[...]... 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... 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... borrowed of him—Replenishing our wardrobe—Paying up the hotel bill CHAPTER XV Our visit to La Grange, Ind.—Traded for a horse—Followed by an officer, with a writ of replevin—Putting him on the wrong scent—His return to the hotel—The horse captured—Broke again—How I made a raise CHAPTER XVI Arriving at Elmore, Ohio, stranded— Receiving eight dollars on a Patent right sale—Dunned in advance by the landlord—Changing... 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... 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... money—Our visit to Findlay—A big deal—Losing money in wheat—Followed by officers with a writ of replevin— Outwitting them—A four-mile chase —Hiding our rig in a cellar CHAPTER XVII Visiting my family at Elmore—How we fooled a detective—A friend in need—Arriving at Swanton, Ohio, broke—How I made a raise— Disguising my horse with a coat of paint—Captured at Toledo—Selling my horse—Arrived home broke CHAPTER... the center of attraction—The doctor in love with a cross-eyed girl—Engaged to take her home—His plan frustrated—He gets even with me—We conclude to diet him—The landlady returns—Does not know the house CHAPTER XXII Out of a position—Moved to Ann Arbor—How I made a raise—A return to furniture polish—Selling experience—Hauling coke—My summer clothes in a snow-storm—A gloomy Christmas—An attack of bilious... I entertained the audience—In the role of a Phrenologist CHAPTER XXIX In the auction business again—A new conveyance for street sales—My trip through the lumber regions—A successful summer campaign—A winter's trip through the south—My return to Grand Rapids, Mich.—A trip to Lake Superior—Selling needles as a side issue—How I did it —State license demanded by an officer—How I turned the tables on him—Buying... country store—A great sale of paper-cambric dress patterns—A compromise with the buyers—My return to Chicago— Flush and flying high CHAPTER XXX Buying out a large stock of merchandise—On the road again— Six weeks in each town—Muddy roads and poor trade—Closing out at auction—Saved my credit but collapsed—Peddling polish and jewelry—Wholesaling jewelry— Fifty dollars and lots of experience my stock in... collapsed—Peddling polish and jewelry—Wholesaling jewelry— Fifty dollars and lots of experience my stock in trade—Tall "hus'ling" and great success—An offer from a wholesale jewelry firm—Declined with thanks—Hus'ling again—Great success CHAPTER XXXI Robbed of a trunk of jewelry—Only a small stock left—A terrible calamity—Collapsed—An empty sample-case my sole possession— Peddling polish again—Making a raise—Unintentional . The Project Gutenberg EBook of Twenty Years of Hus'ling, by J. P. Johnston This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy. START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY YEARS OF HUS'LING *** Produced by Suzanne Lybarger, Charles Aldarondo, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net Twenty. terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www .gutenberg. net Title: Twenty Years of Hus'ling Author: J. P. Johnston Illustrator: Denslow Release Date: April