The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-03-11
THE HORSESHOE STORY
ARRANGED FOR THE PRINTERS
PRIMER.

PRIMER.
Read it and Learn a Valuable Lesso,
in Multiplication.
Journal, was recently in Philadelphia
where he entertained party of news
paper men with the following ingenious
adaptation of an old story -
cit all came about through the close
fistedness OF friend of mine, who own.
or did own fourishing daily paper II
growing Nebraska town. The old
fellow had had a hard struggle to reach
prosperity, and knew the value OF 9
dollar. Consequently he always insist.
ed upon getting his moneys worth O,
little more.
zone day there came into his office
bright-looking young fellow, who lost
no time in explaining that he wanted
to get into newspaper work, and had
come to ask my friend for job.
cit SO happened that the Herald,
which will do as we'll as any other as a
name for the old fellows paper, needed
a reporter.
"Any experience?" gruffly inquired
the old man.
"sNo; but I can learn
'Humph suppose you know
that ''learners" in the newspaper bust
ness don't get very much?'
Eyes but I'm not looking for q
fortune
cater little more talk the old
fellow finally told the young man he
could start in if he was willing to work
few weeks for nothing.
"'Thatd be all right was the reply,
but l would not want my people to
know that I'd do thing like that, and
I'm too conscientious to lie to them.
I'll tell you what I'll do, though: If
you'll agree to double my pay every
week I'll start in for a cent a week and
work a year on trial.
"The old man chuckled to himself.
A cent a week! 1t had been a long
time since he had struck such snap.
"'All right he sasd. when can
yon start ln?"
Right now,' was the response.
Just give me little memorandum OF
the agreement, please
"The old man did so, and the young
fellow pulled off his coat and went to
work. At the end of the week he
stepped up to his employers desk and
was handed his cent.
Co. 1t isn't very much, eh? facetiously
said the old fellow.
It'll do" was the embryo newspaper
mans only rejolnder.
"The next week he found two bright
pennies in his envelope, the next four,
and the next eight. Meanwhile he was
as hard as it his pay was a
hundred dollars week. His work was
irst-class, too.
"sCant see how he was blamed fool
enough to make such contract the
Herald's owner confided to his book
Keeper. He's as smart as a whip in ,
very other way. Guess it must be ,
rue that the best men have some weak
pots in their heads
"Well, the fifth week rolled around
md the young fellow who had made
UGH fool bargain drew 16 cents the
lext week he got 80 cents, the next "a,
nd the next $1.28. His employer
bought little encouragement might
lot be amiss.
"Gettlng little more like it now,
h p he said.
GA little,' the youngster admitted.
"The eighth week was not long in
oming. Then the new man received
ESQ. The ninth week his envelope
obtained 1912, and the tenth week
1924. The old man happened to be
1 when the pay roll was being made
p tor the eleventh week.
whats that you're putting in
envelope p he demanded sharply "
the book-keeper, Twenty dollars and :,
rty-eight cents! r "
Yes, SIR answered the book-keep- ..
). That's his pay for this week. =
1.-THE old old fellow said something
Iat begins with 81 and ends with r. :
I'd sent for the young reporter in 9,
TRY.
That agreement of yours he be- "a
n nervously, when his employee In
rived. Have you ever figured out th
nat it amounts tor r..
/" 'Oh, yes, dozen times was the or
portsr's cheerful answer. Want to ~
. the fgures?'
Then the young fellow laid a slip of Is
per on the old mans desk. bv
Next week. he continued, .coolly. al
II get $4O.96, and the next .$81. SO. ~
,ree weeks from now you'll have to %
" mo &162 ~ ond <ho ,,,ooa- IT,. ar