The Opelousas courier., 1892-06-04

the parlor, where he reported the result.
Three days later a man came to the
railing near Harvey's desk. He recog-
nized him as John Clawson, a well-known
business man of the city who had for
merly been numbered among the con-
sentative, but whose recent actions
showed drifting toward the more pro-
gressive methods of the times.
"Mr. Harvey" he said, ~ have
never had the pleasure of knowing you,
but / wish to have a private interview
with you. When can you arrange it2'
81 hardly know" the book keeper
replied, putting down his pen "unless
we say during the noon hour at Little
Corner restaurant"
"That will suit me very WE'LL"
Arriving at the restaurant, Harvey saw
Clawson reckoning to him from a table
which was secluded in a far corner.
After ordering lunch, the merchant
began:
"You are surprised, no doubt, SO I'll
relieve your natural curiosity at once.
To be brief, you have been recommended
to me as the very one for al dislike
the word Scheme but it has come into
common business use, so [ use it. There
is to be a new company formed for a
somewhat new line of business. Briefly,
the object is to find out business con-
Germs here in the city which are in danger
of bankruptcy. The company will take
charge of them, upon certain conditions,
put money into them, and place them
upon their feet again. Some of the con-
ditions, of course, will be a good rate of
interest on loans, and after the concern
is out of distress, an interest in the bust.
ness for a given number of years. All
these details have lot yet been decided,
but they soon will be. Now, of course,
keen judgment is required to decide
what firms, now in trouble, are likely to
succeed when relieved, and also, superior
tact in approaching the parties and MAX
ing the agreements. In short, Mr..
Harvey, you have been recommended as
possessing the necessary judgment and
tact"
who are in its" Harvey asked.
"Well, myself, Smart, on Twelfth
street; Trolley, of Grand street, and
several others, all capitalists"
"Very good names, I'm sure" said
the bookkeeper. lis Mr.. Kirkland in
it2o
Clawson shrugged his shoulders criti-
cally, and replied.
"Oht no. He wouldn't go into such
a scheme; he's one of the old fogies, you
know-with all due respect to you as
D of his employees. Too conservative
entirely. He'll go on plodding in the
same old rut till he dles-away behind
the times
"Mr. Clawson,' said Harvey, with
some spirit, she may be slow and fogy,
but he is making money"
.Oh, certainly he is. | don't expect
the new company will ever take old Kir-
land in hand Tor repairs; but, you see,
he might be making more by more
modern methods
Eyes, or losing what he has,"
Clawson smiled as he replied:
"True, there's always some risk, and
| see, without hattering you, Mr.. Har-
vey, that you have the foresight and
cautious shrewdness you were recon-
mended for. Now, something about the
offer. It is the intention to make you
general manager at a salary far above
what you get over in that old rut, and in
a year or two you'll be made one of the
company. But our times up. Think
over it; but | can't help saying it is a
rare chance for a young man to feather
his nest
They parted, and Harvey was left to a
question of judgment. Sudden promises
OF advancement, however dazzling, I'M
one, and the bookkeeper half
he did not have it to decide.
But it was iattering. 1t was no small
affair for a young man to be sought by
such men as Clawson and Smart and
Trolley. Perhaps this was the chance Of
his life. But what would Mr.. Kirkland
to his leavirg2 He felt sure, how
ever, that the old merchant was too
to stand in the way of a young
man s advancement.
Then, too, his being proffered such a
place might increase his importance in
The old fathers eyes and make him more
to give him the daughter.
Prominence was as attractive to Kirland
IS to any one. He never forgot his own
elevation, and allowed none OF his en-
to forget it. Harvey had often
eli that the old gentleman believed that
lie was condescending to speak to him.
was a chance to show him how he
regarded by Others.
But there wa, the old adage-tta bird
n the hand Is worth two IN the BUSH
Probably it was better to hold to what
had, than take the risk of the new
being successful; and there was
'isk, for il was visionary beyond all
ioubt.
He hadn't liked some of Clawson's ex-
oressions, ..feather his nest etc.; they
tmacked Of the slang Of schemers and Id
particular, he objected to the criticism
# Kirland. The merchant was slow and
lreadfuiiy cautious, but the money was
In from customers, who placed
confidence in the told fogy.n
But, on the other hand, If every one
follow that old adage there would
g no advancement, in fact, the world
you'd stand still.
Thinking the matter over carefully, he
decided that his best course was
0 eandidlY tell Mr.. Kirkland Of the pro-
'osal and get his advice. SO once more
e walked into the library aud again was
turned from his purpose By the
ppearance of the stern, in~terrogative
ace over the newspaper.