Twenty Years of Hus'ling

On this trip one of our horses became lame, and one morning just as we were ready to start out from the hotel a gentleman came driving up with a fine-looking span of horses, tha...

THE DOCTOR SWINDLED--HOW WE GOT EVEN--DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND--THE DOCTOR PEDDLING STOVE-PIPE BRACKETS--HIS FIRST CUSTOMER--HIS MISHAP AND DEMORALIZED CONDITION--THE DOCTOR AND MYSE...

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-...

A FRIEND LOANS ME TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS--MY ARRIVAL IN CHICAGO--FORTY DOLLARS' WORTH OF GOODS ON CREDIT--I LEAVE FOR MICHIGAN--EFFECTING A SALE BY STRATAGEM--GREAT SUCCESS DURING...

MY EMPLOYER CALLED HOME--I CONTINUE TO HUS'LE--AN AUCTIONEERING CO-PARTNERSHIP--STILL IN A DOUBLE ROLE--A NEAT, TIDY, QUIET BOARDING HOUSE--WE MOVE TO A HOTEL--A PRACTICAL JOKE-...

EMPLOYING TRAVELING SALESMEN--DEPRESSION IN TRADE--HEAVILY IN DEBT--HOW I PRESERVED MY CREDIT--I TAKE TO THE ROAD AGAIN--TRAVELING BY TEAM--DECIDING A HORSE-TRADE--MY BOOK-KEEPE...

ENGAGED IN THE PATENT-RIGHT BUSINESS--MY TRADE WITH BROTHER LONG--THE COMPROMISE--MY SECOND TRADE WITH A DEACON--HIS SUNDAY HONESTY AND WEEK-DAY ECONOMY--A NEW PARTNER--THE LAND...

ENGAGED TO MANAGE THE HOTEL--THE DOCTOR MY STAR BOARDER--DISCHARGING ALL THE HELP--HIRING THEM OVER AGAIN--THE DOCTOR AS TABLE WAITER--THE LANDLADY AND THE DOCTOR COLLIDE--THE A...

He wanted twenty-five dollars. I told him about my shot-gun and offered to trade with him. He accompanied me to my house and I very quickly closed a trade, receiving the whole o...

I remained at this town about a fortnight, when I received a letter from an old acquaintance then in Toledo, Ohio, but who had formerly practiced medicine in Bronson, Michigan.

I was born near Ottawa, Illinois, January 6th, 1852, of Scotch-Irish descent. My great-great-grandfather Johnston was a Presbyterian clergyman, who graduated from the University...

MR. KEEFER CALLED FROM HOME--MY MOTHER REFUSES ME A LOAN--PEDDLING FURNITURE POLISH ON FOOT--HAVING MY FORTUNE TOLD--MY TRIP THROUGH MICHIGAN--ARRESTED FOR SELLING WITHOUT LICEN...

On my return home I met an old acquaintance who had just sold out his grocery and was anxious to invest with me in the auction business. We very soon formed a co-partnership, he...

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 A...

OUR TRIP THROUGH INDIANA--HOW I FOOLED A TELEGRAPH OPERATOR--THE OLD LANDLORD SENDS RECIPE FOR CREAM BISCUIT--OUR RETURN TO OHIO--BECOMING AGENTS FOR A NEW PATENT--OUR VALISE ST...

VISITING MY FAMILY AT ELMORE--HOW WE FOOLED A DETECTIVE--A FRIEND IN NEED--ARRIVING AT SWANTON, OHIO, BROKE--HOW I MADE A RAISE--DISGUISING MY HORSE WITH A COAT OF PAINT--CAPTUR...

BUYING OUT A LARGE STOCK OF MERCHANDISE--ON THE ROAD AGAIN--SIX WEEKS IN EACH TOWN--MUDDY ROADS AND POOR TRADE--CLOSING OUT AT AUCTION--SAVED MY CREDIT BUT COLLAPSED--PEDDLING P...

IN THE AUCTION BUSINESS AGAIN--A NEW CONVEYANCE FOR STREET SALES--MY TRIP THROUGH THE LUMBER REGIONS--A SUCCESSFUL SUMMER CAMPAIGN--A WINTER'S TRIP THROUGH THE SOUTH--MY RETURN...

ROBBED OF A TRUNK OF JEWELRY--ONLY A SMALL STOCK LEFT--A TERRIBLE CALAMITY--COLLAPSED--AN EMPTY SAMPLE-CASE MY SOLE POSSESSION--PEDDLING POLISH AGAIN--MAKING A RAISE--UNINTENTIO...

AUCTIONEERING AT MICHIGAN STATE FAIR--THREE DAYS CO-PARTNERSHIP WITH A SHOWMAN--MY PARTNER'S FAMILY ON EXHIBITION--OUR SUCCESS--TRAVELING NORTHWARD--BUSINESS INCREASES--FREQUENT...

After dissolving partnership I returned to Columbus, replenished my stock, and started out alone. I took the first train out from the city and stopped about ten miles distant, a...

THREE DOLLARS WELL INVESTED--LEARNING TELEGRAPHY--GETTING IN DEBT--A FULL-FLEDGED OPERATOR--MY FIRST TELEGRAPH OFFICE--BUYING AND SELLING DUCKS AND FROGS WHILE EMPLOYED AS OPERA...

The next day I called Mr. Keefer to one side, informed him--on the quiet--about my shortage of seventy-five dollars and suggested going to the bank and borrowing about a hundred...

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.

OUR VISIT TO LA GRANGE, IND.--TRADED FOR A HORSE--FOLLOWED BY AN OFFICER, WITH A WRIT OF REPLEVIN--PUTTING HIM ON THE WRONG SCENT--HIS RETURN TO THE HOTEL--THE HORSE CAPTURED--B...

