FACING THE NEW WORLD 39 



education, particularly his knowledge of chemistry, 

 made him feel he could use his abilities to better ad- 

 vantage. His brother suggested peddling matches, say- 

 ing that, to his knowledge, every successful man in 

 America had started just that way. 



If peddling was the first step necessary to success, 

 my husband was willing to try it ; only he thought he 

 would apply his knowledge to it. He bought all nec- 

 essary chemicals from a traveling peddler and bottles 

 of all kinds and sizes, many of them far from dainty 

 and beautiful. What was his idea? On our big 

 kitchen stove he began to make perfumes! Several 

 unexpected explosions occurred, one of which set the 

 chimney afire. In the chimney, as it happened, we 

 kept our official papers and documents. They were 

 all burned. 



In about three weeks, after all kinds of difficulties, 

 after various experiments and failures, during which 

 both he and the house were in lively danger of being 

 burned, he had a stock of perfumes ready to sell. To 

 peddle his own manufactured goods was much more 

 dignified than to sell matches, my husband felt. 



Pittsfield had many factory villages on its out- 

 skirts. With a newly purchased satchel, heavily laden 

 with his bottles, he set out to dispose of his perfumes. 

 In his fine European suit of clothes, with his intel- 

 ligent face and refined, gentle, sympathetic manner, 

 he made a striking appearance. The people were 

 used to seeing pack peddlers, but never a peddler who 



