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Struggles and Triumphs (The American Journalists)
Struggles and Triumphs - The American Journalists Author:P. T. Barnum Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. IN BUSINESS FOR MYSELF. Mb. Oliver Taylor removed from Danbury to Brooklyn, Long Island, where he kept a grocery store and also had a large co... more »mb factory and a comb store in New York. In the fall of 1826 he offered me a situation as clerk in his Brooklyn store, which I accepted, and before long was entrusted with the purchasing of all goods fur Ins store. I bought for cash entirely, going into the lower part of New York city in search of the cheapest market for groceries, often attending auctions of teas, sugars, molasses, etc., watching the sales, noting prices and buyers, and frequently- combining with other grocers to bid off large lota, which we subsequently divided, giving each of us the quantity wanted at a lower rate than if the goods had passed into other hands, compelling us to pay another profit. Well treated as I was by my employer, who manifested great interest in me, still I was dissatisfied. A salary was not sufficient for me. My disposition was of that speculative character which refused to be satisfied unless I was engaged in some business where my profits might be enhanced, or, at least, made to depend upon my energy, perseverance, attention to business, tact, and "calculation." In the following summer, 1827, I was taken down with the small-pox and was confined to the house for several months. This sickness made a sad inroad upon my means. When I was sufficiently recovered, I went home to recruit. During my convalescence at my mother's house, I visited my old friends anil neighbors and had the opportunity to renew my acquaintance with the attractive tailoress, " Chairy " Hallett. A month afterwards, I returned to Brooklyn, where I gave Mr. Taylor notice of my desire to leave his employment; and I then opened a porter-house on my own acco...« less