Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1886-06-11
HIS LITTLE GAME.
The Young Man Who WASH !
Particular About Wages.
An Agreement Which Proved A Disls
trous one for the Employer

An Agreement Which Proved A Disas
trous one for the Employer
Year before last bright-looklng |
young man entered our counting-room IN
response to an advertisement for an as
sistant shipping clerk. He told the
usual tale Of how he desired position
more than wages for the time being, and
was willing to accept a nominal salary to
start in on. The old man was feeling in
particularly good humor that afternoon,
and said pleasantly to the new conner;
"Wcll, sir, what would you consider
a nominal salaryl What would you be
willing to accept in beginninga"
The young man picked at the lining OF
his hat with his fingers and defercntially
replied:
Il want to show you, sir, that l mean
business, and | will work for one cent
for the remainder of this month, pro
viding you think it would not be too
much to double my salary each month
thereafter"
"That's novel proposition, surely,
said the old man with a smile. ''Do you
know what you are talking about my
dear boyf
"Well, sir, my principal aim is to
learn the business, responded the young
fellow, and | would almost be willing to
work for nothing, but I'd like to feel
and be able to say that | was earning
something, you know
"Pll take you," remarked the old
man. cone cent, two cents, four cents,
eight, SIXTEEN" he enumerated. "You
won't get much for awhile" he added.
He took him up to the cashier. "This
is John Smith," he said. He will go
to work as an 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 as
sure me position for definite period?''
inquired John Smith.
eve don't usually do that" replied
the governor; "but we can't loose muct
on you anyhow, | guess, and you looh
like an honest fellow. How long dC
you want employment"
"Three years, sir, if agreeable to you.
Well, by Jove, the old man agreed
and young Mr.. Smith, on pretence o
wanting some evidence of stability .
his place, got the governor to write Oh i
! and sign a paper that he had been guar
anteed position in the house for thre
years on the terms | have stated.
He worked along for six months with
out drawing cent. He said he woul,
draw all his earnings Christmas. Tn
cashier one day thought he'd figure u
how much would be coming to tn
young man. He grew so interested i
the project that he kept multiplying 70
the three years. The result almost stag
gered him. This is the column of figure
he took to the old man. First month
OF second, O2; third, O4; fourth, .08
, fifth, .16; sixth, .32 seventh, GA eighth
$1.2S; ninth, So So; tenth, S.. 5.12
eleventh, $40. twelfth, $2048; thir
teenth, $40.96; fourteenth, $8t92; fif
! teenth, $163 "a; sixteenth, 1927. 68
. seventeenth, $655. 36; eighteenth, 81,
31172; nineteenth, $2,623.54; TWEEN
tieth, S., 247OS; twenty-frst, $40, 494,
! 16; twenty-second, $40, 988. 80; twenty
third, $41, 976. ga; twenty-fourth, $82,
!, 953. %; twenty-fifth, $165, 9OG Sc; TWEEN
ty-sixth, 1881, 813.12; twenty-scventh
1868, 626. "a; twenty eighth, 81, 327, 259
: 48; twenty-ninth, So, 1854, 504 96; thir
tieth, 81, 600, 009. 90; thirty-frst, IS,
618, 019. "a; thirty-second, ST. 236, 039
68; thirty third, $34, 472, O78. 80; thirty
! fourth, $68, 944, 1856. 7a; thirty-fifth
$137, 888, 313.4 "A; thirty-sixth, $275, 776,
626. 8S total salary for three years
$552, 554, 253.65.
! The governor nearly tainted when hc
: understood how, even if he was twice "a
l rich as Vanderbilt, he would be ruined
{ in paying John Smiths salary.
He concluded to discharge the modest
1 young man at once. Smith had figured
4 up how much would be due him, and re
! minded the old man of his writer
agreement. Rather than take chances
/ in courts and let everybody know how
he had been duped, the governor paid
: Smith S., 600 and bade him goodbye.
i I've heard he tried the same dodge il
Chicago after leaving here. -Coario
+, Journal.