The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-08-17
CAREER OFF A
CAPT T A.-l87T
The Capital Was Acquired, but a
Tender Heart Prevented Its
Profitable Investment.

| had long had a desire to become a
capitalist. Lucille seemed to think 1t
smart to laugh At me for this extreme.
" laudahle and perfectly natural am
bition. As for her, she wasted her sub
stance in riotous living, spending ey.
cry cent of her salary on opera tickets.
imported toilet articles and tortoni bis
cult with reckless disregard for the
future that could only mean one thing
namely matrimonial hopes.
And, to tell the truth, Lucille WAS
attractive enough to warrant her hay
ing some hopes in this direction and
could have had her pick any time
from half a dozen young fellows, each
one of whom got almost as much sal
airy as she did.
But that has nothing to do with my
own ambitions. Which were of a very
different sort say were. for I'm not
so sure about them now, my first eXpe-
rence az n capitalist having rather I'M
settled my views of life for the time
being.
| WAS very young indeed when |
first form - my IDEAS as to the desir-
ability of wealth 1t was way back III
my childhood when old Mr.. IIiggin.
son used to come to church in his great
fur lined overcoat and dirty linen, and
| observed how the minister and the
elders crowded around him to shake
his hand. when he was such a hateful
old curmudgeon that ! had privately
thought the Lord ought to have made
some sort of public apology for per
petratng him on the community.
"Oh. Higginson has got a lot Of
money out at interest" my father
would say when | ventured to wonder
why people made such a fuss over a
dirty and dsagreeable old man.
What marvellous power money out
ut interest must be, | thought, when
1t can transform even Mr.. Higginson
into an acceptable companion.
And so at that early age | was made
acquainted with the potency Of wealth,
and | resolved that some day l, too,
should have money out at interest
When | was made head stenographer
In big law Office. considered my am
bition as good as realized. 1t had
seemed so far away before that Id
never tried to save very much, but now
that il was fairly within my reach |
began to lay up money at frantic rate.
IF you get another raise in your sal
airy. you'll be so stingy you'll take TO
lunching out of the muciage bottle and
wearing your bicycle suit to church, =
declared Lucille in disgust
But | just let her ieer and kept on
economiZing. and at last there came Il
day when | had 81 800 in the bank.
Mr. Adams, a friend of my fathers, in
vested it for me in first mortgage on
a suburban cottage, and when the pa
pers were signed | went home flushed
and triumphant
Congratulate me, Lucille" | cried,
throwing myself into a chair and my
hat on the couch. Il hat Investigated
mein moneys
Lucille was trimming a hat to wear
to the theater that night, one Of those
shower will transform into an imita-
ton custard pie before your very eyes.
"Huhw she exclaimed, Il believe you
think you've done something really
fine. Sara Dunning. If you don't look
out your nose will grow hooked just
like Mr.. Dunkelspiel's down at the
pawnbroker' shop"
What do | careY' | retorted gayly.
I've got money out at interest, Lu-
ellie. DO you realize what that meansY'
1T means that you've worked like a
slave and denied yourself all pleasure
for year and half to get it, and
you're thin as shad and yellow as a
lemon. Come on and go to the theater
tonight, and forget that you're q cap
italst long enough to enjoy yourself,
that's a dear"
But the fever was in my blood, and
| wouldn't listen to her.
SO went on putting money in the
bank and looked forward eagerly TO
the time when the interest from my
investment would begin to come In.