I LOOK AT MY FATHER “I
By WILBORNE HARRELL
On a warm night fifty-five years
ago, a young man stood watching an
entire Mock of Edenton’s business
section go up in flame and smoke.
He had been driving a home and
cart, and he now held the home by
the bridle to prevent him from ehy
ing from the snakes and rats and
mice that slithered and scurried
across the street to escape the fiery
blast of the raging inferno.
Cheapside, a row of buildings and
stores dating from the town’s earliest
days, was burning. And with Cheap
side, being consumed in the holocaust
was the young man’s father’s busi
ness—lock, stock and barrel, and all
his goods and possessions.
The fire assumed in his mind the
proportions of the of Lon
don, in which another, more historic
Cheapside, had figured.
The young man was my dad, and
he bore the lather high-sounding
name of Barlow Horatio Harrell. And
this was the second time that he had
’ Stood helplessly by and watched his
father’s (my granddad’s) business go
up in flames.
Now, today, after seventy-three
years of a stormy life, these two ca
tastrophes have lingered longest and
wrought the greatest influence on his
life. As though taking its cue from
these fires, life since that fearful
night has been a series of adverse in
cidents. But in all honesty, though,
my Dad attributes most of his mis
fortunes more to the ineptness with
which he ha® handled his own affairs
than to the vagaries of fate.
Early in life, my father took up
salesmanship, and in his long career
of selling he has sold can-openers, ,
duplex-hatchets, lightning rods, hard
ware, drygoods, groceries, insurance
—or what have you. In fact, at some
time in his life, he has handled about
every article or merchandise offered
to the public.
But, despite his many and varied
set-backs, there is one commodity he
has sold himself on: his abiding faith
in life and his fellowman. As my
Dad puts it, “I’ve sold -everything.
I’ve sold merchandise to a lot of peo
ple. I’ve sold myself on the idea that
life is worth while, after all. But I
haven’t quite been able to sell my
self.”.
As you have undoubtedly guessed,
this is a story of a plain man, even
as you and I, who has accomplished
nothing spectacular, achieved no great
deeds, or, as the world measures suc
cess, even made a success of life. He
has accumulated few material goods.
He owns no real estate. My Dad
says that in the final reckoning, no
man owns but six feet of earth, and
can call his own only what he has
given to others.
My father’s bid for fame—although
he has not the slightest desire for
the uncomfartable role of a famous
man—has his phenomenal success as
a salesman; his sheer magic ability
to sell a -man anything, any time, any
where. His “gift of gab”, or his fa
cility for arguing and carrying his
point by the weight and flow of his
words, had he the educational back
ground, would probably have made
him a good trial lawyer. But in my
Dad’s youth, education advantages
were conspicuously meagre. He has
read'few books, knows little or noth
ing of modern or classical literature,
but he has garnered a headful of
“common sense”, and has picked up
an amazing amount of knowledge by
observation and association.
The -Pan-American Life Insurance
Company published my Dad’s sole
literary effort. It was a small book
let in which he recounted his experi
ences throughout the depression
years. The title, “Why I Am A Fail
jSure,” was misleading, though, for my
' Dad was considered by the employers
as one of their biggest producers.
'What the depression was doing to
him, it was doing to thousands of
f vs I
7 can be
reached by
■ telephone"
Many business men who travel a lot I | \\\ // VI
have been known to operate their ill [// l\ /
office by long distance telephone. VI
Service is always quick—dependable 1
—and surprisingly inexpensive. L WU
While you may not run a business by V S»,
telephone —long distance service is a I\\» iff
mighty handy friend to have around. Ivm /tiJ
For no one is ever far away from you as ™ Njf
j long as they're near a telephone. *
Remember, too, long distance telephone /-jl
I rates are especially low after 6 P. M., and
pll on Sundays.
F - So keep in touch the inexpensive long
111 " distance telephone way.
mi Norfolk & Carolina Tel. &MCo.
~~ Bnnbnry
others. But failure during the de
pression years was not necessarily
defeat.
