ar for each sale, as I was selling in dollar lots.
This he kept up till he had loaded himself and several friends, and
started off, saying he would be back the next night.
After he left I was informed that he was worth several millions, which
he had made in iron and copper mines.
The next night I went out with my cart rather early, as usual, and
lighted my torches and returned to the hotel to await the regular time
for opening. When I came out again I was surprised to see every window
in every building around me occupied by nicely dressed ladies, and the
streets filled with handsome horses drawing carriages occupied, as I
could see, by a well-to-do class of people.
It was remarked by many the next day that there never had been as large
a crowd gathered on the street at one time before, and the result of my
sale, which was three times larger than any I had ever before had,
proved to me what a little free advertising could do.
I looked in vain, as did also many of my audience, for the rich miner,
but he didn't come.
We continued on towards the copper country, working the iron mining
towns on our way, arriving at Houghton the middle of July.
The next day after making my first sale there, I was walking down
street, and when passing a store room a gentleman came to the door and
said:
"You're just the man that ought to buy me out and sell the goods at
auction."
"What have you got?"
"I have everything--boots, shoes, suits of clothes, overcoats, dishes,
notions and I don't know what I haven't got."
I asked his reason for selling. He replied that it was a stock that had
gone through a fire, and he had bought it for a few hundred dollars and
was then six hundred dollars ahead, and would sell the balance cheap. I
stepped inside and after glancing over the stock asked his price.
"Six hundred dollars."
"I'll give you just twenty-five per cent. of that, and no more," and
started to walk out.
"I'll take two hundred fifty."
"No sir," taking a roll of money from my pocket and showing it to him,
"one hundred and fifty, and your cash in your fingers."
"All right, count it out."
"But step to the Recorder's office and assure me that there is no
mortgage on your stock and that it belongs to you, and after giving me a
bill of sale your money is ready."
He did so, and I made the purchase.
In this stock was a quantity of paper cambric of all colors, and when
the firemen were trying to put out the fire t
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