Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-09-18
JOHN SMITH, CLERK.
A Modern Fable, the Moral OF
Which Il Left to the Reader.

Once there was q man. He was q clerk
In a bank at forty-five dollars a month. His
name was John Smith. At a directors
meeting one day, after the discounts had
been passed upon and the portly directors
were laborlously getting up TO go, the presi-
dent, who had the ablest and most expan-
sive vest OF any OF them, stopped them.
"By the way" he remarked, II have
note from John Smith, one Of our young
men, you know-some of you know him-but
guess must have lost 1t. Any how, he
wants his salary raised. Says the business
OF the bank is four times what it used TO be
and his work has increased accordingly.
SAYS with increase In the amount of money
handled comes increase in the strain on his
integrity. Seems TO think he ought to be
paid for not robbing US. Beside, he says he
can scarcely keep his family on his salary.
/ suppose / can answer it without calling
another board meeting" he concluded.
Iacetiously.
''Tell him he oughtn't to have such big
family" suggested one.
Quote the law against ENLIGHTENMENT to
him, said another, and so on, as they but
toned their overcoats and went out about
their business.
BY and by John Smith got a note like
this, signed by the president and written
on the note paper of the bank, bearing the
imposing array Of directors names in neat
engraving at the head of it:
"MR. JOHN SMITH-Dedr Sir; In answer to
yours OF even date, am instructed by the
board OF directors to say that they can not
agree with your view OF the case 1t is true
that your work has largely increased with
the growth OF the bank under its present sue
cessful management. But it Is no more than
you are able to do, and no more than we can
find others to do for the salary we now pay
you. The other phase Of the matter you pre-
sent, that we should pay you for the moral
wear and tear incident to resisting temptation
to steal, as we'll as for the physical and mon
tai work you do has no weight. Our relations,
however pleasant personally, are purely
business affair on both sides. We pay you 80
much money for so much work. Your honesty
is presumed. II you should prove dishonest
we would discharge you, and the law would
send you to prison.
with your family affairs we have nothing
to do, but may suggest to you that careful
economy in small household expenditures will
result in an annual saving which will, perhaps
surprise you. Without referring especially to
you-for never endeavored to pry into your
private affairs nor inquired how you lved-I
may say that, in my opinion, the prevailing
tendency of young people nowadays is to
live too high, instead OF being careful to lay
up something for q rainy day.
Yours truly, etc"
The directors hadn't been in session long
the next day when John Smith opened the
door, handed in slip of paper, and walked
back to his desk. There was silence for
minute, then murmur, then the clerks
outside heard a clatter Of moving chairs in
the board-room, and then the door opened
and two or three voices called "Smithm
'In moment" answered Smith, cheer
fully, laying a blotter between the leaves of
the book he had been writing in, and care
fully tucking the pen behind his ear, as
though he were making his toilet
what do you mean by this" they de-
manded when he appeared In the directors
room. ''Telling us there Is only $9,647.S0 Of
available cash, and suggesting that we get
some for the counter"
ats sou responded Smith, land /
thought you ought to know it before the
money Is all checked out. The bank
. oughtn't to have to close its doors In the
middle of the day"
''But according to your statement of yes
terday and your showing of to-day's bust
ness there ought 10 be $259, 64a Where is
the quarter Of q milllonl Wewere just dis
cussing an investment for it'll"
"pve invested it myself" responded
Smith, coolly, "in a safe place-$250 900 Of it.
The other twenty cents took for street-car
money. took a quarter Of million away
with me last evening"
"You what"
al stole it, in plain English. When / got
this response TO my note to the president
but really must renew my suggestion
about the advisability of getting some cash
on the counter. You are very short, and
YOU ought to attend to it at once"
Two of the directors drew their checks on
other banks and sent them out, although
the signatures were very shaky; and then,
quite at his ease, Mr.. Smith leaned up
against the carved mantelpieoe, read the
presidents note refusing his request foy
an increase and went ont
s'When got this note IL set me to think
ing whether, as our relations were purely
business affair, couldn't do better than g
on as had been doing. There were $3.50,
600 In convenient shape that could get m!
hands on. might have skipped to Canad;
with IL. but don't like the climate. 1 tool
the money away with me and concealed
it''-pausIng for moment and smiling
down In their eager faces, sin p.Rc
known only to myself / shall give mysel
tlp. and as our relations, in the language o
the president, have been PERSONAL
pleasant will save you the expense Of
trial by pleading guilty. The maximum
sentence for my offense, under the laws
the State, is ten years in the penitentiary
With the communication on Tor gOcu DenaNhoi
it viii be about eight and q half years.
will be dun, but shall not be idle. hay
never had leisure to cultivate the graces {
the mind. have taste for music. wi
cultivate it. will learn modern languag
Of two. l am thirty-one years old nov
When have served my term and am clea
Of the law, will come out Of prison thirty
nine years old, with q cultivated mind an
a comfortable fortune Of $4,000 awaitin
me. l can afford to 60 away, to travel 4
foreign countries and enjoy life. or cours
lose the interest on my $3.50, 600 while l al
in prison, but if were to live on air an
10 naked and save all my salary, vouldn'
have one-fifteth as much at the age Q
thirty-nine. On the whole, think hav
made good speculation. Don't Youlp
The opinions Of the directors were no
very coherent just at this moment The
made various appeals TO him, on the cor
fideuce they had had in him, on the goo
name he bore, on the disSonor he would in
cur, etc, but he responded that all thes
had not helped him to An increase Ia salary
and relentlessly quoted the language OF th
presidents note to him, that 'their reIa
lions were purely business AFFAIR on bot
sides.n Finally he said:
Our relations have been PERSONAL
pleasant, and have no unconquerable d.
sire to spend the next light and a half year
in jail 1 will make you proposition.
you win sign a bond not to prosecute mi
and publish in the daily papers 3 set {