Outstanding in my -Dad’s career as
a salesman was his rejuvenation of
a business establishment in Edenton
that was slated for the rocks, and
his repeat performance, later, in
Elizabeth City. In the first case, in
a little over a year he had put the
business back on its feet, and the
owner had a deed for the store in his
safe. Th'e second was a branch es
tablishment of a well-known Elizabeth :
City department store. In a matter of
months he had so increased the vol- ]
ume -of business that the owner made
him the offer of naming his own ’
price, if he would continue the man
agement. But the call of the open
road was to. prove too strong. In '
both instances he quit the jobs and 1
went out on his own. My Dad pre- 1
ferred the uncertain freedom of the 1
selling game to the permanence of an 3
indoor job. He chose to call his soul ’
his own —at less money.
My Dad had the knack of making
money—both for himself and his em
ployers. But he couldn’t hold on to
it. His generosity and freeness out
ran his judgement. It was “easy
come, easy go” with him. He gave
his money freely to whoever wanted
it. He was an easy mark for spong- '
ers and chronic borrowers. Among the ;
kids of the neighborhood, colored and :
white, he was known as “Mr. Penny (
Man”—because he gave them pennies
and nickels. ,
Now that he is approaching the ’
evening of -his life, my father’s chief
occupation is making an occasional
sale or two and watching over his
birds. Every bedraggled sparrow and
robin for miles around knows where
it can find shelter and crumbs when
the pickings are lean. A stray cat
or two are also included in his mena
gerie of indigents. My Dad is no
saint, and is certainly not overly en
dowed with saintly qualities, but he
shares that much in common with the
venerable St. Francis, whom we are
told fed the hungry birds.
My Dad’s creed is sim-ple. He calls
it his Golden Rule, and he has phras
ed it in the lingo of the salesman:
“Life is not all a game of selling—it
is also a game of buying. Remember,
the other fellow has something to sell,
too. Life is a game of buy and sell,
give and take.” Again, he says, “You
can high-pressure a customer, but you
can’t high-pressure life.”
Furthermore, my father says that
his Golden Rule of the Road will
eliminate a majority of automobile
accidents: —“All of the road belongs
to the other fellow.” He also says
that you can’t give the other fellow
if
* fiZBT /
RIG or small
e service 'em all.
Get your money's worth of
wear from your shoes. We
transform the old to the
practically new, resoling
with tanned*for-wear
"Steerhead" Soleather.
W. M. RHOADES
SHOE REPAIR SHOP
EDENTON, N. 'C.
129 S. Broad St. Phone 378
THE CHOWAN HERALD EDENTON, N. C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1950
half of the road, because half of it
already belongs to him. In driving, as
in life, to give the other fello-w a part
of the road, you must give him some
or all of your own share.
Delay Expected In
Paying POW Claims
Eligible Persons In Cho
wan Should Contact
J. L. Wiggins
Latest information received in the
District Office of the North Carolina
Veterans Commission indicates that
the War Claims Commission may not
be able to pay all prisoner of war and
civilian internee claims for two or
more years.
All War Claims Commission’s ex
penses, as well as all money for
claims, must come from liquidated
enemy assests. Although about $500,-
000,000 in assets has been taken over,
less than $20,000,000 of dt is avail
able to pay an estimated $120,000,000
worth of Claims.
Most of the rest is tied up in suits
brought by former owners.
About 140,000 former prisoners of
war and internees are expected to file
their applications. '
Eligible persons in this area are
urged to contact the District Office
of the North Carolina Veterans Com
mission, 206 Kramer Building, Eliza
beth City, North Carolina or Jasper
L. Wiggins, Chowan County Service
Officer, for information and assist
ance.
TRY A HERALD CLASSIFIED AD
MANY NEVER
SUSPECT CAUSE
OF BACKACHES
As we get 'older, stress and strain, over
exertion, excessive smoking or exposure to
cold sometimes slows down Kidney func
tion. This may lead many folks to com
plain of nagging backache, loss of pep and
energy, headaches and dizziness. Getting
up nights or frequent passages may result
from minor bladder irritations due to cold,
dampness or dietary indiscretions.
