Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-10-10
MR.. SMITHS PLAN.

When Augustus Smith was engaged
as clerk by the great banking firm of
Brown 81 Blue he did not show any of
the ingenious traits of character that
subsequently made him famous. He
was just an ordinary appearing young
man and rather pale. He had pair of
shrewd, sharp gray eyes that might ex-
press much or little, just as it happened.
Young Smith worked hard and faith
fully at his desk for long time before
he happened to come under the notice of
the senior member of the firm. Brown
was man who fully realized his posi-
ton in the financial and social world,
and was never better pleased than when
others did the same.
1t did not take Smith long to discover
his employers weakness. And when he
had discovered it he resolved to make
use of it to his own advantage. Conse-
quently he managed affairs so that he
was obliged to come in direct contact
with the senior member of the firm.
That gentleman took no particular no
tice of the young man at the time, but
Smith did not despair. He contrived
other little schemes whereby it became
necessary for him to speak with the old
gentleman, and the result was that
Brown soon knew and began to notice
him.
Smith made the most of those encoun-
ters, so that in acomparatively short
time Brown began to think that Smith
was promising young man. He never
made any boasts or took advantage of
the senior members regard, so that it
only increased with time. Small wonder
was 1t then that when Browns private
secretary died he chose Mr.. Smith out of
all his employees to fill the place. 1t was
in his capacity as private secretary that
Smith first called at his employers home.
Smith noted the evidences of wealth and
wondered when he, too, should be able
to maintain such an establishment.
One evening Smith accompanied his
employer home from the office. A
knotty financial problem had come up
late in the day which needed to be set
tied before the next day. Brown did
not care to attack the matter by him
self. Blue was out of town, and there
was no one left for him to call upon but
Smith. And had he but acknowledged
it to himself he believed that Smiths
brain would work quicker and clearer
than that of any one else connected with
the place.
That was an eventful evening for
Smith. In the first place he met the
bankers daughter, and, having met her,
Immediately lost his heart. But he did
not lose his head, which was one of the
strongest points in this young mans
composition Smith had never been
known to lose his head under the most
trying circumstances. The present in
stance was no exception to the rule.
Smiths heart beat so hard he thought
every one in the room could hear it, but
Smiths brain was cool and calm and
calculating as ever.
Just what impression he made on the
young woman at that time he never
knew. But upon each subsequent call
he made at the house he was careful not
to lose any ground.
Matters went on thus until Smith had
declared his passion for his employers
daughter. She was little shocked at
first, though she had suspected that he
loved her. She told him that she could
not tell if she cared for him, and init
mated to him that, as matters stood at
the time, 1t was rather presumptuous in
him to ask her. But she was so consid
crate as to promise not to tell her father
OF what his private secretary had said
at least not then. Smiths spirits were
low, but his brain was active. And his
active brain evolved a scheme which
brought about the result he wished for
He knew pilot on one of the pilotboats
and proceeded forthwith to call upon
him and request a service. He told the
pilot what he wanted and that gentle
man readily fell into the scheme. Smith
also called upon the agent of a steam
ship line and obtained the agents per
mission to sail down the bay on one of
the big steamships.
The same evening Smith called upon
his lady love. His visits at the house
never excited comment. secause he gen
orally managed to have some little bust
ness to perform in the library. He re-
peated his declaration of love and asked
the object of his affections to marry
him. She refused. Smith uttered a fare
well and departed.
The next day he asked the senior
member of the firm for months yaca-
ton. Brown was inquisitive, so the
young man told him that he wanted to
take run over to Europe and see some
of the sights. Brown was somewhat
taken aback, for he always had an idea
that his private secretary spent every
cent he made about as fast as he could
make 1t. When Smith told him that he
had plenty Of money with which to bear
the expenses of the trip the old banker
was more than pleased. He had been
thrifty himself and liked to see the
same trait in his employees. And Smith
wondered what his employer would say
II he knew his private secretarys finan.
cial condition at that moment, for he
had nothing more than his weeks salary