ing,
and when I offer to do so you select one and pay for it with this money,
and I will give you the ring for your trouble."

He agreed to my proposition and immediately went over to the store.

With my two cases I followed directly after him, and setting them down
stepped up to the proprietor and asked permission to show my goods. He
was very gruff, and refused to listen to me at all. I picked up my cases
saying, "Good-bye sir," when my country friend stepped up and said:
"Mister, you are selling jewelry, I see. Can't you sell me a ring?"

"Well, yes, I can if Mr. ---- is willing to let me show it to you in his
store."

The merchant said he had no objection, as he had no jewelry to sell and
never expected to have.

I then opened the case that contained all of my carded goods, and spread
all the trays out on his counter. Not finding any rings in that case, I
was obliged to open the other; and as the rings were at the very bottom
I was compelled to take out every tray before reaching them. These I
also spread out on his counter, and finally sold the young man a ring.

In the meantime nearly all of his customers--and the store was
crowded--were looking at my goods and handling them over. I stepped up
to the merchant, and thanking him for his kindness handed him one
dollar, merely mentioning the fact very quietly that I had only one
price, and that I had sold the ring at just twice the wholesale price,
and the dollar belonged to him. He cried out, as he took the money:

"Good gracious! I hope you didn't charge the man that much profit."

I assured him that such a thing was a very common occurrence; and to
further satisfy him I made several sales right then and there, and in
each instance gave him half the receipts.

Again thanking him for his kindness, I began packing up when he said:

"Just wait a moment," and stepping to the stair-way, opened the door and
called to his wife to come down. She did so, and in less than two hours
I had sold and delivered to them nearly three hundred dollars worth, and
had the cash in my pocket.

When I reported this sale to the traveling men at the hotel they could
hardly believe me, and were not wholly convinced till they called at the
store and saw the jewelry.

My trade continued to be first-class during the holidays, clearing me
considerable money.

I lost no time after the holidays, but kept on traveling while other
drummers were laying off for the dull season, and succe