Chapter IV —

BORROWING MONEY FROM MR. KEEFER—BUYING AND SELLING SHEEP PELTS—HOW I
SUCCEEDED—A CO-PARTNERSHIP IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS—BUYING OUT MY
PARTNER—COLLAPSED—MORE HELP FROM MR. KEEFER—HORSES AND PATENT RIGHTS.

I hardly complied with my mother’s five o’clock order. When I did arise
I sought Mr. Keefer, to whom I told the story of my misfortunes. He
listened attentively and said he could easily see that it was bad luck,
and he believed I would yet be successful. I explained to him that if he
would lend me fifteen dollars, I could engage in buying sheep pelts,
which could neither drown, suffocate nor break.

He complied with my request, and I started out that morning with only my
own horse hitched to a light wagon.

Rollin, having finished his visit, left for home the same day.

I bought several pelts during the day, and sold[Pg 58] them to a dealer before
returning home, making a profit of three dollars.

This was the first success I had met with during my three weeks’
experience, and was certainly very encouraging. I continued in the
business until cold weather, when I had cleared one hundred dollars.

I then began looking about for a chance to invest what I had made, as
the weather was too cold to continue traveling in the country.

I was not long in finding an opportunity to invest with an old school
mate in a restaurant.

It took about sixty days to learn that the business would not support
two persons. As he was unable to buy me out, I made him an offer of my
horse for his share, I to assume all liabilities of the firm, which
amounted to about one hundred dollars.

He accepted my proposition. I sold the remainder of my flock of sheep,
and paid the debts. I kept on with the business, meeting with splendid
success in selling cigars and confectionery and feeding any number of my
acquaintances, for which I received promises to pay, and which up to the
present writing have never been collected.

[Pg 59]

When spring came, my liabilities were two hundred and fifty dollars,
and no stock in trade. My available assets were a lot of marred and
broken furniture which I peddled out in pieces, receiving in cash about
one hundred dollars which I applied on my debts.

I called on Mr. Keefer with a full explanation of “just how it all
happened,” and he said he could see how it occurred, and without
hesitation endorsed a note with me to raise the balance of my
indebtedness.

Now I began looking for something else to engage in.

It was the wrong time of year for buying sheep pelts. My funds exhausted
and in debt besides, I felt anxious to strike something very soon.

My mother still insisted that I should learn a trade or get steady
employment somewhere. I told her there was nothing in it. She claimed
there was a living in it, which I admitted, but declared if I kept
“hustling” I would accomplish that much anyhow.

She gave me to distinctly understand that Mr. Keefer would sign no more
notes nor loan me a dollar in money thereafter. Mr. Keefer held a note
of fifty dollars against a man, not yet due,[Pg 60] which he handed to me that
same morning, saying if I could use it I could have it.

A young in our village had just patented an invention for closing gates
and doors. He offered me the right for the State of Illinois for this
note, which I readily accepted.

In a few days I traded my right in this patent for six counties in
Michigan and Indiana in a patent pruning shears, an old buck sheep, a
knitting machine, an old dulcimer, a shot-gun and a watch.

I traded all of the truck except the watch, for an old gray mare. Then
commenced a business of trading horses and watches.

In this I was quite successful during the summer and fall. I had paid my
board and clothed myself comfortably, and was the owner of a horse which
I had refused a large sum for, besides an elegant watch which I valued
highly.

My mother said it was a regular starved-to-death business.

Mr. Keefer said he knew I would make it win.

[Pg 61]