On
going in to my father, she remarked, there would be no advantage in
dealing with Mr D----, as she could not see that his prices were any
lower than those she was in the habit of giving. I slipped aside, and
began to think: "Why, that young man might have got my mother's trade,
if he had known how; if, instead of mentioning so many articles, he
had just offered one or two at a lower price than we have been in the
habit of giving, she would have been induced to try those articles;
and thus he would have been introduced, most likely, to her whole
trade: beside, his manner was rather loose, and not of the most modest
and attractive kind." I believe the practical lesson then learned has,
since that, been worth to me thousands of pounds--namely,
Self-interest is the mainspring of human actions: you have only to lay
before persons, in a strong light, that what you propose is to their
own interest, and you will generally accomplish your purpose.' There
are certainly few boys of twelve years who would have caught up such
an idea as this from so common-place a circumstance.
By the time he was fourteen, he had realised thirty pounds by private
barter. He gave the money to help his parents.
Pages:
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80