If your discomforts are due to these
causes, don't wait, try Doan’s Pills, a mild
diuretic. Used successfully by millions for
over 50 years. While these symptoms may
often otherwise occur, it’s amazing how
many times Doan’s give happy relief—
help the 15 milps of kidney tubes and filters
flush out waste. Get Doan’s Pills today!
Doan’s Pills
You can
listentoth© but you'll have to
Quality! ” Mwer/
fggfete : '•%s£■
VVh.'e f<rfi
• It’s the one fine car ffi
In the low-price field with its I
"Hushed” V-8 engine L^l/i
• Imagine! The 'SO Ford offers you the same type engine H B BB B B
used in America's costliest cars ... yet Ford's V-8 sells for / \
hundreds less than most "sixes.” It's a quiet engine that whis- / y
pers while it works... in fact, the'so Ford's a quiet car all l a /fx>rdin\ B B
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v ss ■ r . '. . • ♦
Cpl. Howard C. Bass
10 Months In Japan
Corporal Howard C. Baas, age 19,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Q. Bass of
RFD 1, Edenton, completed ten
months *of service with the Occupa
tion Forces in Japan. He is a mem
ber of Headquarters Battery, 82nd
Field Artillery Battalion, First Caval
ry Division Artillery, stationed at
LOT FID SAIi
GOOD LOCATION
SEE
A. E. (Heavy) Deßlois
EDENTON, N. C.
Phone 48-J
ATHLETE’S FOOT
No Alcohol No Add No Sting
For quick relief and good results
et the famous VICTORY OINT
i fENT. Developed for the boys in
he Army, now for the home folks,
let VICTORY Get Results. Also
or First Aid and Itching. Safe to
use on any pari .»f the body.
Sold ip Edenton by Leggett & j
)avis, Mitcheneris Pharmacy, or youri
ome town druggist. adv I
"SPEEDY"4^^^«|EMARLE3^&J
I TOO MUCH SAD - HERE-T-g* * A
i 'NOT ENOUGH THERE-l I
I CHOPS SHOULDN'T J
; be cj?|MATEcTjV
• LOCAL TKADOtAMCS. Uc. /
ALBEMARLE MOTOR CO.
WEST HICKS ST PHONE 289
Camp Whittington, Kagonara, Japan.
Corporal Bass entered the Army in
August, 1948, and on completion of
his initial training at Fort Jackson,
South Carolina, he sailed for overseas
duty in Japan.
Fertilizer Time . .
When buying Fertilizer, and being in doubt,
While your faith in others may be running out,
Buy (ARMOUR’S BIG CROP) —it will make you happy,
Then, all the family will be happy, both Mammy and Pappy.
ft
When in need of Fertilizer or Fertilizer Material, all kinds of
Limes, both burned and unburned, (Calcium Carbonate) and
(Oxide), Burned Oyster Shell, Lime, prepared with 6% and
io% Muriate of Potash, Nitrate of Soda, Cal-Nitro, and other
high grade Nitrates, Land Plaster . . . when in need of any of
these, get in touch with your old friend. Give him an order and
he will be happy.
M. S. ELLIOTT
District Representative Foi
ARMOUR FERTILIZER WORKS
NORFOLK, VA.
real
.00 c
" ALL THIS FUSSIN'S SOT TOSTOP!
DAD.YOU'CE GOING RIGHT DOWN TO
ALBEMARLE
MOTOR CO.
AND LET THEM FIX IT SO IT’LL
BE SAFE TO DRIVE
ELIMINATE
If the veto belonging to the large
nations disappeared, the United Na
tions will become an organization
dominated and controlled by a group
of small nations—this would be the
end of the U. N.
THEN WE'LL GO OUT TO
SO DAD'LL APPRECIATE /
MOTHER'S SWELL
home r~rnir *i i ■
s 2) /happy A
r < I I DRIVIN6 1
PAGE FIVE