A Daily Dose of the American Dream

Sample 1

Ole Evinrude

"Everything that is new or uncommon raises a pleasure in the imagination, because it fills the soul with an agreeable surprise."

-Joseph Addison

It was a hot August afternoon as Bess Cary, Ole Evinrude and friends picnicked on an island two miles from shore. The sweltering heat made Bess think about one thing, ice cream. Ole was deeply in love and would do anything for Bess. Jumping in the row boat, he made it to shore quickly. On the way back, however, the breeze was against him, and the ice cream was melting fast. When he made it back and they were drinking the ice cream, Ole's mind was on something else. The big Norwegian had owned a company that made small gasoline engines, but it had failed. He had also helped Harley and Davidson develop an air-cooled engine. Now he thought of ways to make a small engine to propel a row boat.

Bess and Ole were married in 1906, and Ole worked on his project. In 1909, he built his first outboard motor. Bess thought it looked like a coffee grinder, but when Ole took it down to the river, he amazed the deckhands by skimming around the water at five miles per hour. Confident in his design, Ole made a few cosmetic changes, and built engine number 2. This time he loaned it to a friend, who promptly ordered 10, and paid in cash. Bess and Ole went into business, with Bess doing the correspondence. She analyzed the market and wrote an advertisement that began "DON'T ROW, use the Evinrude Detachable Row Boat Motor." With Ole in the shop, and Bess in the office, the Evinrude became a success.

CONSIDER THIS: How often has a product been made that takes away drudgery? That is the kind of machines Americans want.

This story is adapted from A Daily Dose of the American Dream, by Alan Elliott, published by Rutledge Hill Press. The book contains 366 stories, one for each day of the year.

Grab a copy quickly by purchasing it at your favorite book store or on-line: Click here to order A Daily Dose of the American Dream: Stories of Success, Triumph, & Inspiration.