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"Pardon me, they are not luxuries, they are necessities—hygienic necessities. Let me tell you, Madam, how I came to go into this work. It is not my chosen occupation. I was and still am to some extent connected with the real estate business, but that is not a profitable concern during war-time, and I decided to take up some other line. I looked over the ground well and settled on vacuum-cleaners as offering a safe and pleasant as well as profitable opportunity. I will tell you why, Madam, I reasoned it out this way. During war-time, people's incomes will be more restricted. And besides that, many young women now employed as domestics, will enter factories as munition workers. Hence an increased number of ladies will do their own work, and as a natural result will require all the aids that modern science can furnish them with. So I looked about me and decided this was the right thing. I considered gramophones for a while, but they are luxuries—though you'd be surprised what a fine selling proposition they are. Still I decided vacuum-cleaners offered the best chance for me, and I've had no reason thus far to regret it. Besides, I had a good opening. I may say I've done pretty well.