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Show "" FORTUNES IN FRUIT STANDS. Biff Money In Small Business by Eco nomical Italians. Few of the thoughtless passersby and chance patrons of the corner fruit standi on the city streets realize the compara tively largo profits reaped by those who have their capital invested in this apparently ap-parently insignificant business. To the average onlooker as he casts a careless glance at the vendor of fruit and candj probably tho only thought that occur? is that here as a poor nnfortrwato foreigner for-eigner cast on our shores, who manages by this simple means to eke out a living liv-ing for hiinsolf and a largo family ol small children. Indeed a closer inspection inspec-tion into the comfortless lives of these seekors for gain, involving long houri spout in continued application to work, the short remaining time passed in squalid homes oi on the streets, would reveal little of tho truo sUto of affairs. There is avast difference in the indi cat'ons from outward appearancea Some of thorn carry an air of prosporitj in neatness of dress and carelessness oi air. Others seom to wish to advoitise their poverty by a show of tattered garments gar-ments and generally de&tituto appear-nnce appear-nnce But in general thosd appearances are deceitful. Tho man in rags may ordinarily or-dinarily bo regarded as raoro fortunate tfian his apparently prosperous brother. Ke is making more because it is not so much what is mado in profit as what is saved, and in a small busin ss, like that of tho corner fruit dealers, this general principle is especially true. Tho amount of the gain i possiblo tc the astute dealers is seen fn a a few examples ex-amples of" unusual prosperi?. A shorf timo ago an Italian who lid been in the business on a down towcomor for ton years closed out his Ifsiness to a successor, receiving from ki$2,200fcr tho privilogo of his locr?on. This amount ho added to a fortio of $60,-000 $60,-000 already accumulated. 4the stockyards stock-yards region a similar salens mado in consideration of 250. lathe same neighborhood tho death rcgatly of a vctoian in tho business roveld tho faot that he had been possessed property amounting to 17,000. SOe of our largest business blocks, nota .' on State and Halsted streets, aro no jwned by those who started in ba?b a in thi vay. Chicago Journal. |