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Edgar Guest - Henry Ford`s Offhand Way
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Speaking of Henry Ford`s purchase of a million dollars` worth of city bonds, Controller Engel said; "He talked about buying those bonds exactly as I would talk about buying a sack of peanuts." — News item. 


There may be some of us who`d stop and scratch our heads awhile 
Before we`d spend a million of our hardearned little pile; 
And some of us perhaps might want to ponder on the deal, 
To see the goods before we`d buy, to know that they were real, 
I`m sure that I should hesitate and count once more my hoard 
Before I`d write a check like that, but not so Henry Ford. 
He merely yawned and stretched a bit, and then said : "By the way,
A million dollars` worth of bonds, I guess, will do today."

And some of us there are who might regret it all our lives 
If we should do a trick like that and not consult our wives. 
Before we`d spend a million bones I think we`d hem and haw
And then decide to wait a day and put it up to Maw. 
`m sure I shouldn`t spend that much upon my own accord,
I`d be afraid of what she`d say, but not so Henry Ford. 
He just looked through the window at the autumn tints of earth 
And said: "Those bonds you spoke about. I`ll take a million`s worth."

And some of us, perhaps, before we`d part with such a bunch 
Would make the salesman take us out and blow us off to lunch;
We`d have him bowing down to us and tapping at our door, 
And make him say a dozen times the things he`d said before. 
I`m sure before he closed with me and captured his reward 
I`d make him work a month or two, but not so Henry Ford. 
He merely said, the while he flicked from off his coat a speck: 
"Send up a million dollars` worth. I`ll write you out a check."

Who knows but what he thought about the song birds on the farm, 
And looked away as though to see the trees in autumn`s charm? 
Perhaps he saw the pumpkins ripe and fodder in the shock 
And watched a little feller who was driving home the stock. 
While the agent`s heart was beating he was calm as he could be, 
But perhaps he saw a little boy with patches on his knee, 
Years and miles away from business, in the town that gave him birth, 
Who never dreamed he`d buy of bonds a million dollars` worth.
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