Twenty Years of Hus'ling

BY

J. P. JOHNSTON,

AUTHOR OF

"THE AUCTIONEER'S GUIDE."

PORTRAYING THE PECULIAR INCIDENTS, COMIC SITUATIONS, FAILURES
AND SUCCESSES OF A MAN WHO TRIES ALMOST EVERY
KIND OF BUSINESS AND FINALLY WINS.

FORTY-EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS

BY

DENSLOW

THOMPSON & THOMAS
Chicago
1902

Copyright, 1887,
by J. P. Johnston.
All Rights Reserved.
——
Copyright, 1900,
by Thompson & Thomas.

To the "Hus'lers" of America, or those who are Determined
in their Efforts to strike for Independence
and Secure Success by Energy, Persistency,
and Honesty of Purpose, I Respectfully
Dedicate this Volume.

MY APOLOGY.

After finishing all that I had intended for publication in my book entitled "The Auctioneer's Guide," I was advised by a few of my most intimate friends to add a sketch of my own life to illustrate what had been set forth in its pages.

This for the sole purpose of stimulating those who may have been for years "pulling hard against the stream," unable, perhaps, to ascertain where they properly belong, and possibly on the verge of giving up all hope, because of failure, after making repeated honest efforts to succeed.

The sketch when prepared proved of such magnitude that it was deemed advisable to make it a separate volume. Hence, the "Twenty Years of Hus'ling."

J. P. Johnston.

CONTENTS.

MY APOLOGY.

CHAPTER I.

Date and place of birth—My Mother's second marriage—A kind step-father—Raising a flock of sheep from a pet lamb—An established reputation—Anxious to speculate—Frequent combats at home—How I conquered a foe—What a phrenologist said—A reconciliation—Breaking steers—Mysterious disappearance of a new fence—My confession—My trip to New York—The transformation scene—My return home with my fiddle.

CHAPTER II.

My mother wishes me to learn a trade—My burning desire to be a live-stock dealer—Employed by a deaf drover to do his hearing—How I amused myself at his expense and misfortune.

CHAPTER III.

Selling and trading off my flock of sheep—Co-partnership formed with a neighbor boy—Our dissolution—My continuance in business—Collapse of a chicken deal—Destruction of a wagon load of eggs—Arrested and fined my last dollar—Arrived home "broke."

CHAPTER IV.

Borrowing money from Mr. Keefer—Buying and selling sheep pelts—How I succeeded—A co-partnership in the restaurant business—Buying out my partner—Collapsed—More help from Mr. Keefer—Horses and Patent rights.

CHAPTER V.

Swindled out of a horse and watch—More help from Mr. Keefer—How I got even in the watch trade—My patent right trip to Michigan and Indiana—Its results—How a would-be sharper got come up with.

CHAPTER VI.

My new acquaintance and our co-partnership—Three weeks' experience manufacturing soap—The collapse—How it happened—Broke again—More help from Mr. Keefer—A trip to Indiana—Selling prize soap with a circus—Arrested and fined for conducting a gift enterprise—Broke again.

CHAPTER VII.

Eleven days on a farm—How I fooled the farmer—Arrived at Chicago—Running a fruit stand—Collapsed—My return home—Broke again—A lucky trade.

CHAPTER VIII.

Three dollars well invested—Learning telegraphy—Getting in debt—A full-fledged operator—My first telegraph office—Buying and selling ducks and frogs while employed as operator—My resignation—Co-partnership in the jewelry and spectacle business—How we succeeded—Our dissolution.

CHAPTER IX.

Continuing the jewelry and spectacle business alone—Trading a watch chain for a horse—Peddling on horseback—Trading jewelry for a harness and buggy—Selling at wholesale—Retiring from the jewelry business.

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.

CHAPTER XI.

More help from Mr. Keefer—Off to see my girl—Embarked in the Agricultural-implement business without capital—Married—Sold out—In the grocery business—Collapsed—Running a billiard hall—Collapsed again—Newspaper reporter for a mysterious murder.