Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-07-25
also there. Mr.. Lee smiled as
came in, and said:

came In, and SAID:
"Well, Louis, what do you call
your last weeks " ork."
"Relaxation," promptly replied.
"Does it pay" he asked.
"It has so far" was my response.
"But 1 suppose you expect to 60
to work sometimc?" said he.
The satisfaction of returning to
my every day work came suddenly
to me then, and I said with anima-
ton:
81 do indeed, and am here hoping
that you have work to offer me-"
He looked pleased and gratified.
So did my father. Mr.. Lee said
presently:
81 have to offer you my Office
work. If you will engage with
me for another three years l will
give you three years will give you
three hundred dollars per year, and
at the end of that time an addition
500, making it 81 900 for the three
years work. What think you?"
My father then spoke:
"Louis, the decision is your own;
but the offer is fair. If you choose
to take it your board at home is
just to pay mother for extra care,
say 50 per week; and if you do well
l will cover Mr.. Lees 500 with an
other 500, the day you are twenty
one. Can you do better?"
knew I could not. / said SO. So
again l was back in the old familiar
place, with three years before me,
but they proved uneventful, save as
the first links which connected nc
with the firm of Colman & Go.
The first duty assigned me in my
new position was the opening of
some letters, and the first letter l
opened flaanted the bill head Of
"Colman & Co." My own name!
Just so; some day I should send
out large sheets and bills with just
such a heading! So l raised an air
castle. But this heading contained
besides the order, some reference
to a superior casket," and a slip
from a paper making public an
nounccment that the decease Of the
elder Colman, of the firm of Colman
& Co., would not alter the business
arrangements of the firm. 1t would
still be carried on at the old stand,
with the same name. Signed Col
man & Co., "per c."
l handed this letter to Mr.. Lee,
who said:
s'See to your order Immediately.
and make note of the reference to
casket, and file the letter on hook
G."
He rose, took down package of
letters, saying to me:
"Look at these curious signatures;
Colman always signed like that,
with a long coil. The son has, l
suppose, inherited or acquired the
same curious coil to his signature.
l returned answer to this letter,
and when finished sudden fancy
possessed me to make of my "per
c." the same fame iful coil. After
few endeavors / succeeded in do
ing this, and signed VIM. X. Lee,
"per c." making my &C." an excel
lent imitation Of the long coiled c.
appended to Coleman & Co.
For the three succeeding years,
not month elapsed that we did not
receive an order of some kind, large
or small, from the same Colman
& Co., "per c." and then the long
coil; which l as invariably an
swered with Lee, "per c." and a
flourish Of the same around my c.
found myself at my majority in
what 1 though then, and think now,
an enviable state. l had at twenty
one a fair address, good health,
good habits, good trade, an aver
age education, moderate ambition,
and a willingness to work, and $500
a year in ready money. When my
time expired with Mr.. Lee, he again
asked me my plans for the future.
Though this time I had many and
many a one, they were very indefin-
itc, and none Of them practical. Mr..
Lee, as before, gave advice and op-
portunlty. He sent me upon bust
ness of his own through different
parts of the State, saying:
"Look out for yourself as you go,
and if you find the right business
point, let me know"
l liked this change. / was ma
king valuable acquaintances with
business men and the country, and
for a year longer fonnd nothing
which made me desire change.
One night l took a branch road
and new route to reach a certain
point, starting with "a most unusu-
al thing for me) a racking head
ache, which the jar and rattle of the
cars so increased that by 10 o'clock
l had determined to ask for lay
over ticket at the next station. l
stopped not to ask where, but threw
myself into an omnibus, and, ar
irving at the hotel, into room and
bed as quickly as possible. Next
morning l awoke with my head
clear, but with a feeling of cxhaus-
ton that decided me to remain
where l was for that day.
After breakfast I sauntered out,
going slowly up the street ga
zing idly at the signs, dreamily set
tling myself with home and bus
mess and name, and my sign
would started, the it was-"Col-
man & Co." Yes; l read it Alright,
it was Colman & Co. els this Alb
betown?" I asked of a man who
was passing. He looked hard at me
but said, clvilly enough, "It is sir. "
l crossed the road quickly, curious
to confront the bona fide personages
who had so many times appeared to
me under the jagged signature of
"Colman & Co. and singularly coil
ed "per c."
entered the open door and stroll
ed through the rooms. Nothing but
a nice lot Of cabinet warerooms,
with tho orronuamapfc porhopo IN