The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-14
BOILING STONES SHINE.
Perhaps Potash is Better after all
than Moss.
Correspondence of the Press

throws light on the methods of en-
ployers and the salaries paid to clerks.
and believe will appeal to that large
and growing class of young men who
are either earning their own living or
about to start out for themselves, warn
ing them, perhaps, to let well enough
alone. l give the story in the young
mans own words as nearly as I can re-
member them.
81 am "a years old, said he. sin 1886
was employed in an insurance Office in
this town, where l had then been for
two years, having started as boy on a
small salary. I am a graduate of the
st. Louis university, and at that time
was good stenographer, running off
about 100 words minute. | also wrote
on the typewriter about eighty words a
minute, frequently taking letters from
dictation on the machine. was head
clerk in the Office and my salary was
$40 month. But l got dissatisfied
thought ought to be getting on faster
and | kicked l told my employer that
something must be done. The fact is,
got the big head. thought he couldn't
get along without me. Just about this
time got an offer from another Office to
travel, and that settled it. | left my
place and went out on the road.
81 was away four months and travelled
all through the southwest. Then was
recalled. My work was Of special nat
ure and required no extraordinary abil-
ity. When it was finished of course
there was nothing more for me to do but
to leave. This didn't occur to me when
/ left my former place, and 1 began to
realize that | had thrown up a good
thing for an uncertainty. Well, hadn't
been back three days before | heard that
a large wholesale house wanted stem
ographer. went down and saw one of
the firm. He was perfect Chesterfield.
Shook hands, was glad to see me, said
he knew | was just the man they had
been looking for, but his partner was
away in Chicago and, of course, he
wouldn't like to engage me positively
until that individual got back. But |
would be sure to hear from them. Then
l went home and held down chairs for a
few days until got letter. / was en-
gagged. Salary S75 month. was
as happy as a clam at high tide. The
next morning showed up bright and
early and worked like a horse all dav
taking notes.
Everything was lovely in the morn
ing, but in the afternoon a cloud ap-
peared on my horizon. The manager,
who had been so pleasant when he saw
me first, began to curse me. OF course /
resented it. l told him politely that
was willing TO do anything l was told to
do, but l didn't propose to be sworn at by
any man. He quoted down after this,
and things went along until o'clock,
when l was told that the work was little
behind and it would be necessary for me
to put in few nights 1 said was per-
fectly willing, went out, paid for my own
supper and came back and worked until
midnight. For three days and nights
kept this up. I never worked SO hard in
my life. Well, sir, will you believe me,
when Saturday came the manager called
me into his Office and said they would not
require my services any longer. Maybe
l didn't boil. Iraved. There were lot
of clerks there, and some of them told me
afterward they never saw such nerve as
l displayed. They themselves hao been
under subsection for some time, and of
course were scared to death.
THE reason given for my discharge
was that my services were not satisfac-
tory, but that didn't go down with me.
1t was a week, however, before l found
out what was the matter. Then Learned
that my predecessor was girl who had
been paid $35 month. The man I saw
decided to engage me at $75, not waiting
for his partner to return from Chicago.
Saturday his partner got back, and when
he heard the news there was a cyclone.
AS he ruled the place of course was
fired.
'"Then loafed for spell. Laid around
home and waited for developments.
Looked through the advertising columns
of the papers every day for about two
months. One day l saw that large car
riage house wanted a stenographer. My
application was answered, and appeared
one morning to be tested. My future
employer, after he had dictated some
few minutes, expressed himself delight
ed with me.
"He was tall man with flowing side
whiskers, and would have graced any
drawing room. Young man. said he,
there's a great future for you in this
business. We not only want a man to
write shorthand, but we shall expect you,
sir, to acquire the details of the business;
to become familiar with the various kinds
of vehicles, sir, and to know their prices.
Young man, / have no hesitation in say
ing to you that if you succeed in master
ing this business-and have no doubt of
your ability-a fortune awaits you. After
you have been here some little time |
shall ask you to wait on few customers.
That, sir, will be the beginning. Event
ually you will be given commission,
and have no doubt that you will make
a complete success.
Il was entranced. The long flowing
whiskers of my amiable employer foated
through my brain all night. The next
morning / appeared on the scene and put
in my best ticks for the rest of the week.
My salary was to have been S75 month,
but l was told that it would be increased
to $50 week.
After my last experience all this
seemed like dream. | stayed in my
new place for six weeks. Then one Sat
urday night got a note saying that nv
services would be required no longer. 1
was thunderstruck. / fastened to my
employer. He CURLY informed me that
was not satisfactory. That was all the
satisfaction l could get from him. I
found out the next week that he had a
brother-in-lay. That was the reason I
was dished. You can bet I was dis
couraged. had saved up little money
and concluded to take things easy until
it ran out. One day I was strolling
around town when | met a chance ac-
qaintance who suggested that we go into
pool room near by and see how the
horses were running. Well, sir, will you
believe it? yielded to the allurements
of the turf and picked winner the first
time made $40 that day.
"The next day / showed up again. /
didn't know the first thing about horses,
but concluded to stick to one jockey. In
three days l had won $3.50. That settled
me for awhile. lived high, went around
in cabs and had expensive dinners. Ny
money ran out in about week. Then /
went back to my gold mine. 'Of what
use,' l thought to myself, is there in
shaving for your bread, when all you
have got to do is to pick winners? But
this time my gold mine didn't pan out.