The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-02-16

ity When it was finished Of course
there was nothing more for me to do but
10 leave. This didn't occur to me when
] left my former place, and / began to
realize that ! had thrown up a good
thing for an uncertainty. Well, hadn't
been back three days before l heard that
% large wholesale house wanted a stem
ographer. went down and saw one Of
the firm Howas perfect Chesterfield.
Shook hands. was glad 20 see me, said
be knew l was just the man they had
been looking for but his partner was
away in Chicago and, Of course, De
wouldn't like TO engage me positively
until that individual got back. But
would be sure to hear from them. Then
/ went home and held down chairs for a
few days until 1 got "a letter. was en-
gagged. Salary SIS month. l was
as happy as q clam at high tide. The
next morning l showed up bright and
carly and worked like a horse all day
taking notes
Everything was lovely i'm the morn
ing, but In the afternoon "a cloud APP
pcarcd on my horizon The manager,
who had been so pleasant when be saw
me first, began to curse me. OF course !
resented it, / told him politely that
was willing 10 do anything l was told 10
do, but didn't propose to besworn at by
any man. he quoted down after this,
and things went along until 6 o'clock,
when was told that the work was little
behind and it would be necessary for me
TO put i'm a fewnights. l said / was per
fcctly willing, went out, paid for my own
supper and came back and worked until
midnight For three days and nights ]
kept this mp. never worked so hard 10
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
/ didn't boil lraved. There We're a lot
Of clerks there, and some of them told me
afterward they never saw such nerve as
l displayed They themselves had been
under subsection for some time, and of
course were scared to death.
"Ihc reason given for my discharge
was that my services were not satislac-
tory. but that didn't go down with me-
10 was q week. however, before 1 found
out what was the matter. Then learned
that my predecessor was q girl who had
been paid $50 a month The man saw
decided To- engage me at SIS, not waiting
for his partner to- return from Chicago
Saturday his partner got back, and when
he heard the news there was cyclone.
As he ruled the place Of course l was
fired.
"Then loafed for spell. Laid around
homo and waited for developments.
Looked through the advertising columns
of the papers every day for about two
months. One day | saw that a large car
riage house wanted a stcnographer Ny
application was answered, and Iappeared
one morning 20 be tested Ny future
employer after he had dictated some
few minutes, expressed himself delight
ed with me.
"He was q tall man with flowing side
whiskers, and would have graced any
drawing ROOM Young man. said hc.
there's a great future for you i'm this
business. We not only want a man 10
write shorthand. but We shall expect YOU,
sir, to acquire the details of the business;
70 become familarwith the various kinds
of vehicles, sir, and to know their prices
Young man. have no hesitation i'm say
ing to you that If you succeed in master
ing this business-and have no doubt Of
your ability fortune awaits YOU. After
YOU have been here some little time ]
shall ask YOU 10 wait ON a few customers.
That, sir, viii be the beginning. Event
ually you will be given a commission,
and have no doubt that YOU will make
complete success.
81 was entrmced. The long flowing
whiskers of my amlable employer loated
through my brain all night. The next
morning appeared on the scele and pat
IN my best ticks for the rest Of the week.
My salary was TO have been SIS month,
but was told that it would be increased
TO SEQ week.
"After my last experience all this
seemed like q dream ! stayed in my
new place for six weeks. Then one Sat
urday night 1 got q note saying that my
services would be required no longer.
was thunderstruck. / FASTENED 20 my
employer. Tie CURLY informed me chat
! was not satisfactory. That was all the
satisfaction l could get from him. /
found out the next week that he had q
brother-in-law. That was the reason |
was dished You can bet l was dis
couagcd had saved up a little money
and concluded 10 take things easy until |
1t ran out. One day l was strolling /
around town when ] met q chance ac- /
qaintauce who suggested that we go into /
a pool room near by and see how the /
horses were running Well, sir, will you /
believe il: yielded 10 the alluremcnts /
of the turf and picked winner the frs.
time made $40 that day.
"Ihe next day l showed up again.
didn't know the first thing about horses.
but concluded 10 stick to one Jockey. In
three days had won $3.50. That settled
me for awhile. lived high, went around
in cabs and had expensive dinners. Nv
money ran out in about o week. Then
went back TO my gold mine. OF what
use, thought TO myself, is there in
shaving for your bread, when all YOU
have got to do is to pick winners But
this time nay gold mine didn't pan out.
i began TO see that the ability to pick
winners was limited, and the result Of
my little venture was that | had high
old time for about week, and came out
dead broke. Then did a little. thinking.
concluded that had had enough OF the
turf. and made no NY mind 10 work.