North Of Austin - Chapter 24

Something New in Town - The Automobile

Chapter Twenty Four

Lately there were several of what they called automobiles in town, and one of Abner’s boys was crazy about them. He came and talked to me and asked what I thought about them.

I said that it looked like there was a lot of room for improvement on them.

He wanted to go to the place where they were making them and learn all about what made them run. He said his pa didn’t want him to leave the ranch but if I said he should go it would be alright with him.

I told Linus (the boy) “I need to ride out to the ranch and while there I will talk to your Pa before I gave my opinion on the subject.”

Linus said, “Good, let’s go.”

I could see he was all caught up in the idea of know how the things worked. He rattled on about autos all the way to the ranch.

After cooling off with some cool water I sat down and talked with Abner about some business. He then said he wanted my opinion on the subject that he didn’t know anything about which was them automobiles.

I said, “It is the coming thing and we might as well get used to them. It is going to be like when we started using steam driven equipment on the farms.”

Abner said, “I guess you’re right.”

I said, “Linus isn’t going to be much use around here till he gets it out of his system so let him go.”

Abner agreed and called the boy in from the porch and said, “Your uncle thinks it would be alright for you to educate yourself on these engines and get it out of your system.  Just don’t go forgetting where the money comes from around here.”

I knew Abner didn’t want to lose him but he is going to have to let him find his own way like I did when I was about the boys age.

Linus spent much of his time in the two what they called motor stations. It was the place where people could get their auto worked on when it wasn’t working right which was quite often.

He quickly got the drift of what made the autos run and was given a job to work on them. After two months one of the station owners decided to send Linus to the factory of one of the most popular autos so he could learn everything from the beginning to the end of manufacturing process.

After three months Linus knew every screw and bolt that was required to put an auto together. He stayed another three months to study other car models.

He returned to work in the stations but discovered the station owner who sent him to the factory had gone out of business.

He came back to live with Abby and me and wanted my advice about his future.

We talked for hours; discussing what his options were if he stayed in the auto business. I finally understood what he really wanted to do, was to own his own auto store.

I told him; It would be best if he was to set up his shop in a larger town. There just wasn’t enough people who were in the market for a horseless carriage in our town as of yet, and not in the foreseeable future.

Then I suggested for him to get a job at one of the large car shops and learn all he could about running an auto business.

I emphasized that the most important thing to know was how to convince people to buy his product.

Notice how the sales clerks were able to sell the auto to people who were on the fence so to speak. This means you are going to have to become a successful sales person.

He said, “That means another six months of learning.”

I told him to think in terms of a year.

Linus took my advice and in just a little over a year he opened a small auto sales station. It was one he could handle by himself. He stocked the autos, sold the autos and repaired the autos. As his business grew he hired two people who he trained.

One to repair automobiles and another to sell them. He kept this process up till he had a large business that was built on a fair price and good service.

Finally Linus built a warehouse and stocked it with the parts that either wore out or broke most often. He could have a person’s auto back to them in half the time and it would be fixed right.

Things were going very well for Linus and I was surprised to see him come to my office.

After we chatted about the home folks he said; “The reason I’m here is because you have a good marriage and a family that is growing up. I need you to tell me how to get a wife like Abby.”

I told him, “To be frank I just lucked out but in selecting a wife you need to follow your heart after you have decided the kind of wife you need.”

I told him; “You are in a business that requires you to deal with people with money and they have families who are society people. It would be best to find a woman who is an asset and could be helpful to your business.  

You certainly wouldn’t want a country gal who has very little education.  

Seek for a woman who is real and flows within the society you find yourself in without any pretense. But the most important thing is to find a woman who you can love and one who completely loves you.  As you meet young women your heart will tell you who is right for you but take your time and let love grow just to make sure.”

It was a couple of years later that I received a letter from Linus,.  He wrote that he more or less followed my advice and met and married the love of his life.

He said, “She is everything that you told me that I should look for.”

 

TO BE CONTINUED