Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-07-31

Lee. My father was also there. Mr. Lee
smiled as came in, and said
"Well, Louis, what do you call your
last weeks work?''
Relaxation" promptly replied.
"Does it pay?" he asked.
at has so far" was my response.
"Then suppose you expect to go to
work sometime ?" said he.
The satisfaction of returning to nv
everyday work came suddenly to me
then, and said, with animation:
81 do, indeed, and am here hoping you
have work to offer me-"
He looked pleased and gratifed. So
did my father. Mr.. Lee said presently:
II have to offer you my office work If
you will engage with me for another
three years will give you $500 per year,
and at the end of that time an additional
500, making it $1,000 for the three
years work. What think your"
My father then spoke:
Louis, the declension 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 two dollars per week;
and if you do we'll I will cover Mr.. Lees
800 with another 800 the day you are
twenty-one. Can you do betterg''
l knew l could not. l said so. So
again l was back in the familiar place,
with three years before me, but they
proved uneventful, save the first links
which connected me with the firm of
Colman & Co.
The first duty assigned me in my new
position was the opening of some letters,
and the first letter opened Haunted with
the bill head of Goldman & Co." My own
name! Just SO; some day / should send
out large sheets and bills with just such
heading! So l raised an air castle
But this heading contained, besides the
order, some reference to superior
casket," and slip from a paper making
public announcement that the decease of
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, Colman & Co., "per c."
l handed the letter to Mr.. Lee, who
said:
"See to your order Immediately, and
make a note of the reference to casket,
and file the letter on hook c."
He rose, took down package Of letters,
saying to me;
man always signed like that, with long
coil. The son has, l suppose, inherited
or acquired the same curious coil to his
signatures"
l returned answer to the letter, and
when finished sudden fancy possessed
me to make of my "per c." the same fan
ciful coil. After few endeavors | sue
ceeded in doing this, and signed VIM. r.
Lee, ''per c." making of my &C." an ex-
cellent imitation Of the long cooled G. ap-
pended to Colman g. Co.
For the three succeeding years not a
month elapsed that we did not receive an
order of some kind, large or small, with
the same Colman g. Co, "per c." and
then the long coil; which as invariably
answered with Lee, "per c." and flour
ish of the same kind around my c.
l found myself at my majority in what
/ thought then, and think now, an envia-
bic state. had at twenty-one a fair adj
dress, good health, good habits, a good
trade, an average education, moderate
ambition, and willingness to work, and
$500 year in ready money. When my
time expired with Mr.. Lee, he again ask
ed me my plans for the future. Though
this time l had many and many one,
they were very indefinite and none of
them practical. Mr.. Lee, as before, gave
advice and opportunity. He sent me
upon business of his own through differ
ent parts of the State, saying:
"Look out for yourself as you go, and if
you find the right business point, let me
know"
/ liked this change. was making a
valuable acquaintance with business men
and the country, and for year longer
found nothing which made me desire a
change.
One night I took branch road and a
new route to reach certain point, start
ing with Ia most unusual thing for mel a
racking headache, which the jar and
rattle Of the cars so increased that by ten
O'Clock had determined to ask for lay
over ticket at the next station. | stopped
not to ask where, but threw myself into
an omnibus, and, arriving at the hotel,
into room and bed as quickly as posi-
BILE. Next morning / awOke with my
head clear, but with feeling of exhaus
ton that decided me to remain where /
was for that day.
After breakfast sauntered out, going
slowly up the principal street, gazing idly
at the signs, dreamily settling myself with
a home and business and a name, and
my sign would read-I started, there it
was-"Colman & Co." Yes; l read it
Alright, it was Colman g. Co. us this Alb
betowns" asked of man who was pass
ing He looked hard at me, but said,
civily enough, ut is, sir" crossed the
road quickly, curious to confront the bona
fde personages who had so many times
appeared to me under the Jagged sigma
ture Of "Colman & Co.," and singularly
called "per c."
l entered the open door and strolled
through the rooms. Nothing but nice
lot of cabinet warerooms, with the ar
rangements perhaps in better taste than is
usual in such establishments. A quiet
lighthaired young man, my own age,
came forward. "Behold per C!' said to
myself He politely waited till had
made a survey Of the outer rooms, then
asked me if he could be of any service. l
said would like to see Mr.. Colman. A
slight hesitation, then he said, "Step this
way"
Beyond the salesroom green baize
door opened into a room about twenty
feet suuare neatly carDeted furnished