The more I thought of the treatment I had received at his hands, the more I felt like having the matter settled before leaving. So after making all preparations for a start, I drove to his store, and just as I stepped from my buggy, he came around the corner from his residence and was about to enter the door. I headed him off and said, "Mr. ----, I am about to leave this town, and before doing so, I propose to have a little settlement with you. Now, sir, you can have your choice of three things. Either make an apology for your beastly conduct yesterday, take a good thrashing or look my goods over in a gentlemanly manner. Now which do you prefer?" At this I began laying off my coat. He said he had no desire to look at my goods and didn't crave a thrashing, and guessed he would rather apologize, which he did, and I went on my way rejoicing, and I dare say in much better shape than I might have been in, had he shown as much fight as he did meanness the day before. On account of my extremely small stock I found it up-hill work to succeed as a wholesaler. My first large sale had so completely _turned my head_, that I was unable to return to my former successful plan of peddling from house to house and continued on as a wholesaler, wending my way homeward. On arriving there I drove to the old farm, and with much pride related my experience and success to the folks. My mother said she wouldn't give fifty cents for all the jewelry in the box, and in all probability the horse would die or something happen to him sooner or later. Mr. Keefer said he didn't know about the jewelry, but one thing was sure, the horse and buggy were fine. I saw the utter foolishness of trying to be a wholesaler, and began searching about for a customer for my entire lot of jewelry, whom I soon found in the person of a young man, whose note I took for two hundred and fifty dollars, and his father as signer, payable six months after date. The next day I drove down town, and as was my custom after arriving home from a trip, my creditors were the very first persons I called on, and as usual, assured them that I was still alive and "hus'ling." I also showed them the note I had and offered to turn it over to either of them who would pay me the difference between its face value and what I owed them. They said they would rather take my individual note for the amount of my indebtedness, which I gave, drawing interest at eight per cent., all of which footed up to several hundred dollars. Now I was ready for other business. [Illustration] CHAPTER X GREAT SUCCESS AS AN INSURANCE AGENT--SOLD OUT--ARRIVED AT CHICAGO--SELLING GOVERNMENT GOODS--ACQUIRING DISSIPATED HABITS--ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED--BROKE AMONG STRANGERS--HOW I MADE A RAISE--MY ARRIVAL HOME. One day I met James Forster, an old acquaintance, who was engaged in the insurance business. He asked me if I didn't think I would make a good insurance agent. I told him I had never tried it, but I knew I would.