He had been with me a little over two years and during that time
his share of the profits had returned him the three thousand dollars
he had invested and in addition paid him what would have been a
good salary for the services rendered.

As he was unmarried and lived with his parents, paying no board,
a very small business would give him an income sufficient for his
requirements, and apparently he was contented to let matters go on
as they were.

What might be considered easy times for him with no responsibilities,
was for me, with a wife and two children, parents and two sisters,
to provide for, an impossible proposition.

Something had to be done to change the status.

I waited until the first of September in hopes of some sign of
better times, but business looked worse rather than better, and I
decided to make him an offer for his interest. I thought best to
put this in writing, and while doing so went fully into our affairs
and endeavored to show him how impossible it was for me to go on
any longer under existing conditions. Incidentally I emphasized
the fact that after more than two years' experience he was still
unable to accomplish anything that could not be done by a clerk.

Then I made him an offer of two thousand dollars to be paid in
monthly instalments of fifty dollars each, without interest, the
first payment to be made in January. For these payments I offered
him my notes.