I learned afterward that an old country banker, named John Gardener, of Norwalk, O., who had much to do with our consignor, was watching this little matter intently, and I have ever since believed that he originated the suggestion to tempt us to do what we stated we did not do as a test, and his story about our firm stand for what we regarded as sound business principles did us great good.
About this time I began to go out and solicit business--a branch of work I had never before attempted.

I undertook to visit every person in our part of the country who was in any way connected with the kind of business that we were engaged in, and went pretty well over the states of Ohio and Indiana.

I made up my mind that I could do this best by simply introducing our firm, and not pressing for immediate consignments.

I told them that I represented Clark & Rockefeller, commission merchants, and that I had no wish to interfere with any connection that they had at present, but if the opportunity offered we should be glad to serve them, etc., etc.
To our great surprise, business came in upon us so fast that we hardly knew how to take care of it, and in the first year our sales amounted to half a million dollars.
Then, and indeed for many years after, it seemed as though there was no end to the money needed to carry on and develop the business.

As our successes began to come, I seldom put my head upon the pillow at night without speaking a few words to myself in this wise: "Now a little success, soon you will fall down, soon you will be overthrown.