We were then but a short distance from Fostoria, to which place we drove, arriving there at noon with seventy-five cents and the chicken, which we sold for twenty-five cents. Wh...

My success as an auctioneer was assured from the result of my first sale. I soon learned that it required only hard study and close application to make it a profitable business.

SELLING AND TRADING OFF MY FLOCK OF SHEEP--CO-PARTNERSHIP FORMED WITH A NEIGHBOR BOY--OUR DISSOLUTION--MY CONTINUANCE IN BUSINESS--COLLAPSE OF A CHICKEN DEAL--DESTRUCTION OF A W...

SWINDLED OUT OF A HORSE AND WATCH--MORE HELP FROM MR. KEEFER--HOW I GOT EVEN IN THE WATCH TRADE--MY PATENT RIGHT TRIP TO MICHIGAN AND INDIANA--ITS RESULTS--HOW A WOULD-BE SHARPE...

MY NEW ACQUAINTANCE AND OUR CO-PARTNERSHIP--THREE WEEKS' EXPERIENCE MANUFACTURING SOAP--THE COLLAPSE--HOW IT HAPPENED--BROKE AGAIN--MORE HELP FROM MR. KEEFER--A TRIP TO INDIANA-...

I was anxious to go to Chicago, but was a "little short" financially, and asked Mr. Smith to give me a job on the farm. He asked if I could plow. I assured him that I was a prac...

Soon after my arrival home I received a letter from a horse-trainer then located at Springfield, Ohio, saying I had been recommended to him as a splendid horse-back rider, a gen...

MY MOTHER WISHES ME TO LEARN A TRADE--MY BURNING DESIRE TO BE A LIVE-STOCK DEALER--EMPLOYED BY A DEAF DROVER TO DO HIS HEARING--HOW I AMUSED MYSELF AT HIS EXPENSE AND MISFORTUNE.

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 coul...

CONTINUE TO SELL FOR MERCHANTS--WELL PREPARED FOR WINTER--TRADING A SHOT-GUN FOR A HORSE AND WAGON--AUCTIONEERING FOR MYSELF--MR. KEEFER NEEDING HELP--HOW I RESPONDED--TURNING M...

In the auction business again--A new conveyance for street sales--My trip through the lumber regions--A successful summer campaign--A winter's trip through the south--My return...

I continue to sell for merchants--Well prepared for winter--Trading a shot-gun for a horse and wagon--Auctioneering for myself--Mr. Keefer needing help--How I responded--Turning...

Our trip through Indiana--How I fooled a telegraph operator--The old landlord sends recipe for cream biscuit--Our return to Ohio--Becoming agents for a new patent--Our valise st...

Auctioneering at the Michigan State Fair--Three days' co-partnership with a showman--My partner's family on exhibition--Our success--Traveling northward--Business increases--Fre...

Robbed of a trunk of jewelry--Only a small stock left--A terrible calamity--Collapsed--An empty sample-case my sole possession--Peddling polish again--Making a raise--Unintentio...

The doctor swindled--How we got even--Diamond cut diamond--The doctor peddling stove-pipe brackets--His first customer--His mishap and demoralized condition--The doctor and myse...

Engaged to manage the hotel--The doctor my star boarder--Discharging all the help--Hiring them over again--The doctor as table waiter--The landlady and the doctor collide--The a...

A friend loans me twenty-five dollars--My arrival in Chicago--Forty dollars' worth of goods on credit--I leave for Michigan--Effecting a sale by stratagem--Great success during...

Buying out a large stock of merchandise--On the road again--Six weeks in each town--Muddy roads and poor trade--Closing out at auction--Saved my credit but collapsed--Peddling p...

Date and place of birth--My Mother's second marriage--A kind step-father--Raising a flock of sheep from a pet lamb--An established reputation--Anxious to speculate--Frequent com...

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 a...

Engaged in the Patent-right business--My trade with Brother Long--The compromise--My second trade with a deacon--His Sunday honesty and week-day economy--A new partner--The land...

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-...

Mr. Keefer called from home--My mother refuses me a loan--Peddling furniture polish on foot--Having my fortune told--My trip through Michigan--Arrested for selling without licen...

Selling and trading off my flock of sheep--Co-partnership formed with a neighbor boy--Our dissolution--My continuance in business--Collapse of a chicken deal--Destruction of a w...

My new acquaintance and our co-partnership--Three weeks' experience manufacturing soap--The collapse--How it happened--Broke again--More help from Mr. Keefer--A trip to Indiana-...

Our visit to La Grange, Ind.--Traded for a horse--Followed by an officer, with a writ of replevin--Putting him on the wrong scent--His return to the hotel--The horse captured--B...

Swindled out of a horse and watch--More help from Mr. Keefer--How I got even in the watch trade--My patent right trip to Michigan and Indiana--Its results--How a would-be sharpe...

Visiting my family at Elmore--How we fooled a detective--A friend in need--Arriving at Swanton, Ohio, broke--How I made a raise--Disguising my horse with a coat of paint--Captur...

My mother wishes me to learn a trade--My burning desire to be a live-stock dealer--Employed by a deaf drover to do his hearing--How I amused myself at his expense and misfortune.

Three dollars well invested--Learning telegraphy--Getting in debt--A full-fledged operator--My first telegraph office--Buying and selling ducks and frogs while employed as opera...

Employing traveling salesmen--Depression in trade--Heavily in debt--How I preserved my credit--I take to the road again--Traveling by team--Deciding a horse-trade--My book-keepe...