488 THE PRINCIPLES OF PERSONAL POWER
To some it may seem an unpardonable extravagance for one who
was "broke" to have gone into debt for $675 worth of clothes, but the
psychology behind that investment more than justified it.
The appearance of prosperity not only made a favorable impression
on those to whom I had to look for favors, but of more importance still
was the effect that proper attire had on me.
I not only knew that correct clothes would impress others favorably,
but I knew also that good clothes would give me an air of self-reliance,
without which I could not hope to regain my lost fortunes.
I got my first training in the psychology of good clothes from my
friend Edwin C. Barnes, whom I mentioned earlier had ridden into West
Orange, New Jersey, on a freight train (not being able to raise sufficient
money for passenger fare). What I had not elaborated on then is that
when Mr. Barnes arrived, he had announced at the Edison offices that
he had come to enter into a partnership with Mr. Edison.
Nearly everybody around the Edison plant had laughed at Barnes,
except Edison himself He saw something in the square jaw and deter-
mined face of young Barnes that most of the others did not see, despite
the fact that the young man looked more like a tramp than he did a
future partner of the greatest inventor on earth.
Barnes got his start, sweeping floors in the Edison offices! That was
all he sought-just a chance to get a toehold in the Edison organization.
From there on he made history.
He is now a multimillionaire, prosperous and happy, and a close
associate of Thomas A. Edison's. He has retired from active business,
even though he is still a comparatively young man, and spends most
of his time at his two beautiful homes in Bradentown, Florida, and
Damariscotta, Maine.
I first became acquainted with Barnes during the early days of his
association with Edison, before he had "arrived:'
In those days he had the largest and most expensive collection of
clothes I had ever seen or heard of one man owning. His wardrobe