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Chapter III

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Chapter V

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CHAPTER IV

MORE CASTLES IN THE AIR

I passed one of the mileposts of my life in Salisbury.

Early in '83, I was in the Hotel parlor one evening with quite a number of the guests and boarders, when the conversation turned upon my work, its nature, and so on. I remarked that it had so permeated my whole life that whenever I passed people on the street, I could not help from looking at them and wondering if they did not need my Remedy.

I was soon after introduced to a Mr. George Davidson, who seemed particularly interested in my work, and asked me a great many questions concerning it. He was one of a company of men engaged in mining in Western Carolina, and I was told he was a man of great wealth.

In May '83, I received a letter from Mr. Davidson saying that he, in company with other capitalists, was thinking of putting big money into the Remedy, and if I was willing to sell out, wholly-or in part, it might pay me to come to Salisbury and talk the matter over.

The next day I went to Salisbury, saw Mr. Davidson that night, and he appointed ten o'clock the next morning for an interview.

Punctual to the appointment, I met him.

He asked me the first-thing if I would be willing to sell a half interest in my Remedy? I told him "I would".

"Would you sell a two-third interest?"

"I would not. That would relegate me to a minority voice and I would not so sell".

"Would you sell your entire interest?"

"I would."

"For how much?"

I told him I was not prepared to answer that question, but would give him an answer at ten o'clock the next day.

"Will you take twenty thousand dollars for it? I am authorized to offer you that, payable on or before the 1st day of September. "

("Oh, my heart be still", I said) but to him I replied, "I would not sell for that amount unless I reserved a royalty."

"Of how much?"

"Just what I have always paid to the government in the form

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of internal revenue, four cents on each bottle.''

He said he was not authorized to pay me any royalty, but asked me to remain with his wife that night and he would go to High Point and consult the other gentlemen interested, as they were there- his father and a Mr. Geo. Wilson, all of Pittsburg, Pa., being the ones alluded to.

He said if we came to terms, they had decided to put two hundred and fifty thousand dollars into it at once, and advertise it from Maine to Florida, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

The next morning, the tenth day of May, 1883, Mr. Davidson returned from High Point with the contract written.

On or before .the first day of September, he was to pay me twenty thousand dollars in Cash. The first year I was to receive no royalty. The second year I was to receive one cent on each bottle sold, the third year two cents, the fourth year, three cents, the fifth and each succeeding year, I was to receive four cents royalty on each bottle sold.

Upon the payment of the money, I was to transfer to him my trademark and all rights pertaining to the same.

I was almost overwhelmed at the magnitude of the transaction, but made a noble effort for self-control.

Mr. Davidson took $100 out of his pocket and handed it to me. I asked him, ''What is that for?''

"That seals the contract and makes it binding; five dollars would make it just as binding, but I pay you this as evidence of good faith on my part." He had two copies of the contract, one for him and one for me. He passed them over to me to sign.

I laid down the paper and pen, and, without touching his money said, ''Mr. Davidson, before signing this contract, let me say a few words. This matter between us represents to us two entirely different things. To you, it is but a mere matter of business, a bargain and sale, a question of dollars and cents, such as come into your life at anytime. To me, it is something far different. To me it means SUCCESS. It means the fulfillment of the dearest hopes I have on earth, the realization of my brightest dreams. To me, it is , and let me beg you now, before we go any further, if there is any doubt in your mind, not only of your ability, but of your intention to comply with this contract, by everything you hold sacred, withdraw now, and go no further. I would only go home a

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little disappointed - but, were you to go into this thing and then disappoint me, it would be a death blow to me; I could never live through it.''

He replied, "Mrs. Person, we are men of business and see in your remedy a big field for investment. If I had not meant to go into it, do you think I should have written for you to come here, would have written that contract, would have paid you that one hundred dollars? You need have no fear, the contract will be carried out."

Then he added: "Suppose on or before the 1st day of September we were to pay you ten thousand dollars and secure you in the balance, would you comply with the contract?"

"I would not. I shall want all or none."

"You shall be paid it all, every dollar."

"One word more, Mr. Davidson, and I am done. When you pay me, do not bring me a check or draft, for I do not want it. I want you to pay me in greenbacks."

"A check or draft would be much more convenient and easy to carry and would be just as good."

"That may be so, but I do not want it. I want, once in my life, to look at a great big pile of greenbacks and know that they are mine and I made them."

"You shall be paid in greenbacks, on or before the 1st day of September."

I signed the contract and received the $100.

It was agreed between us that when the time of payment came, he was to write to me to join him somewhere, and I selected Messrs. Fuller & Snow's Office in Raleigh, as the place.

It was a big deal for me to make, and I felt it so, but resolved not to let the transaction be known, even to my husband or family, until I got the money into my possession. I would give them no hint of it.

With such a resolution formed, I was not equal to going among them yet awhile and keeping my big secret, so I went to Charlotte and confided to my dear friend, Mrs. Eccles, what I had done, and bound her to secrecy. She said my enthusiasm made her tremble. She begged me not to be so confident. Somehow, she mistrusted the contract, and quoted "There's many a slip, 'twixt the cup and the lip", but I laughed at her fears and was not afraid.

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I stopped in Raleigh on my way home, deposited the contract with Messrs. Fuller and Snow, who examined it and said it was all right.

While there, I met with my husband's nephew and my friend, Dr. Hal Harris, of Wake Forest. He had been kind to me in an hour of need, and extended to me a helping hand when I sorely needed it. I knew I had his sympathy in my work and to him I also confided the glorious finale which now awaited me.

I then returned to my home and kept my own counsel.

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