Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-08-07
CURIOUS FEATURES OF ACTUAL LIFE.
The Young Man Who Wasn't Particula
About His Wages.

The Young Man Who Wasn't Particular
About His Wages.
Year before last a bright-looking young
man entered our counting-room in response
to an advertisement for an assist shipping
clerk He told the usual tale Of how he
wanted position more than wages for the
time being, and was willing to accept q
nominal salary to start in on. The old man
feeling in particularly good humor that
afternoon, and said pleasantly to the new
conner:
well, sir, what would you consider a
nominal salary What would you be will
ing to accept in beginning
The young man picked at the lining Of his
hat with his fingers and differentially re-
piled:
II want to show you, sir, that mean bus
mess and will work for cent the remain
der of this month, providing 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 smile do you you
know what you're talking about, my dear
boy"
We'll, sir, my principle aim is to learn
the business" responded the young fellow,
and l would be almost willing to work for
nothing, but I'd like to feel and be able to
say that l was earning something, you
know"
"Pll take you," remarked the old man.
"One cent, two cents, four cents, eight, six
teen," 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 60 to work
rs assistant shipping clerk tomorrow. His
salary will be one cent this month. Do1ble
it every month from now on"
ain consideration of my working for this
small salary might ask you to assure me a
position for definite period!n inquired
John Smith.
1--WE don't usually do that replied the
governor; "but we can't lose much on you
anyhow, guess, and you look like an hon.
est fellow. How long dc you want employ
ment.
Three years, sir, if agreeable to you"
We'll, by Jove the old man agreed, and
young Mr.. Smith, on pretence of wanting
some evidence of stability of his place, got
the governor to write out and sign paper
that he had been guaranteed a position in
the house Tor three years on the terms
have stated
He worked along for six months without
drawing a cent He said he would draw ali
his earnings at Christmas The cashier one
day thought he'd figure up how much would
be coming to the young man. He grew so
interested in the projec that he kept multi
plying for the three years The result
almost staggered him This is the column
OF figures he took to the old man; First
month, .01; second, OF; third, .04 fourth,
0.e; fifth, .l6; sixth, SO; seventh, "a; eighth,
Sl.2S; ninth, s.. 30; tenth, s.. II; eleventh,
s1024; twelfth, Sl0,5S; thirteenth, $40 50;
fourteenth, ssl.&.: fifteenth, Sl63.S4: six
teenth, S32LiiS; seventeenth, Stia SO; eigh-
teenth, si,3ll.72; nineteenth, s2,62a "a;
twentieth, S5,24L0S; twenty first, $40, 494 10;
twenty second, $50. 9SS32; twenty third.
Sal, 1864; twenty fourth, S., 953 Is; twenty
fifth, sl65 ,!'S6.56; twenty sixth, 1881 ,S13 II;
twenty seventh, S6t5, 6an24; twenty eighth,
1,:s27, "a. As; twenty ninth, S2,654, 5O496;
thirtieth, 81, 500 00A0.; thirty first, $S,61S,-
0l2.S4 thirty second, 1896, 03a GS; thirty
third, S34, Az, 0l&3S; thirty fourth, SOS, 49,,
l56 ~; thirty fifth, Sl37, SIS, 1913. A.; thirty
sixth, 1878, 716, &c IS; total salary for three
years, So, 554, 25365.
The governor nearly tainted when he un-
derstood that even if he was twice as rich
as Vanderbilt he would be ruined in pay
ing John Smiths salary. He concluded to
discharge the modest young man at 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 everybody know
how he had been duped. the governor paid
Smith S5,OlU and babe him good-by. Pve
heard he tried the same dodge in Chicago
after leaving here. Louisville Courier
Journal