Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-03-13
HOW HE EARNED \ LIVING
ny FRED BAYHAM.

we VINO earn our living by nara
work naturally regard with good
deal of interest those who manage TO
dodge this seeming necessity.
What are these mysterious mortals,
We say, who toll not neither do they
steal, who have no property nor any
apparent source OF income, yet they
wear clothes, eat meals and sleep
under good roof, like the rest OF Us?
We have a habit of speaking with
contempt of these people, rs though
they were beneath Us in the social
scale. Are we not really in secret n
little envious OF their originality and
courage.
Ii one shout |, for example try the
simple rule OF put yourself in his
place"
You, now, who make n living by
some occupation, commonplace but
reliable, suppose you were to wake up
tomorrow i'll strange place, without
money or friends, and with all work
prohibitcd--What would you do?
How would you arrange about break
fast, and, sub sequently, about dinner
and supper and bed, and then num-
erous meals and beds thereafter?
Would you not befriehtenedg Would
YOU not be at loss what TO do?
Well. that ia where you would show
your inferiority to those OF whom we
speak.
It must be admitted that they
could, if they wished, earn a plain,
honest living, as we do; whereas
could we by the exercise OF all our
wits exist a week after their fashion?
En- effet, there you have the whole
matter.
Before / undertook study OF these
singular beings had always thought
of them as class by themselves, pur-
suing for the most part similar meth
DDS. To live without work, consti-
tuted in my mind profession, like
law or the ministry. | wronged them.
| did not appreciate their fecund orig
inality. There is no profession that
is common to them all, but each has
his own, complete i'll itself, unique and
delicate as the miniature carved work
OF the japanese.
40 bell Vi lDclll IL 10 zen VI INV III u
ais, not of the class.
There was one who recently Dame to
live at the very respectable boarding
place OF the present writer. He was
as the naturalists would say an ex-
cellent specimen-rather young, good
looking, well-dresSed and correctly
hammered. There are some OF the
class who have a low habit OF making
~ pretence of earning n living They
will MAINTAIN an Office with "Real
Estate" or Commission" or some
thing Of that kind, on the door. To
no such stupid vulgarity did Richard
Kerth descend, Not even n suggestion
OF work cast clod upon his title OF
gentleman"
had known something OF the pre-
vious career of Mr.. Kerth. and when
he took possession oil two of the best
rooms in the house | FASTENED to
make his acquaintance. He treated
me with easy condescension. and soon
offered to borrow money OF me.
did not loan Mr.. kerth any mon
ey. IL was indeed, for q long time n
source of quiet satisfaction to me that
while a number Of others, in plain
view on all sides, were being taxed for
support OF this American peer.
was exempted. But one day, when
was being measured for an overcoat
my tailor asked me what | knew about
Richard Kerth, and he told me that
he owed $50 on suit of clothes. ]
answered Sheasby that | thought he
had better charge it up TO profit and
loss. Heimmediately proceeded TO do
so. The overcoat which | ordered was
more expensive 10y So than had ex.
pected and possibly about nine Their of
Searsby's customers suffered n similar
amount OF indirect taxation.
As time passed / gained more
and more OF Mr.. Kerth's confidence
/ knew just enough about hispast per-
formances to make him think that my
silence was useful commodity, and he
sought to purchase il with frankness
He was, however, 10th to betray his
secret all ut once, but prepared me be-
forehand by various significant hints
to appreciate better its mysterious
nature.
One evening, when he was smoking
one OF my cigars before my fire, he said
~ am getting 7ery hard up; must
raise some money"
said, chow will you do it?"
81 have n method of my own," he
answered, (Which apply whenever j
am in need OF ready cash"
what is it like?"
He smiled with the smile of q sphinx
as he replied:
81 call it n system of absence"
On several occasions he made use of
phraseology similar to the above.
For example, once he said to me: 81
get good enough living out OF not be-
ing in certain places at certain shines. !"
Further he would not explain.
About this time his creditors, of
whom the crop seemed to be perennial
began 70 press him close and it was