Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-10-11
UNcRATEFuL COMPS.
How They Rewarded Their Employer
Kindness and Self-Sacridco.

UNoRATEFUL COMPS.
How Thsy Rewarded Their Employer
Kindness and Self-Sacrince.
The compositors in country print
ing office entered the ''sanctum" ane
thus addressed Colonel EnObobu:
Dab5s, editor of the Bald Knob Au9.:n
Stalk:
Colonel" said the spokesman, eve
have called upon you"
$50 Isee," the Colonel broke in.
Il say, sir,' the spokesman again
began. ''that we have called upon yor
in regard to our pay"
Gentlemen, the times are so hare
that can not for moment think Of
increasing your wages.
1--WE do not ask you to increase oul
wages. but simply request you to pay
US what you already Owe."
'.Mcrciful heavens. mani! the
Colonel exclaimed, ''think you that
have naught to do but to thrust my
hand into Golfer. signing and groan'
ing with its excessive fullness. and
draw out pound after pound of glitter.
ing ore? Gentlemen. may be made
of generosity, but l am not made OF
gold. Why, mark you. Johnson, ad-
dressing the foreman, Ibid not give
you an order on Shillinheimer last
week for a pair of shoes?"
"Yes, SIR
"Then why do you join this clamor-
ing organization of most unnatural dis
content? Have you lost all sense of
gratitude?"
"No. sir, but you see, the fellow
wouldn't let me have the shoes. He
said that you had already overdrawn
the amount of his advertisement"
"Ha! he did, Ell? Did you call his
attention to the ten-line local l gave
him free of charger"
"Yes, sir, but he said it didn't
amount to any thing. Said that his
house was already better known than
your paper"
''Ha! he did. Ell? johnson, we will
be avenged. We will give him a slam.
Patterson"
"Yes, sir.''
"Why have you come to harass me?
It can not be possible that you need
money"
"But do, Colonel"
"What, in the face of the fact-in
the very grinning countenance of the
fact-that I gave you one dollar and
fifty cents week before last! Patter-
son, am a social economist, and you
must not expect me to uphold you in
your wild extravaganza. am willing
to excuse the folly of youth, but have
no patience with the waywardness of
manhood. Jackson"
Eyes, sir.''
"And you, too, jackson, join in this
clamor-you whose gentle patience I
have admired? Iwould not have be-
lieved it. jackson. Oh, this is the un-
kindest dun of all!''
"That's all very well, Colonel" said
the spokesman. "but we must have
our money or wen quit work.
"Quit work! Hear him. oh ye out
ragged gods! Answer me a few ques-
tons, Potter addressing the spokes-
man). Have l not always prepared
my copy with the utmost care?"
'Yes, sir.
''Have I not dotted every and
crossed every t?'
Il think so, sir"
''Would you not rather set my manu-
script than reprint, Potter?"
Eyes, SIR"
''Well, now. do you not know that
such careful preparation involves
great labor??''
II suppose it does, SIR"
''Ha-ha! But for whom has all this
labor been performed? For you and
your co-workers, Potter. It was per-
formed in order that your labor might
be as mere play. Many a night when
you and your friends have been idly
loafing about town have I bent over
my task with motherly care. and
many time have I said to myself:
'Ah. these lines will be great source
of delight to my compositors. They do
not know how many hours l have
spent here working in their interest,
but spur me on, We spirit of kindness.
Let me make my letters round and
beautiful Thus have l often unused,
my friends; thus have punished my
self that your tasks might be easy.
And now there comes a wave of in
gratitude. chilling wave of ill-return.
All, here comes a candidate for sheriff.
Gentlemen, l pray you leave me-
Arkdnsaw Traveller.