- V ■yt-T^ryj-..^ , 





86 THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 



We had the finest show you ever saw. One of my traveling 

 men was lOO miles from Cincinnati, and at the hotel at din- 

 ner (he was known at the table by the other travelers) ;_ he 

 was asked if he had seen that honey display, and Ihey just 

 thought it was the finest thing on earth, and I could have a 

 million dollars in displays in windows today, but it gets tire- 

 some. In two weeks my young lady sold over $.300 worth of 

 honey in that store. I went one point further. I sometimes 

 get a notion to travel. I have got to go, you just can't hold 

 me down. I went East where they have a great department 

 store which covers one block, and it is seven stories high. 

 I said : "Let me see the manager." When we came up to the 

 seventh floor there was an exhibition of everything that they 

 had for sale. I thought, "Here is an opportunity to sell a 

 barrel of honey; stacks of it." I showed them my bottled 

 honey. If you please, there are other fellows in the East. 

 My honey was the best honey in bottles put up. I am proud 

 to say it. It is the truth. I told the manager that I would 

 like to put up a demonstration for a couple of weeks or 

 months. "I would just like to start you off here. I have 

 the finest thing on earth." I sold him nearly $1,500 worth 

 of bottled honey. Now, the National Bee-Keepers' Association 

 doesn't do a thing like that. We are the dealers that get 

 plugged in the eye every opportunity. Now, the Saturday 

 before Easter, I went to see somebody in Chicago; I had 

 promised to eat Easter Sunday dinner with my friend. I re- 

 ceived a telegram which came from about 700 miles from 

 home which read : "Give me the price on a carload of honey ; 

 also the price on less than car-lots." This was Saturday 

 night and I knew by Monday morning I would be there. 

 I turned to the telephone and asked my good wife to fix my 

 grip, "instead of going to Chicago I will be gone about ten 

 days." Monday morning I arrived and the fellow said: 

 "I just wrote you the other day." I said, "Yes, but when- 

 ever you tell me to give you the price on a carload of honey 

 I don't trust a letter, and I will go all the way across the 

 country to see you." He says, "I am awfully sorry, because 

 you came all the way here for that order, for I have prices 

 that will knock you silly." Just right; I just imagined it. 

 That's just the reason I wouldn't write a letter. To come 

 right down to business, he said he would buy a carload of 

 honey. I don't suppose you folks know I am not a mil- 

 lionaire, when it comes down to a carload of honey. Now, 

 let me tell you while you folks are rated at $200,000, there are 

 times when I draw a draft on you for $3,000 and it is re^ 

 turned. I said, "It would' suit me much better if you give 

 me an order for 15 barrels, to be delivered the first of the 

 month, and 15 barrels to be delivered the 15th, and it will 

 come right along; but I ask you just the minute your honey 

 comes in the depot you fire the money in." He was surprised 

 to see me so honest. I told him I needed the money. Of 

 course, my bankers will advance more if I ask it, but I pre- 

 ferred to do that way. I knocked out adulterated honey, 

 and he paid me ^ of a cent more for pure honey than he 

 would have paid for adulterated honey. He said, "Are there 



