myself to spend an evening with him. (Mr. Herman Hart has always been one of my best friends.) Having declined his invitation on many another occasion, I could not possibly do so this time. I accepted the invitation, and while we were enjoying ourselves at his hospitable board, I felt that I was neglecting my duty, that an accumulation of letters awaited me which it would take every minute at my command to dispose of, before the next batch arrived. I sacrificed that evening, rather than took pleasure in it, under the circumstances.
On Sundays came the wind-up of the accumulated work that had gotten ahead of me during the week. And it was no unusual thing for me to put in the entire Sunday from eight in the morning until midnight in my "office." Verily, I "had an easy task of it," with "no financial responsibility, and no overhead expenses"!
Selling a Greenhouse Establishment
In an earlier place, I mentioned that I helped once to sell a greenhouse. It was the first and only greenhouse I ever had any hand in selling. The late E. Hippard of Youngstown, Ohio, had approached me time and again with a request that I help him sell his place. While I thought little of it at the time—that is, of the chance there was of my disposing of his place—a chance presented itself in course of time. Mr. John Walker was then with the Robert Craig Company in capacity of foreman. While having an excellent position, Mr. Walker, nevertheless, entertained the idea of starting a place for himself. It did not matter in which locality or section of the country, so long as the place could be purchased at a reasonable price, and the town had future prospects. One evening, while talking to Mr. Walker about the line of palms I handled for the Robert Craig Company, our conversation turned on other subjects. I told Mr. Walker about the growth and remarkable development of the Middle West, and particularly of the State of Ohio, saying that Ohio, or especially the Shenango Valley in Ohio, would be my favorite if I thought of making a change of residence, never suspecting that I was talking to a man who contemplated such a change. He became interested in what I was telling him, and asked me, if I should happen to come across a greenhouse plant suitable for his purpose, to bear him in mind. E. Hippard's place was still fresh in my memory, and I mentioned it to Mr. Walker. He wanted to know details, and asked me to communicate with Mr. Hippard. A few days later I received a letter from Mr. Hippard, giving full details of his place, and telling me that were it not for the other interests he had in town (the manufacture of ventilating machines, steam-traps, and other greenhouse devices), he would never have thought of selling the greenhouses. I showed Mr. Hippard's letter to Mr. Walker, and he expressed his willingness to see the place for himself.
In June, 1900, we arranged a meeting at Youngstown, and the deal was consummated. In August of that same year, Mr. Walker settled his affairs in Philadelphia, and betook himself and his family to Youngstown, Ohio.
Youngstown at that time was a town of about forty thousand. Today it has more than doubled itself. And John Walker grew up with the town. Mr. Walker is a mixer, and his popularity among all elements in Youngstown is second to that of no man. The most exclusive society folk, as well as the plainest of people, find in Mr. Walker a man worthy of respect and confidence. Mr. Walker has prospered. A few years ago he purchased a farm and built a new range of houses, with a view to growing cut flowers. This new place he sold a few years later to Mr. Cade, retaining the old range which he originally purchased from Mr. Hippard, and where ferns and miscellaneous bedding stock in great quantities are successfully grown for his wholesale and retail trade.
It was at Mr. Hippard's suggestion that I ventured into a new line—the handling of ventilating machines—although I must confess that I never succeeded in
