Botts puts the show on the road: as a natural-born salesman, the great Alexander Botts saw, in this incredible young couple, an opportunity to go Barnum one better.

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Botts puts the show on the road: as a natural-born salesman, the great Alexander Botts saw, in this incredible young couple, an opportunity to go Barnum one better.

EARTHWORM TRACTOR COMPANY Sales Department Field Report

Date: FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 1951

TO: GILBERT HENDERSON, PRESIDENT

EARTHWORM TRACTOR COMPANY

EARTHWORM CITY, ILLINOIS

From: ALEXANDER BOTTS, SALES MANAGER

Rossmore Hotel, New York

Yesterday morning I drove the company car up to Yonkers, New York, and called on Mr. James Terwilliger, one of our most valued customers. And I am sorry to report that I found old Jim in a very low state of mind.

"My contracting business is ruined," he said. "And it is all the fault of that worthless son of mine. What have I done that I should be afflicted with such an impossible problem child!"

"Tell me about it," I said.

"Always, Mr. Botts, I have been a devoted father. From the very day my son Matthew was born I have planned his whole life for him. I have given him all the advantages I was denied when I was young. I have spared no effort to teach him the earth-moving business and the care and operation of heavy machinery. And it has been my dearest wish that he might follow in my footsteps and become the most successful cellar-and-sewer contractor in all Yonkers."

"What system of training did you use?"

"When little Matt was only two weeks old I gave him the most expensive electric train that money could buy. After his mother died--when Matt was a year old--I fired his nurse and hired a skilled mechanic to look after him. I filled the nursery with toy tractors, toy bulldozers, toy shovels, and scrapers. Later I installed a complete machine shop in the basement. This fortunate child grew up in a veritable par...

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