The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1893-06-24
A CHEAP CLERK.

once there was man. nc WAS Ctct
in bank at $45 month. His name was
John Smith. At directors meeting one
day after the discounts had been passed
upon and the portly directors were labor
iously getting up to go, the president,
who had the amplest and most expansive
vest of any Of them, stopped them.
"By the way" he remarked, ~ have
note from John Smith, one Of our young
men, you know-some Of you know him
but guess l must have lost it. Any
how, he wants his salary raised. Says
the business of the bank is four times
what it used to be, and his work has I'M
creased accordingly. Says with increase
in the amount of money handled comes
increase in the strain of his integrity.
Seems to think he ought to be paid for
not robbing US. Besides he says he can
scarcely keep his family on his salary. /
suppose can answer it without calling
another board meeting," he concluded,
facetiously.
"TelI him he oughtn't to have such a
big family" suggested one.
"Quote the law against embazzle ment
10 him." said another, and so on, as they
buttoned their ovcrcoats and went about
their business.
BY and by John Smith got note like
this, signed by the president, and written
on the note paper Of the bank bearing
the imposing array Of directors names
in neat engraving at the head of it:
"Mr. John Smith: DEAR SIK-In an
swer to yours of even date, am instruct
ed by the Board of Directors to say that
we cannot agree with your view of the
case. 1t is true that your work has large
ly increased with the growth of the bank
under its present able management, but
it is no more than you are able to do and
no more than we can find others to do for
the same salary we now pay you. The
other phase on the matter you present
that we should pay you for the moral
wear and tear incident to restraining
temptation to steal, as we'll as for the
physical and mental work you do-has
no weight. Our relations, however
pleasant personally, are purely business
affair on both sides. We pay you so
much money for so much work. Your
honesty is presumed. If you should
prove dishonest we would discharge you
and the law would send you to prison.
with your family affairs we have
nothing to do, but l may suggest to you
that careful economy in small household
expenditures will result in an annual
saving which will perhaps surprise you.
Without referring especially to you
for never endeavor to pry into Your pri-
yate affairs, nor inquire how you llve--l
may say that in my opinion, the prevail
ing tendency of young people nowadays
is to live too high, Instead Of being care
full to lay up something for Il rainy day.
Yours truly" etc.
The directors had not been in session
long the next day, when John Smith
opened the door, handed in slip OF pa
per and walked back to his desk. There
was silence for minute, then clatter
of moving chairs in the board room and
then the door opened and two or three
voices called Smith,
"In moment" answered Smith, cheer
fully laying blotter between the leaves
of the book he had been writing in, and
carefully tucking the pen behind his ear.
as though he was making his toilet.
"What do you mean by this3" they de-
manded, when he appeared in the direc-
tors room, "telling us there is only
S9647. 80 of available cash and suggested
that we get some for the countera'
1T is so,'' replied Smith, land l
thought you ought to know it before the
money is all checked out. The bank
ought not to close Its doors in the middle
of the day"
But according to your statement of
yesterday aud your showing of the days
business, there ought to be $259.64S.
Where is the quarter of millionl We
were just discussing an investment for it,"
"I've invested it. myself" responded
Smith, cody, "in safe place-$250,000
of it. The other twenty cents took for
street Car money. took quarter of
million away with me last evening""
You what!''
IL stole it, in plain English. When
got this response to my note to the presi-
dent but really must renew my sug-
gestion about the ACCESSIBILITY Of getting
some cash on the counter. You are very
short, and you ought to attend to 1t at
once"
Two Of the directors drew their checks
on other banks and sent them out, al.
though the signatures were very shaky,
and then, quite at his ease, Mr.. Smith
leaned up against the carved mantlepiece,
read the presidents note refusing his res
quest for an increase, and went on:
"When l got this note it set me to
thinking whether, as our relations were
purely business affair, couldn't do bet
ter than 90 on as I had been doing.