Telegram-herald., 1889-08-30
JOHN SMITH, CLERK.
A Modern Fable, the Moral OF
Which Is Left 10 the Reader.

W UlCl Is LcIL 10 the reader.
Once there was man. He was cierx
ia 1 bank al forty I've dollars a month His
name was John Smith. At a directors
meeting one day, after the discounts had
been passed upon and tue porily directors
were laoor0lsly getting up 20 GO tue presl-
dent. who had the ablest and most expan-
sive vest Of any OF them, stopped them
by the way" he remarked, Il have a
note from John Smith, one OF our young
men you know-someof of you know him-but
| guess l must have lost IL ANY how, he
wants his salary raised. Says tue business
OF the bank is four times what IL used 10 be
and his work has increased accordingly.
Says with increase in the amount OF money
handled comes increase in the straln on his
integrity. Seems 10 think he ought TO Do
paid for not robbing Us. Beside, he says 10
can scarcely keep his family on his salary.
I suppose | can answer II without calling
another board meeting" be concluded,
facetiously.
TELL him he oughtn't TO have such big
family" suggested one.
Quote the law against emberzlement %
him, said another, and so on, as they but
toned their overcoats and went out about
their business.
By aud 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 ia neat
engraving at the head of il:
Mr. JOHN SMuH-Dear 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 Il 10 true
that your work has largely Increased with
the growth OF Ihe bank under its present sue
cessful II MANAGEMENT. But II IS no more than
you are able TO 90, and no more than we can
find others 10 do for the salary we now pay
you The other phase Of tho matter you pre-
sent that we should pay you for the moral
wear and tear incident 70 resisting temptation
20 steal as well as for the physical and men
tai work you do, has no weight Our relations,
however pleasant personally, are purely a
business affair On both s-des. We pay you so
much money for so much work Your honesty
is presumed. IL you should prove dishonest
would discharge you, and the law would
send you 10 prison
with your family affairs we have nothing
20 do but may suggest 70 you that careful
economy in small household expenditures viii
result IN an annual saving which VIII, perhaps.
surprise you. Without referring especially 10
you-for I never endeavored 20 pry into your
private Affairs nor inquired how you Nved-I
tendency OF young people nowadays IS to
live too high, instead OF being careful TO lay
up something for a 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 70 his desk. There was silence for a
minute, then a murmur, then the clerks
outside heard a clatter Of moviRg chairs in
the board room, and then the door opened
and two or three voices called "Smith -
'In moment" answered Smith. cheer
fully, laying blotter between the leaves OF
the book he had been writing il, aud care
fully tucking the pen behind bis ear, as
though he were making his toilet.
What do you mean by thisl' they de-
manded when he appeared in the directors
room. Telling Us there Is only s9,647S0 Of
available cash. and suggesting that we get
some for the counter"
'Irs sou responded Smith, "and ]
thought you ought 10 know Il before the
money ia all checked out The bank
ough,n't to have 10 close It's doors in the
middle Of the day"
"But according 70 your statement OF yes
terday and your showing Of to-day's bust
ness there ought 70 be s259, CAS- Where IS
the quarter OF q miIlIoal Wewere just dis
cussing an Investment for itf'
I've invested IL myself responded
Smith, coouy, IN q safe place 50.o00 or IT,
Tie other twenty cents / took for street-car
money. I took q quarter Of q million away
w4th noe last evening"
"Yol whatff
IL stole e., IN plain English When I got
this response 70 ny note ~ tho president
but really ! must renew my suggestion
+ about the advisab..ity q getting some cash
GA the counter You are very short, and
you 1- -ht 70 attend 70 IL at once
Two n the directors drew their checks on
other banks and sent them out, although
f the signatures were very shsk7. and then.
quite az bs ease. Mr. Smith leaned up
7 against The carved mantel- piece. rcad tho
F pres dent a no.e refusing his request for
an increase and went on:
"When ] 60 th.s note II SCI re % t1ink
ing whether. as our 10 Isfiors were q pure ;
business AFFAIR, I couldn't ~ Better than go
o1 ss hal been doing There were s1-o.
o60 iu conven 'sut shape that could e.. nr
hands on. ight have -lpped % Ca-ada
wth it blt dor Ike she climate t0os
the money away wi.n ne and concealed
81 nausnz FIR moment ard ST.
down IN the.r eager faces. nin 4 arc
Known Only t1r rrseIf shsn gre urse
~. ard ss CDR relations. in che language a
tse president have been lersrra.'r
reassr- WI save ~r1 tae expense of a
f~a 81 Euty Ihe uax ulr
sentence 'ar -- rs0 17fer tre ava a
the STATE. i ter gears .- fne re0itep@s~F
Wr tne r-rlfartat-r -- Pr 7roi behavior
itw-l ,e sscat siett snd haf vss-s u