advertise extensively, and
remain three or four weeks.

The young man I had with me was about my own age, a jolly good fellow, a
sharp salesman and hard worker, but he had many extravagant habits which
I had never yet fallen into.

[Pg 128]

He was fond of billiards, and insisted that I should learn the game,
which I was foolish enough to do. In less than one week I was dreaming
every night of ivory balls of all sizes and colors, of billiard cues of
all weights and shapes, and tables of all styles. My clerk declared I
had gotten up in the night and walked round and round our bed, with an
old broom in my hand, trying to play billiards and talking in my sleep
about carrom and masse shots and pocketing balls.

I had no reason to doubt his statement, for it was a fact that I had
become so infatuated with the game that it was almost impossible to
resist it, and in fact I had no desire to do so.

I enjoyed it greatly, so much so that I got into the habit of leaving
the store during business hours to indulge in it. And there never was an
evening that we were not in the billiard room till it closed for the
night. My clerk was a good player, and enjoyed playing with me no doubt,
because he could easily beat me, and because I had plenty of money with
which to pay the bills.

He was fond of balls and parties, and like myself, enjoyed ladies’
society, and we were both susceptible to their influence. We soon fell
in with[Pg 129] the “jolly good fellows” of every town, many of whom were able
to indulge in a lavish expenditure of money, while by rights neither of
us could afford anything better than a plain, comfortable living; but as
we had joined them, we must be “good fellows” also. Consequently I very
soon found my business running behind.

There was no day when the profits were not large, but my expenses were
enormous. I realized that the billiard game was dragging me down, and
every night after settling my bills I would say that I didn’t think I
would ever play any more. I was very careful however, not to declare
myself against it entirely, because I loved it too well.

We traveled from town to town constantly running behind. Towards spring
we made a stop at Bronson, Michigan, where we continued to “fly high,”
as we used to express it, and at this place while attending a ball, I
met a young lady who afterwards became my wife. We remained there six
weeks, when my clerk left for home.

As my contract with Colonel Lippencott would expire on March first, at
which time I was to return all unsold goods, for which I would receive[Pg 130]
credit, or cash refunded, I packed and shipped my remaining stock to
him, with instructions to send me a statement of account to White
Pigeon, Michigan. There I went with a view to meeting an old friend, who
I found had left for the West a few days prior to my arrival. Finding,
however, a comfortable stopping place, I remained there to await the
statement from Colonel Lippencott.

I of course realized, from my rude system of book-keeping, and the way
the goods invoiced, that I was a considerable loser. The way I figured
it, I would have at least one hundred dollars my due on settlement. But
imagine my surprise, when I received a statement showing a shortage of
seventy-five dollars, which Mr. Keefer would be obliged to pay. I was
then owing a week’s board bill, and had not a cent to my name.

After carefully examining Colonel Lippencott’s statement, I was
satisfied that he was correct.

I saw where I had failed to charge myself up and credit him with nearly
two hundred dollars’ worth of goods, at a time, no doubt, when I had an
engagement with some “dude” to play billiards.

I immediately wrote Colonel Lippencott that I[Pg 131] would return home soon,
when the deficit would be made good.

I was now at a loss to know how to “make a raise.” While sitting in the
hotel office one afternoon contemplating matters most seriously, and
feeling silly and foolish over my winter’s exploit, a young,
despondent-looking chap came into the office carrying a valise and bag,
about half filled with something. He registered, and after making rates
with the landlord, took a seat near me. He had a woe-begone look, and
seemed nervous and anxious.

I immediately opened up conversation with him, and learned he was from a
small town in Illinois, whence he had started as a canvasser, selling
nutmeg-graters.

I asked how he was doing. He said he had been out three days, and hadn’t
sold a grater.

I asked if he had worked hard, and he said yes, but he hadn’t “nerve”
enough for that business.

I asked him to show me one, which he did.

They were a very novel, ingenious thing, and I asked him about the
price.

He said he could sell them for twenty-five cents, and make money. I told
him he could sell[Pg 132] more at fifty cents each, than he could at
twenty-five.

He said he couldn’t see how that could be, and I reminded him of what
Barnum said about the American people.

To this he replied: “By gol, I’ll be gosh durn glad to sell all I have
fer just what they cost me.”

“How much would that be?”

“One dollar and fifty cents per dozen,” he answered.

“How many have you?”

“Twenty dozen.”

I took the one he was showing me and putting it into my pocket, started
out. I called at a general store and enquired for the proprietor, and
when pointed out to me, stepped up to him briskly, and said:

“Mr. ——, do you want to make some money?”

“Why yes, that’s what I am here for.”

“Well then, sir,” producing the novelty, “how would you like the
exclusive sale of this, one of the fastest-selling and most useful
articles ever manufactured. I have only twenty dozen left, and some one
in this town is going to have them. You can put a basket full on your[Pg 133]
counter, sir, and sell one or more to every lady visiting your store.”

“What do they retail at?” he asked.

“Fifty cents each.”

“What is the wholesale price?”

“Three dollars a dozen, but as I have only twenty dozen left, you can
have them at two dollars and seventy-five cents per dozen.”

“I’ll give you fifty dollars spot cash for the lot,” he said, after
figuring a moment.

“All right, I guess you can have them.” And I quickly delivered them and
received the cash.

Thirty dollars of this the young man received with much satisfaction,
while with the other twenty I felt quite comfortable myself.

After paying my hotel bill I departed for Ohio.

On my arrival home I explained to my folks “just how it all happened.”
My mother said “she always thought I would turn out a gambler anyhow,
and didn’t expect anything else when I left home, only that I would lose
all I had before getting back.”

Mr. Keefer said “it was too bad, and I ought to have knocked the whole
top of that clerk’s head off for getting me into such habits.”

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[Pg 134]