Page:Life of Isaiah V Williamson.djvu/49

Rh thought it best to go home and talk to his father about it. The father's advice Isaiah had always taken, and he knew it to be prudent and wise.

Mahlon Williamson had such confidence in the integrity, good sense, and ability of his son that he not only approved of the venture, but sold some cattle that he might supplement his son's meagre capital. He loaned Isaiah several hundred dollars to enable him to increase the stock of goods. This adventure, entered into when he was twenty- four, was the starting point of the career of Isaiah V. Williamson as a Philadelphia merchant.

From the very beginning he had considerable success. The next year, 1827, he took William Barton into partnership, and they moved their drygoods business to a larger store, at the corner of Second Street and Coombe's Alley. They appear to have attempted to go also into the wholesale business, as a commission house, in addition to their retail business. But the partners proved to be of unequal ability, and the partnership was dissolved within a year. Isaiah was disappointed, and was faced with the problem of