Page:Oregon Exchanges volume 5.pdf/17

To me, it seemed aa though a sample story would be just about as good an introduction to the editors as a recital of my splendid qualifications. The next thing was to get the sample story. I was 'walking down Washington street one day, when I saw a pile of old shoes in the window of the Walkover Boot Shop. A large sign read, "$2 for Your Old Shoes." "Go and get it!" I ordered myself, but my tongue clove to the roof of my month; it was years since I had approached a prospective "interview," years of office subservience had humbled me, almost broken my spirit, and I had none of the self assurance that is almost a requirement,

After walking around the Broadway entrance to the Washington street entrance two or three times, and even down to the middle of the next block, I retraced my steps, gulped and swallowed, and entered the store, asking in muffled tones for the manager. Mr. Scherer kindly explained the selling plan to me, and I went back to the office and wrote the ides up in about 500 words. I hunted for a market in the Literary Market column of The Editor; it happened to be the Merchants' Trade Journal, Des Moines, Iowa. Off it went, and I didn't know exactly what to do next.

A few days tater, I went into Greenfieid's shoe store to get some shoes for my little boy. I was immediately impressed with the attractively equipped juvenile department, and thought it good enough for a story. I found Manager Zingleman a fine subject for an interview, he knew just what I wanted and with fine adeptness went straight to the heart of their selling system, at the same time delving into & history of the business from the time that George L, Greenfield first came to Portland. Then he gave me three photos of the interior of the store,

During this time I had received a check for $6.18 from the David C. Cook Publishing Co. for the second of the juvenile stories I had written. I believe that I wrote and completed the little story in lees than two hours. And also would I please write some more for them? Amongst my sextette of fictions was a series written from my own experience in social work. These I had sent to Social Progress, and tumbling almost upon the heels of the precious $6.18 was a letter of acceptance. with an invitation to send more. (Later I sold Social Progress a juvenile story, and two or three brief articles.) I had visions of grinding out two juvenile stories a day; that would be $12.36, and my fortune would be made. However, after I had hatched out three or four more, which were promptly returned, I decided to be practical and cash in where the ready money trail led. For right while I was on the path to juvenile story writing, I began to sell my trade journal efforts. I'll tell just exactly how.

The Merchants' Trade Journal rejected my "$2 for Your Old Shoes." However, the rejection contained encouragement; they stated that they had used the same idea just a few months ago. I decided to give it one more chance and then ditch it. It went to the Pacific Coast Merchant. In my letter accompanying same, I asked the editor if he would be interested in a story on the Greenfield Shoe Co. He was slow in replying, so I sent the story to the Merchants' Trade Journal. But a few days after it had left my hands I heard from the Pacific Coast Merchant, they were very glad to get the story on the old shoes, and would publish it shortly, after which I would receive payment. They would like very much indeed to get the Greenfield shoe story, as well ag anything else that I might find interesting to send them from Portland. I wrote back at once explaining that the Greenfield shoe story was gone, but that if it came back I would send it to them. In order to save time, I wrote to the Merchants Trade Journal, telling them that I had a call for the Greenfield story, and please, if they didn't want it, rush the return so it