The next night I went out with my cart rather early, as usual, and lighted my torches and returned to the hotel to await the regular time for opening. When I came out again I was surprised to see every window in every building around me occupied by nicely dressed ladies, and the streets filled with handsome horses drawing carriages occupied, as I could see, by a well-to-do class of people.
It was remarked by many the next day that there never had been as large a crowd gathered on the street at one time before, and the result of my sale, which was three times larger than any I had ever before had, proved to me what a little free advertising could do.
I looked in vain, as did also many of my audience, for the rich miner, but he didn't come.
We continued on towards the copper country, working the iron mining towns on our way, arriving at Houghton the middle of July.
The next day after making my first sale there, I was walking down street, and when passing a store room a gentleman came to the door and said:
"You're just the man that ought to buy me out and sell the goods at auction."
"What have you got?"
"I have everything—boots, shoes, suits of clothes, overcoats, dishes, notions and I don't know what I haven't got."