I returned at noon with seven dollars sixty cents, when I took the
balance of the dope back to the druggist and asked how much I owed him.
He said:

"Well, I'll tell you, I'd like to sell the whole of it out to you. I'll
take fifty cents and you own all the flavoring extract there is left,
and I'll sell you the jar and graduate cheap if you want them."

"All right sir," handing over the fifty cents, "I'll return after dinner
and try it again."

This little experience about convinced me that there was more money in
that business than in patent rights.

As I was on my way to the hotel I met a man with a small flour-sifter
for the sale of which he was acting as general agent in appointing
sub-agents.

I asked his terms.

He said he required each new agent to buy four hundred sifters at
twenty-five cents each, which he could retail for fifty cents. Unless a
man could buy this number he could not have agency.

After dinner I started out again with the flavoring extract. At the
third house I entered, an old gentleman asked if I could get him the
agency for it. He said it wasn't necessary for him to do anything of the
kind, as he owned a nice home and a small farm and had some money on
interest, but he didn't like to spend his time in idleness. I told him
that our house had no vacancies, but I could intercede in his behalf in
making him an agent for a patent flour-sifter.

He asked what terms he could make. I told him they retailed for fifty
cents each, but in order to secure the exclusive sale in his town he
would have to pay the regular retail price for the first four hundred,
after which he could have all he wanted at half that price.

He said he wouldn't care to invest more than one hundred dollars anyhow,
and expressed a desire to see one of them.

"Well," said I, "I am always glad to do a man a favor, and I will run
down town and bring one up to you."

I went immediately to where the gentleman was unpacking his sifters, and
asked if he would be willing to sell two hundred and give the exclusive
sale.

He refused to do so, and I saw there was little use in trying to
persuade him, when I explained the nature of my case.

He said it wouldn't pay him to sell so few.

"Then I'll tell you what I'll do," said I. "You see if I was to sell two
hundred at the price I have quoted, I'd make fifty dollars. Now if you
will let me make the sale I'll give you half of my profits."

He agreed, and I returned to my v