No. 124.
France,
24/1/19.

Dear Dad,

I should really be writing the Mater to-night, but wish to write to you further re the ring I spoke of and also answer yours of Dec 30^th.

Now, about the ring, Mappin and Webb have not a stone under .50 ct. (note the metric carat) – are they using it at home?) and their setting patterns are most rotten. If you have, or can get easily a good stone that you can sell for $50. to $75. – (about $60.00 would do) mounted in a fancy platinum top ring, about Nert’s size. get it mounted and as soon as I am sure of my address (London or France) I will let you know and you can mail it to me I will take the risk, as I doubt that you can get it insured. Be sure it is a good stone as I would not for the world sell him anything else. If you cannot supply ¼ ct. at this price, it will just have to be as large as you can supply. If Goldstein’s can supply any French style settings, they would be best.

I am sorry you have been ill again, but from Mother’s letter I judge the worst is past. You are most fortunate to have escaped the Flu. We have more of it than ever and are filled almost to capacity. We have a female ward of 50 beds and as it is never more than half full, they have half the beds out in other wards. It is most distressing to see boys who have come thro it all, dying like flies, but apparently little can be done once they develop the pneumonia. The weather is cooler now therefore a little drier and it may help some.

 You see what success Glady C. has had, getting her husband home, and there was every reason for his early return. I am sorry Mother has tried to get me home, for besides upsetting my plans for London, it is putting the Major to a lot of useless work. I am asking him to do nothing. There are thousands of others to be demobilized before my turn comes, especially the line regiments – they are first. In the meantime the military are getting everything in readiness to demobilize us. I have already signed a form to be demobilized in No 1 district – at Tillsonburg and as a professional category on the strength of my optical experience. I hardly expect tho that we will get home before June at the best. At present the camps and transports are crowded and accommodation is rotten. In the meantime I am making the best use of my time, I have the text book of my preliminary exam and am studying it. OF course I cannot master it without the experimental apparatus that is used in the course. It is the first exam which bothers me (I will take both at one sitting,) it is the theretical part of Optics and deals with the eye not at all. It is the work leading up to and the building of bi‑focals of all kinds, torics etc. This is the work I need before I can carry on as I wish to. It is what I have always felt the need of.

You surely had good business but it is rotten that some of the old reliables came back. You can get a good electric percolate direct from Sterneau. They are fine. Beath had percolators and chafing dishes but they did not sell well. I think you were very wise to put that in the Royal It is not always wise to keep both that and current in the same bank.

Regarding advertised goods of which you speak, It is surely impossible to do business without them in a town such as T. – where there is a large country to draw from. There is just one reason tho, where I think a partnership would be foolish – our ideas differ so. What I call my ideas are not really mine at all but those of successful business men, all over Canada. In favor of my arguments – re silverwear and watches particularly – I don’t think you will find a really big business house in Canada, handling either of the lines you mention.

Here is my opinion on this thing and if you think it over carefully I think you will agree with me in every detail. In handling those goods you don’t have to employ salesmen – only clerks – as it is more or less a business of passing them over the counter and a man’s ability and business quickly slide back – I never want you to be “Old Man Davis” as Brown was “Old Man Brown.” That is handling these lines to the exclusion of others.

In Tillsonburg we have two classes absolutely to draw from. We want and need both of these to do a successful business. First – what we might call the working class – this includes a good many wealthy farmers and factory people in town. These people read all papers and magazines and catalogues and belive about 125% of what is in them they talk prices among themselves, and delight in showing one another a similar article bought at a lower price – But They have the money and they spend it. Now for these people I would handle advertised goods and every article that is catalogued by “E.,” or “S.,” I would mark at the same price when even money or the odd cents less if in odd cents. It is not necessary to carry a large stock as these goods can be obtained on short notice from almost any wholesale dealer. If you knew you could buy a size 18-17 jewelled suit of clothes in a nickle case from Eaton’s for fifteen dollars delivered at your post office (or your door with rural delivery) for fifteen dollars, you are not going to pay Alex Rodgers eighteen dollars for the same thing you would be foolish to as he would not do the same for you. Another thing when you sell 18-7 or Waltham you are advertising for the man up the street and the catalogue house as much as for yourself – which is a pretty expensive business for you. Now, these people talk among themselves as we well know, and the fact that any catalogued article is as cheap at your store as the catalogue soon becomes known. Then you have them coming and can start educating them for the second class of which I will speak later. I think you can’t but agree that we have done wonders in educating to public from seven to seventeen jewelled watches.

Now for the Second Class – and these are, now even, not all of the town trade, who want something just a little better than the catalogue house sells, something a little exclusive and that everyone doesn’t know the price of and want to make others believe they paid a large price instead of a small one. Now they will buy the better goods, which are your special lines. True you have to buy these in quantities, but if you can’t make more than the 5% to 8% on your money, that any sure investment pays, by using it in your business – it’s a funny thing to me. Now by catering all to the first class, you will drive the second up the street (or across) or to Toronto, and we surely had this business. We want and must have both kinds.

I hope you will see these things as I do and I think by now you know me well enough to know that my one idea is to build up a business that will be better for both of us. A business built on reputation of good goods and reasonable prices and no sharp practices. A business that when sold will be worth with its “good will” and reputation and not one that will be picked up by someone at a rate on the dollar and consist of catalogue goods for farm trade only. I am anxious to get back as I take more pleasure out of a good business, properly run, than anything else I know of.

Love to all,
Your affectionate son,
W. Worth Davis.