“More surprised than ever, he sent it to his native city, New York, for examination. “The scientists there put their heads together and decided that it was in every way better than the original gold. “A company was immediately formed and the metal was shipped to this country in large quantities. Today, my friends, all kinds of articles are manufactured from it. This little chain which I hold in my hand is made from this metal, that is known all the civilized world over as Asiatic aluminum gold. “Now, a few words more and I am done. In handing these out I wish to make an explanation. I have only about thirty watches and thirty chains, and if I were to hand them out right and left promiscuously I would not have enough to go around. Besides that, I might put some of them in the hands of unscrupulous men. “So, in order to avoid that, and protect myself, and have the watches go to people who are honest and appreciative, I will put a very small price on the chain, and nothing on the watch. “If you were to go to the jewelry store and buy one of these chains it would cost you from three to five dollars. Now, I shall not attempt to charge any such price, but, to make a long story short, I will put them down to the little, in-sig-nif-i-cent sum of twenty-five cents. Remember, the watch goes free, and the first man who passes me up a quarter gets the outfit. Ah, there’s a man wants a bargain, and he’ll get one, too. Here, sir, is your change. Who’s the next lucky man?” All the time the quarters were rolling in I kept reminding the people that there were only about thirty watches and chains, though in reality I would have been glad to put out an unlimited number. When I was sold out I gave the promised entertainment, and all went their several ways rejoicing. Thus I traveled, and schemed, and fought for fortune. If there was anything new on the wholesale market I had it; and it was surprising what a variety of articles for street selling I managed to pick up. It is unnecessary to say that I handled them clear up to the limit of artistic skill. But, after all, one gets tired of this sort of thing, though I varied my schemes as often as I thought I could make better money. I found, too, that what won one week was a failure the next, and with even what seemed a success the bank account which every fakir yearns to have was slow to grow. For that reason, when I seemed to have skimmed the cream off one thing, I tried something else, falling back on old schemes when it was necessary or profitable. Several times I organized medicine companies and gave entertainments in the opera houses, carrying along a physician with whom the public could have free consultation. Several times I got out of such schemes by selling good will and fixtures, thus quitting them anything but a gainer.