Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 128, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1903 — Where Perseverance Brought Success. [ARTICLE]

Where Perseverance Brought Success.

There is a business place out near the depot which remarkably illustrates the truth of the writing book motto that “Perseverance bring success ” The business is that of John Thornton, who keeps a small restaurant out there and sells lemonade and other soft drinks, candies, cigars etc. Four years ago the fore part of last August John, to use his own expression, “was broke all but his neck.” He was not much inclined to hard labor, as was natural in a man of his age, being an old sol dier, and of somewhat bulky and unwieldy build He constructed push cart of two bicycle wheels and a coffee box, putting an oil cloth coyer over . it. Then he started in business with a capital of 50 cents, and borrowed money at that. He bought a dozen lhmons and 25 cents worth of sugar and started selling lemonade, having his cart stationed on the north side of Maloy’s brick building, and close to the depot He soon added pop-corn, candy, peanuts etc to his stock and Saturdays and band meeting nights would push his cart down town.

His business prospered and in a short time he constructed a small and rather rude shack to shelter his stock and himself. Not long after he built a small room in its rear and installed a young wife, therein. The wife being a good cook he added a lunch counter feature, and prospered more than ever. After a year or so he put up a larger and better building on the south of the Maloy building and moved his residence and business into that. Since then he has built an addition for an eating room for liis restaurant, and for more living rooms. His building thus now contains a store room and a dining room in front nnd | three living rooms in the rear, and [ all grown from 50 cents borrowed money, in 4 years and 3 months time.