Jefferson County Online A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects Who's Who in 1921 & 1922 Henry Patrick McLaughlin

"The Fairfield Tribune"
Thursday, April 21, 1921
Page SIX

NO. 11 (sic - should be 12)

HENRY PATRICK M'LAUGHLIN

"You won't find a better table than this, anywhere. All solid quarter-sawn oak, piano finish, latest improved adjusting device, noiseless casters. That table's a bargain at the price, and I couldn't replace it right now for what I'm asking you for it. Now, of course, if you want a cheaper table, I can supply you with something to please you, but I don't think you look like the kind of a person who believes in buying cheap, inferior articles."----etc.,

Yes, it's Henry Patrick McLaughlin working out on a sales talk. You will note that bit of blarney about "not lookin' like a person to buy cheap and inferior goods.' ' It's great stuff--this line of talk of Henry Patrick's. Go into his store some time feeling as though you didn't amount to much in the world, anyway, and didn't think people thought very much of you. Intimate to Mc that you contemplate buying a bit of furniture--then see how much rosier the world will look to you. You'll come out of the store with your head up, eyes bright and chest measuring a good 48; you'll step quick and snappy and whistle a gay tune and reflect on what a grand and glorious world this is.

Even as your spirits are lighter, so will your pocketbook be, for Henry Patrick will have attended to that little detail for you and will have separated you from a goodly poriton (sic) of your wad in exchange for furniture that maybe you hadn't even thought of buying. But you won't care. And you'll go back again some day when you're feeling a bit dumpy and let Mc cheer you up again--and incidentally acquire some more furniture.

You see, Henry Patrick McLaughlin's all business. And it's a part of his business to be able to make cheerful customers. For, argues Mc, cheery customers are the best buyers. And they're a sight more agreeable. Mc is suspected of having Irish ancestry, therefore it is but natural that he should have inherited the gift acquired by one of those remote ancestors who kissed the Blarney stone.

But, though Mc may kid you and jolly you along when he's selling you furniture, he can and does talk straight from the shoulder, for he's a two-fisted, up-standing sort of chap, is Mc. And he convinced his customers long ago that he sold them good furniture and stood by his word, for they've been coming back right along.

Henry Patrick was brought up in the furniture and carpet business, so he has acquired some little knowledge on the subject. He had a desire to be a farmer when he was a boy and he still has a hankering for the farm. When business chances to be a bit dull at the store on a nice day, Mc takes his car for a spin in the country. He doesn't spend his time admiring the wonders of nature, either--not Mc. Instead, he makes it a point to stop at some good-looking farm house on some pretext just about dinner time. He doesn't have to talk long to talk himself into an invitation for dinner. After dinner Mc pulls out the cigars--better ones than the farmer usually has a chance to smoke--and settles down for a friendly chat. Incidentally, the farmer is informed that Mc is in the furniture business and is invited to drop in for a visit whenever he's in town. Well, of course, there can be but one result from that subtle sort of salesmanship, and the farmer sooner or later becomes a customer.

But being friendly isn't purely a business matter with Henry P. He really enjoys his visits in the country. It's one of his recreations. The only other one that he has is going back to New York to buy goods--and he always goes when the baseball season is in full blast, though that may be merely a coincidence.

Henry Patrick McLaughlin hadn't been in Fairfield long before the other fellows found he was a pretty good scout, so they set him to work on public improvement committee work. They unloaded pretty heavily on him but he was game and never hollered. In fact, he just took hold like a native son. Sometimes they put him on a money-raising committee. Mc isn't what you would call fond of such a job but he hops to it and brings back the bacon anyway.

In depicting a hero of this tale the artist sought to catch the subject in a moment of repose in which to make a sketch of him. But repose is something Mc doesn't know anything about so long as he's awake--and he's usually awake. So it was a case of catching him when he was occupied at his favorite pastime of selling furniture. That is his favorite sport; he likes baseball and fishing well enough, but they're not in it with selling furniture.

Taken by and large Henry Patrick McLaughlin is a pretty good kind of a chap for Fairfield; he's always on his toes and is in for anything that spells progress. He's what you might call a very plain-spoken sort of a fellow--that is, except when he's selling goods, his speaking is anything but plain then--it's elaborate with frills. But his customers like the friills. and other folks like his plain-speaking--so there you are, Henry Patrick is enabled to please them all. And there's nothing can please Mc better than pleasing everybody.