Diamond Jim, now the most successful and respected member of the community, was recalling the hard times he had known as a youth. As with many other self-made individuals, his challenges seemed to increase with each telling:
"I remember one summer was especially tough," said he. "I was working as a pitchman in a carnival, selling Dr. Garth's miracle cure. I couldn't get the crowd to buy a single bottle. Finally I became so disgusted that I yelled,
'You people are not only too cheap, but even too suspicious to offer me fifty cents for a dollar.'
"'I'll buy a dollar for only fifty cents,' one of the rustics spoke up.
"'All right,' I agreed, 'hand over the fifty cents.'
"'I ain't takin' no chances,' yelled the fellow. 'Take it out of the buck and hand me the change ...'"