St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-04-09
A Good Advocate.


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0NE morning McElway Robson
" opened his newspaper to the col
umn Male Help Wanted" and studied
At with q selfish interest. AT 80 he was
about. to do his work. Not that he cared
to work or knew how to do any useful
kind OF work, but he had vague ap-
prehensinn that unless he worked he
would starve to death.
For the first time in his life he was in
actual need of money. Except as to
money he was well equipped. Agains.
the wall in his room at the hotel were
TWO trunks filled with clothing. The
man himself was in robust health.
lie had graduated at an eastern uni
versity, dawdled in Boston society, trav-
eled in Europe and led the lazy life OF a
c!ubman. When his father died the es-
tate dwindled away under settle
ment. and McElway came into a few
thousands, which he spent generously
but in no haste.
When the thousands had been re-
duced to hundreds, McElway Robson
began to dread the prospect OF showing
his poverty to his Boston friends, so he
folded his numerous trousers into
trunks, and with two hatboxes and a
bundle of sticks and umbrellas he hur-
y'ed away to Chicago. He had been told
that Chicago was the place for young
man without capital.
After a week in town and promen-
hde along Michigan avenue every sun
my afternoon he counted his money and
found that his capital had not increased,
in spite of the fact that Chicago had
been recommended to him. That is
why one morning he had to look at the
column "Male Help Wanted"
He shivered as he glanced at the list
bakers, cutters, feeders, horseshoers.
tailors and SO on. He turned to the SUBJ
department., miscellaneous" Clearly,
he was one of the miscellaneous" He
noted that agents" were wanted. lie
shivered again. Then his eye fell on the
following:
WANTED-sOC1ETY YOUNG MAN TO
undertake light employment; liberal pay;
must have complet- wardrobe. speak the
modern languages and be good converse
ttionalist. No one well known in Chica 90
need apply. Address X X XII.
That's my description" said McEl-
way Robson, reading it again; "but
what in the world does it mean?"
[ He wrote a note to X Xxx 81, using his
own stationery, with the gilt crest, and
carried it TO the newspaper office. Then
n, AL se 4 hn.9 - GO
smoke. and that afternoon took his
usual turn in Michigan avenue. When
he came back to his hotel he found a
communication summoning him to
room 71S Cloud building, Dearborn
street. As he opened the door into 71S
lhe saw a short and ruddy man at a
rather bare desk making signs of dis
missal TO slender youth in a crumpled
sack suit.
/ Mr.. McElway Robson had an inward
sinking. He had read of bankrupt
sweils being paid to attend dinner par
ties and entertain dull people, but it
was kind of employment he held in
adherence.
'sHave l the honor of addressing Mr.
Robson?" asked the little man.
-.Yes. sir; my rame is Robson"
wont you be seated? Yes. it was
very good of you to call. I" and the
little man stopped and beamed in ad'
miration.
"Will you be kind enough to tell me
what kind of employment you have te
offer?' asked McElway, carelessly pat
ting his knee with glove and looking
at the little man with a cold polite
ness.
"Beautiful!" exclaimed the other
still regarding him with a pleased smile
"Pray explain yourself-and permi
me to tell you that do not know caro-
tricks and my comic songs are very
bad"
I'm not looking for anything of tha,
kind. Let me ask you few question.
first. This is confidential, of course"
Mr.. Robson saw no harm in telling
about himself The little man at the
desk beamed with increasing satisfac
tion.
..Mr. Robson, you're just the man
want"
.'Quite so-and what am to do?"
You are to attend an occasional din
ner party and say pleasant things about
your host or hostess, as the case may be
That's not hard to do, is it?
mo, but why should do it?"
"In the first place. because will pa,
you literally. In the second place, be
cause your host Or hostess needs-well
good advocate. Let me explain. Sup
pose a family with money comes herr
to Chicago. takes house or fine suite
of rooms and wants to get into some
kind of society-not the hest, perhaps
but good. What that family needs is &
little outside influence. 1t is vulga,
for any family to sound its own praises
Somebody else must do that. Suppose
have client living at swell hotel
~ client?"
That's what call him. Suppose h
md his wife want to get acquainted
with the best people in that hotel
They can't give n dinner and invite al
these people. Somebody else must dc
that"
''Then you want me"
NO, that isn't your part. I know
plenty of bright and trustworthy WON
en- who are willing to give dinners il
somebody else will foot the bills-un
derstand? What / want you to do j.
to be there to help along the couple
that wants to break into TINT set, il
must put it plainly.
II understand perfectly well. and
must say that don't fancy the job
'.Perhaps not, but you need the $5t
which will pay you for every engage
ment. You will meet charming mer
and dine beautifully. and no one viii
know your real position except the on,
who employs you. and he will be forevel
bound in secrecy. Now. a man wht
travels in pretsntious society has t.
lie more or less. anyway"
More" said McElway.
ssThen what's the difference between
s.,srr frop of charge and ix,;nu IN,