The Evening critic., 1882-01-20
THE DUMMY ENEMY.
An Old Merchants Novel. but Soiid,
business Advice 60 His son.


business Advice Go His son.
Derrick Dodd ia Frisco Post.
Archibald, my boy" said old Mr. DIFF.
fenderfcr, the rich commission merchant.
tho other day, as he called his son into his
private office; my dear boy, have Just
executed the deeds by which retire from
business to-day, aud leave you sole active
partner in the wealthicst house on the
coast. Naturally you expect me to give
you some timely counsel for your future
business guidance
"keercct p replied young d., who was n
member of the bohemian Club, and knew
1t all.
"You probably suppose that wish to en-
join upon you frugality, temperance in
tegrity and punctuality rs the sure means
of success. Notat ALL Those virtues arc
all very well for the copy book, but the
only real requisite TO success in life-es
pecially in this Statc-is q really good re.
ciprocating dummy enemy"
"A what?' queried the scion of the house
Of d., as he put his feet on the desk and lit
another cigarette.
why, q first class, bitter unrelenting
dummy enemy. Something like my dear
old friend Gufioy, for instance"
"Why, l thought you were down on that
man the worst wayT'
That's just the point-thats Just the
joke of it," said old d., with chuckle.
Fourteen years ago met Guffey on the
steamer, coming.round here fronn New York.
We had both failed in trade, in Boston, he
in Philadelphia; both of us fairly driven
out of business by the usual ISLANDERS, jeal-
ousies and ender-hand defamation peculiar
towel, to ererychere."
why didn't you go into partnership p
asked the junior.
"I'll tell you. After talking the matter
ovor On ffpv and aoraad TINT tho on1v
way for man with small capital to get
along was to have some trusted friend on
the outside who would keep him posted as
to the doings of his enemies. Some one
whom they would talk to, don't you UNDER
stand ~
81 catch on remarked the youth.
$50 we concluded to act as each others
dummy enemy, And from the day that we
stepped off the steamer down at the wharf,
p Gufiey and have never spoken to each
other, except on the 1st and 18th of each
month, when l visit him in disguise, to
compare notes."
"Well, by Jove!"
cts q fact, though. Every time my ene-
mies-and everybody has them; they sor-
ter grow somchow-put up a job on me, or
lie about me, or try to injure me in any
way they go to GufTey and attempt to rope
him into the plot He sympathizes with
wretch unhung, and then sits down and
writes me the particulars. Good scheme
that ch 2" and the old merchant laughed
until he was black in the face
'Well, | should smilc,' grinned the
other
'0f course, l do the same for Guffey.
Why, l can't tell how many thousand
times Pves scowled at him on the street
and remarked to whoever / was walking
xvi sfIhprafc that mi ieapabIo II
Gufiey. Look at the airs he puts on be-
cause he is rieh I'd like to break his ras-
cally head with club"
WAS Gutfcy rich then %
'Why, no; of course not at first 1t was
u part of our scheme, don't you see, to brace
up each others credit under the cover OF
abuse. For instance, I'd apply for a big dis
count at some bank, and the cashier would
slip around to Guiey for information,
knowing he'd give away all my wea k
| points. Guffey would scowl, ,,and say, Well,
l suppose the old villain is solid enough, ,Ibut
d-n a man who'd turn his mother-in-law
out of doors on cold winter night. The
old beast i wonder they haven't tarred
and feathered Diffenderfer years ago. They
say his grandmother is in the poorhouse.
With all his money, too; just think ="
And docs that help you?"
why, certainly. A bank cashier doesn't
care for grandmothers. What he is after is
stingy old capitalists and other Muldoons.
| Why, Gufey once borrowed fifty thou
sand dollars because l privately told
McLane that G. had swindled the govern
ment on half million contract. Mac had
him up to dinner the very next day.
Think over what have said, my dear boy,
and go thou and do likewise"
And promising to look carefully around
| up at the club, which was cram full of dunn
mics of all kinds, young Diffenderfer dived
| into his ulster, and hastened to get up on
Kearny street before the matinees let out