Page 12 of The Irish Gypsy
“Oh,” gasped Barbara, going a deeperpink.
“What rubbish!” said Julia with a laugh.“You’d better get that packing done.”
When the other two girls had disappearedupstairs, Julia slipped out in the direction of the stables.
“Enough about the mills; how is the wholesalegrocery business these days?” asked Jonathan.
“Oh, it’s doing well, John, but it’s my sonhere that’s surprised me. You know he started that little soapworks a year ago? Well, I can tell you he’s come up with a soapthat’s better than anything you’ve ever seen.”
James Leaver’s son looked pleasantlyembarrassed at his father’s praise but conceded, “It is good.That’s what I wanted to talk to Patrick about. You’ve got such goodideas on marketing products, I wanted your advice.”
“To be a success you need only one thing—agood-quality product. But to be a phenomenal success you also needa good advertising campaign. Now, you start with a name that grabsthe attention. What do you call your soap?”
“Why, it’s Leaver’s Soap, of course,”interposed James Leaver.
"You need a more catchy name than that,"asserted Patrick.
Young Leaver said, "Well, I have been kickinga few names around, but I'm afraid of looking foolish."
"It's your soap! Have the courage of yourconvictions," urged Patrick.
"Well, I think of it as 'Sun Light'soap."
"That's very good. A woman would like that.Your best bet at the moment is billboards. As many as you can get,and the bigger the better. Keep it simple. In large letters thatfill up the whole billboard you put SUN LIGHT SOAP and underneathin small letters put something like 'Best Soap in the World';modesty doesn't count in business. Send salesmen to every majortown and the orders will come in so fast you'll have to expandproduction. As soon as business warrants it, open an office inLondon. I can help you there with contacts."
"I don't want this advice for nothing,Patrick. I'll pay you a retainer."
"I'd rather have a one percent interest inyour soap venture."
Johnathan winked at James. "He's got a headfor business, that lad, probably richer than I am with his onepercent of this and that."
"You can't beat quality, Father. InLancashire we manufacture some of the best goods in the world. I'mthinking of exporting to America."
"Eh? What's this?" his father demanded.
"Oh, I've been talking to a ship owner inLiverpool, Isaac Bolt. If I bought half interest in a ship, wecould take over our textiles from the mills and perhaps some ofyour soap. We have so many things that are manufactured right herein Bolton, I'd be spoiled for choice. Dobson makes the finest steamengines, and Webster makes water pumps and windmills. There'sSpringfield Paper Mills and Walmsley's wrought iron. In Bolton wemake everything--chemical dyes, furniture, glass, leather goods,carpets, even coffins," offered Patrick. He continued, "I'mthinking of sailing myself. Then I could buy the best long staplecotton from the Carolinas." He allowed his father to digest allthis.
James Leaver looked across at JonathanO'Reilly and shook his head. "We thought we had big ideas when westarted out, but if these two aren't careful, their names will godown in the history books," he said and winked.
"How am I supposed to run three mills, if yougo running off to America?"
Patrick said with a laugh, "Ah, well, itwon't be tomorrow, Father."
Kitty lay in her small iron bed on the thirdfloor and went over every pretty article she had packed. Shepretended the clothes were hers. She was deep into a fantasy now.She swirled around the ballroom floor in the most exquisitecreation, and all heads were turned in her direction. Ladieswhispered about her behind their fans and she looked up into herpartner's adoring eyes, and her partner was none other than....
Suddenly a stone fell onto her face. Thedrowsy sensations of near sleep she had been enjoying vanishedimmediately. She sat up quickly.
"Psst, Irish."
Kitty leaned out the little dormer window andsaw Julia on the driveway below.
"I'm locked out, Irish. Come and open thefront door without rousing the house." Kitty was shocked at Julia'sbehavior. "I have to be up at five o'clock. How dare you wake me upat this ungodly hour, you selfish girl!"
"Please, Irish?"
"Me name is Kitty!"
"Please, Kitty?"
