The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1894-12-29

ognized my decade OF faithful service
In their employ and appointed me gen.
eral agent for the states Of New York
and Vermont. celebrated the fact by
having a new sign painted: STANLEY
Weyman, General Agent Phoenix Re-
lief Life Insurance Co.." wherein the
General" as betokening my recent
promotion, was made TO stand out in |
all the prominence of brilliant gold /
letters on light-blue ground. But |
decided that my extravaganza should |
not be limited 10 a new sign. i would |
also hire secretary. Fifty letters
day necessitated considerable labor In |
reading and answering, and OF n sud
den IL seemed very ridiculous for me,
NQeneral agent for the states OF New
York and Vermont, 20 pin myself down
20 the drudgery OF attending TO SO
large n correspondence. The dignity
of my new Office demanded n secre-
tary; and not only would he tighten
my labor considerably, but he would
always be very busy whenever any
prospective policy takers entered the
Office, and between us, IL we remem-
bered 70 assume a very hurried man
ner when step was heard upon the
threshold, we could doubtless make
deep impression upon the chance
caller.
My secretary came highly recon-
mended, and ! was charmed. lie
seemed TO possess natural aptitude
for the insurance business, and always
gave the closest attention whenever
tried 20 explain the complicated ma
chinery Of agents and sub-agents,
whereby any man with merely ghost
OF an idea OF insuring his life is in
stantly made the object OF labor no
less persistent than that brought TO
bear upon the one unconverted sinner
In a Methodist prayer meeting. But
Notwithstanding his evident interest,
he never asked questions; in fact, tact
turnity was his most prominent char
acteristic. Monosyllables. and those
of the simplest sort, implying afiirma-
ton and negation, were apparently
the measure of his vocabulary. When
one OF my friends suggested that he
be niclxnamed "Sphinxy,' the appella-
ton seemed so fittiug that IL was inn
mediately adopted by laughing vote,
Aalthough, 10 be sure, some one raised
obiections based upon the sex OF the
Egyptian prototype, which, however,
were quickly overruled. Sphinxy
then he was by name, and Sphinxy
also by nature.
Six months had passed-nonths dur
ing which the bank teller showed each
day growing Difference TO my weather
congratulations, while my satisfac-
ton in Stanley Weyman steadily in
creased-when one Saturday morning
saw Sphinxy and me completing our
monthly report which we had TO Tor
ward that afternoon 20 the home
Office. We had received from all the
field men statements of what policies
they had secured and what premiums
they had collected during the month
and we were now engaged in bAlanc
inRup the books. My secretary wa
seated on my left, between me ant
the Office door, noting in the biz
ledger with a red lead pencil the vari
GUS premiums. the checks for paymen
OF which held in my hand. had JUS
read off the name and amount OF Tn
last check-Ray M. Gordon, fifty dol
lars-and was preparing TO place Tn
pile OF half hundred checks in tn
large envelope preparatory 10 sealin
and milling IL 70 the Hartford, whe
there came the most piteous whinin
from the direction OF the door.
sounded as though some dog wer
scratching and whimpering for az
mittauce.
Now / am great lover OF dogsi
own several myself. and take pride !
= the fact that no dogs in the city al
better. fed and cared for than min
You may call. me sentimental, but r
spect my dogs a great deal more tina
do many men. There Is more hol
esty and integrity In respectable &c
than In large part OF the plantigra'
bipeds that occupy space on this glob
Accordingly when the whining WI
repeated. dropped the pile OF checl
and ran 90 the door. Upon opening
however r, was disappointed. for !
broken-legged and bedragRled Ct
pushed by my legs into the room, al
e proceeded 20 lay his muddy and bloo'
carcass upon. my new Turkish rug.
looked mp and down the dark ha
whistled, and even made use OF tn
kissing sound that inspires valor In Z
canine breast, aud terror In the fell
heart-but no dog. AS / returned
my desk, Sphlnxy looked up inquirir
ly. and ] remarked that probably
!. frightened the beast away, for IL
M disappeared. Then having finish
my task OF inclosing the checks In
envelope, sealed the letter and slipT
IL into my pocket TO mai on my W
home 10 lunch.
In the insurance business everythi
goes as by cloclswork. Any premiu
due on.a.certain day. They must
paid on that day. Agents and Z
ployes must perform their duties
the letter; tho report must app
+. when expected. or heaven itself
moved 10 know the reason. Aceo
ingly when we mailed our monthly
port at Saturday noon, we knew Z
the mail OF Tuesday morning wo