Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-05-06
ONE CENT ANON H.
John smith. Mmnifieent salary for rhre.
Years.

Years
San Francisco Alta.
At the Pacific Club a few evenings
ago the talk turned to the possibilities
of mathametics, and one of the group
said: Year before last bright looking
young man entered our counting-room
in response to an advertisement fol-
an assistant shipping clerk. He told
the usual tale OF how he desired pc.
s;tion more than wages for the time
being, and was willing to accept q iioms
inal salary to start on. The old man
was feeling in particularly good humor
that afternoon, and said pleasantly
to the new conner:
well, sir, what would you consider
nominal salary? What would you
be willing to accept in beginning?
The young man picked at the Inning
of his hat with his fingers, and defer.
entially replied:
81 want to show you sir, that
mean business, and l will work for
one cent the remainder of this month,
providing you think it would not be
too much to double my salary each
month hereafter"
That's anovelproposition, surely"
said the old man, with smile. do
you know what you're talking about,
my dear boy"
"Well, sir, my principal aim is to
learn the business responded the
young fellow, and | would be almost
willing to work for nothing, but I'd
like to feel and be able to say that ]
was earning something, you know. y I,
"Tll take YOU" remarked the old
man, decisively. "0necent, two cents,
four cents, eight, sixteen" he enumer'
ated. "You won't get much for a
WHILE" he added.
He took him up to the cashier.
"This is John Smith," he said. "He
will go to work as assistant shipping.
clerk tomorrow. His salary will be
one cent this month. Double it every
month from now on,
In consideration of my working for
this small salary, might ask you to
assure me position for definite pc
riod?" inquired John Smith.
1--WE don't usually do that" replied
lllS pONcEuOE, DuG VIC Cetil lOSc
much on you, anyhow, guess, and
you look like an honest fellow. How
long do you want employment
Three years, sir, if agreeable to
YOU"
Well by Jove the old man agreed,
and young Mr.. Smith, on pretense oil
wanting some evidence ofthe stability
of his place, got the Governor to write
out and sign paper that he had been
guaranteed a position in the house
for three years on the terms have
stated.
He worked along for six months with
out drawing cent. He said he would
draw all his earnings at Christmas.
The cashier one DAY thought he'd fig
ure up how much would be coming to
the young man. He grew so interest
ed in the project that he kept multi
plying for the three years. The result
almost staggered him. This is the col
umn OF figures he took up to the old
man.
First month, .o1; second, 90; third,
.04; fourth, .OS; fifth, 16; sixth, 80;
seventh, .64;eighth, 81. 2S;ninth, 50. Sc;
tenth, Sc. II; eleventh, S10.24; twelfth,
|. $50. 4S;thirteenth, $40. 90; fourteenth,
SS1.92; fifteenth, S163.S4; sixteenth,
| 27.68; seventeenth, S655.36; eight
zenith, $1,311.72; nineteenth, So
623. sd; twentieth, So, 2470S; twenty
first, $40, 494 10; twenty-second 800
9SS.32; twenty-third, SAL, 1864;
twenty-fourth, SS2,953.2S; twenty
fifth, $165, 906.56; twenty-sixth,
/ 1881, S13.12; twenty-seventh, 1868.
626. "a; twenty-eighth, 81 1927, $50. 4S;
twenty-ninth, $2,654, 504.96; thir-
tieth, 81, 500, o09 .92; thirty-frst, S..
els, 019S4; thirty second; SIT, 1885,.
039. 6S; thirty-third, $34 ,472,07S.3S;
thirty-fourth, S6S, 944, 1856 ~; thirty
fifth, S137, 1888, 313.44; thirty-sixth,
1915, 776,626.s8; total salary for
three years, 1852, 554253
The Governor nearly tainted when
he understood how, even if he were
twice as rich as Vanderbilt, he would
be ruined in paying John Smiths sal
airy. He concluded to discharge the
modest young man as once. Smith
had figured up how much would be
due him, and reminded the old man OF
his written agreement. Rather than
take chances in courts and let every
body know how he had been duped,
the Governor paid Smith $4,000 and
babe him good-by. I've heard be
tried the same dodge in Chicago after
leaving here.