mers came from so far away that they had to stay overnight at
least, and of course it was always Harry's house to which they went. The
profit on a twenty-five cent purchase was slender under these
circumstances, and as cash was scarce in those days, a twenty-five-cent
purchase was not so rare as might be supposed. We therefore printed,
mounted, framed, and sent to our friend the legend, "No more free meals.
Each meal will cost ten cents." Later we received a most grateful reply
from him in his merry way, saying that he had hung up the card in his
parlour, but begging us not to defer visits if we had not the requisite
amount, as he was permitted to give credit to that extent. But when next
we suddenly "blew in" to Harry's house, the legend was hanging with its
face to the wall.

Our third store was seventy-five miles to the westward at a place
called Flowers Cove. Here the parson came in with a will. Being a
Church of England man, he was a more permanent resident, and, as he
said, "he was a poor man, but he would sell his extra pair of boots to
be able to put one more share in the store." What was infinitely more
important he put in his brains. Every one in that vicinity who had
felt the slavery of the old system joined the venture. One poor
Irishman walked several miles around the coast to catch me on my next
visit, and secretly give me five dollars. "'Tis all I has in the
world, Doctor, saving a bunch of children, but if it was ten times as
large, you should have every cent of it for the store." "Thanks,
Paddy, that's the talking that tells." For some years afterwards,
every time that he knew I was making a visit to that part of the
coast, he would come around seeking a private interview, and inquire
after the health of "the copper store"; till he triumphantly brought
another five dollars for a second share "out of my profits, Doctor."

That store is now a limited liability company with a capital of ten
thousand dollars owned entirely by the fishermen, it has paid
consistently a ten per cent dividend every year, and is located in
fine premises which it bought and owns outright.

A fourth store followed near the lumber mill which we started to give
winter labour at logging; but owing to bad management and lack of
ability to say "no" to men seeking credit, it fell into debt and we
closed it up. Number five almost shared the same fate. Unable to get
local talent to manage it, we hired a Canadian whose pretensions
prove