and in bales, I thought I could get
more money for it by shipping my cotton to Memphis. So I
did. By the time my cotton got to Memphis, the bottom fell out
and I could not get any bids on it. Then I sure was up against
the wall.
Not knowing just the best thing to do, although I was ready to try anything, for I had a large family to feed and to send to school. One day I came in and picked up my paper and I saw an ad offering to send a large supply of some two hundred items of household goods to any one who would become their salesman. All it would take for them to set you up in business was the outlay of ten dollars. We just had ten dollars! I told my wife that I was going to take our last ten dollars and send for all of this stuff. She was very disturbed at me taking the last dollar in the house for some wild idea of mine. I insisted and in a short time I received the goods. I was sure surprised at the amount this company shipped me. After reading all about my products, I loaded up my two-horse hack with my goods. I also loaded in a chicken coop, and two empty egg cases. I started off on my first selling job. By the time I had traveled three and a half miles, I had sold enough of my goods taking chickens and eggs. I had my coop full of chickens, one case of eggs, and a twenty dollar bill. From that day on I never doubted my ability to be a salesman. All that winter I was out selling. I made a good living besides paying some debts while my cotton was in Memphis. The insurance and storage being charged to my cheap cotton. I kept a record of my selling that winter. I sold $1400.00 worth of merchandise before time to start my next crop. If anyone ever read a book about twenty years of hustling, I am sure my story would make you think of that book. From the first day I took on the responsibility to take care of a family, I would always be ready to try anything I could to make an honest dollar. When my crop failed, I would try something else. I never was a quiter, and never ran 51 |