Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-09-09
CAREER OFF A
CAPT T AIll877
N~%A%@>%~%%~%>%A$%%~>%>S
The Capital Was Acquired, but a
Tender Heart Prevented Its
Profitable Investment.

| had long had a desire to become
CAPITALIST Lucille seemed to think it
smart to laugh ut me for this extreme
ly laudablc and perfectly natural am
bition AS for her, she wasted her sub
stance in riotous living, spending ev-
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 We're of very
different sort. | say were. for I'm not
so sure about them now. my first cXpe-
ricncc as a capitalist having rather I'M
settled my views of life for the time
being.
was very young indeed when l
first formed my ideas as to the deSir-
ability of wealth. 1t was way back in
my childhood when old Mr.. lIiggin-
son used to come to church in his great
fur lined ovcrcoat 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 curmudgcon that | had privately
thought the Lord ought to have made
some sort of a public apology for per-
petrating him on the community.
"Oh, IIigginson has got a lot of
money out at interest" my father
would say when | ventured to wonder
why people made such a fuss over
dirty and diSagrccable old man.
What Il marvellous power money out
at interest" must be, | thought, when
it can transform even Mr.. IIigginson
into an acceptable companion.
And so at that early age | was made
acquainted with the potency of wealth.
and | resolved that some day |, too,
should have money out at interest"
When | was made head stenOgraphcr
in Il big law office, l considered my am
bition as good as realized. 1t had
seemed so far away before that I'd
never tried to save very much, but now
that it was fairly within my reach |
began to lay up money ut Il frantic rate.
"If you get another raise in your sal
airy. youll be so Stingy you'll take to
lunching out of the mucilagc bottle and
wearing your bicycle suit to church"
declared Lucille in disgust.
But | just let her jeer and kept on
economiZing, and at last there came a
day when | had $1,000 in the bank.
Mr.. Adams, a friend of my fathers, in
vested it for me in Il 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 chair and my
hat on the couch. Il hat Investigated
mcin moneys
Lucille was trimming a hat to wear
to the thcater that night one of those
silly white tulle affairs that Il single
shower will transform into an imita-
ton cuStard pie before your very eyes.
"IIuhw 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.. Dunkclspicl's down at the
pawnbrOkerS shop"
"What do | care?" | retorted gayly.
"Ive got money out at interest, lu-
ellie. DO you realize what that mcansF
at means that you've worked like a
slave and denied yourself all pleasure
for year and Il half to get it, and
you're thin as a shad and yellow as Il
lemon. Come on and go to the thcatcI
tonight. and forget that you're cap
italist long enough to enjoy yourself
that's Il dear
But the fever was in my blood. and
l wouldn't listen to her.
So | went on putting money i'll the
bank and looked forward eagerly to
the time when the interest from my
Investment would begin tn come in.
1t was paid promptly enough tn,
first quarter and the second. Then il
lapscd. Six months went by and ne
interest.
ct seems to me-" remarked Lucill,
one day, "that you'd better fnVestl
gate that money in dead earnest.
"Oh, don't worry yourself" | retort
ed SRappiShly. l was nervous of late
and besides, Mr.. HigGinsOn was al