"Yes sir, from Chicago; and I want to sell you a bill of jewelry right away." "Goodness' sakes! Can't you call to-morrow?" "No sir; business is too brisk. I must sell to you to-night so I can leave on the morning boat." The whole family got up and came down stairs in the store, and I finished up with them about five o'clock in the morning, after selling a large bill of goods. On my arrival at Charlevoix I found several traveling men at the hotel, and among them one who was traveling for a wholesale grocery house. While I was busy arranging my jewelry before calling on my customers, I heard this man say: "I had big sales yesterday. I sold a car-load each of rice, nutmegs, cinnamon and pepper, besides three hundred barrels of flour, and as many chests of tea." On hearing this statement I immediately recognized the voice, and remembered having heard the same story before, somewhere. Upon looking at the speaker I also recognized his face, and turning to those present, said: "Gentlemen, I know this man sold that many goods, for I heard him tell the same story at St. Mary's, Ohio, about four years ago, and I know it's true or he wouldn't keep telling it." Of course he was offended and insulted, and denied the charge; but when I recalled to his mind the hat trade I made with him and the dollar he paid me to boot, he laughed, and said he remembered it; but he laughed more heartily when I told him it was a put-up job, and how glad I was to get the dollar. I then gave him a nice rolled-plate vest-chain--an article he very much needed, and which made him feel that his dollar had been well invested. When the first of January came I found myself in very good shape, with a satisfactory profit for my year's work. I now began thinking about opening an establishment of my own. About this time Mr. Weil, with whom I still made my headquarters, informed me that he was going to retire from the jewelry business, and offered to sell his large safe, all the office fixtures and a large stock of jewelry, to me, and give me all the time I needed to pay for them. As his prices were low enough, and terms all that could be desired, I jumped at the chance, and in a few days found myself in his debt several thousand dollars. When I saw his shrewdness in picking me up--a total stranger--and helping to push me "to the front," and to where he could make good use of me himself, I could but admire him for it, and felt more than ever like patronizing him, as it seemed to me like encouraging enterprise to do so. I have never had reason to regret my dealings with him, and as he is a man of large means and wide influence, and has repeatedly given me to understand that he stood ready to back me for any amount, I have reason to believe that he has no complaints to make of my business transactions. After buying him out I rented an office and store room of my own at 243 State street where I am still located, and began a genuine wholesale jewelry business. CHAPTER XXXIII.