urged, and almost threatened. As each one promised, I put his name and
the amount down in my little book, and continued to solicit from every
possible subscriber.

This campaign for raising the money which started that morning after
church, lasted for several months. It was a great undertaking to raise
such a sum of money in small amounts ranging from a few cents to the
more magnificent promises of gifts to be paid at the rate of
twenty-five or fifty cents per week. The plan absorbed me. I
contributed what I could, and my first ambition to earn more money was
aroused by this and similar undertakings in which I was constantly
engaged.

But at last the $2,000 was all in hand and a proud day it was when the
debt was extinguished. I hope the members of the mother church were
properly humiliated to see how far we had gone beyond their
expectations, but I do not now recall that they expressed the surprise
that we flattered ourselves they must have felt.

The begging experiences I had at that time were full of interest. I
went at the task with pride rather than the reverse, and I continued
it until my increasing cares and responsibilities compelled me to
resign the actual working out of details to others.




CHAPTER III

THE STANDARD OIL COMPANY