"Certainly, sir, certainly. Glad to do so," he answered, as he handed me a two-dollar bill. He then asked me to "take something." "No, thank you; I never drink." "Well, take a cigar won't you?" "I never smoke, either," I answered. "The devil you don't! Well, this certainly isn't your first experience in business, is it?" was his next query. "Hardly; but why should a man drink or smoke just because he may have been in business for some time?" "True enough," said he, "and had I always let drink alone I could have been a rich man; and I'll never take another drop." "I hope you won't," I replied. He then stepped forward, and taking me by the hand, said: "Young man, I can't remember of ever before asking a man to drink with me who abruptly refused; and I consider yours an exceptionally rare case, considering that I had just done you a favor, and would hardly expect you to refuse. Now, sir, although you are a much younger man than I am, your conduct in this particular instance will do me a world of good; and although you are not worth a single dollar to-day, if you will always refrain from drinking, keep your head level and attend to business, you will be a rich man some day. Now, remember what I tell you." I told him if I met with the same success in the future as in the past, I felt certain of the need of a level head to manage my business. He assured me that no matter what the past had been,--the more rocky it had been, the smoother the future would be. I worked in Adrian about two weeks, meeting with splendid success, which of course enabled me to return the two dollars to my newly-made friend. From there I went to Hillsdale, and at a drug store kept by French & Son, I bought the ingredients for the manufacture of my polish. It was my custom to take down the names of every housekeeper who patronized me, and read them to the next person I called upon. When I started out in the morning, on my first day's work, Mr. French's son laughed at me, and said he guessed I wouldn't sell much of my dope in that town. On returning to the store at noon he inquired with considerable interest how business was. I reported the sale of over a dozen bottles,--small ones at fifty cents and large ones at one dollar. He seemed to doubt my word, and asked to see my list of names. I read them to him, and as we came to the name of Mrs. French he threw up both hands and said: "I'll bet you never sold her a bottle. Why, she is my mother!" "No matter if she is your grandmother; I sold her one of the dollar bottles." He cried out: "Great Heavens! father, come here and see what this man has done. He has sold mother a four-ounce bottle of dope for a dollar, that he buys from us by the gallon!" Mr. French, Sr. said he guessed there must be some mistake about that. I assured him it was true. Then the young man suddenly exclaimed: