The Republican., 1899-07-27
G&@2NNUGN'&0HN'4cN2N&N
{ Career of a Capitalist :
\ BY Edgar Temple Field. q

HAD long had a desire to become a
capitalist. Lucille seemed to think
it smart to laugh at me for this eX-
tremely laudable and perfectly natural
ambition. AS for her. she wasted her
substance in riotous living, spending
every cent of her salary on opera tick
ELS, imported toilet articles and tor
toni biscuit with reckless disregard
for the future that could only mean one
thing, namely, matrimonial hopes.
And to tell the truth, Lucille was at
tractive enough to warrant her having
some hopes in this direction, and could
have had her pick any time from half
dozen young fellows, each one of whom
got almost as much salary as she did.
But that has nothing to do with my
own ambitions, which were of a very
different sort. | say We're, for I'm not
so sure about them now, my first eX1
pericnce as a capitalist having rather
unsettled my views of life for the time
being.
l was very young indeed when first
formed my ideas as to the desirability of
wealth. 1t was way back in my childhood
when old Mr.. Higginson used to come
to church in his great fur-lined over
coat and dirty linen, and | observed
how the minister and the elders crowd
ed 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 pub
he apology for perpetSating 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
dirty and disagreeable old man.
What a marvellous power money out
at interest" must be, thought, when it
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 |, too,
should have "moTey out at interest
When | was made head stenographer
in a big law office | 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 at a frantic rate.
''If you get another raise in your sal
airy you'll be so stingy you'll take to
lunching out of the mucilage bottle and
wearing your bicycle suit to church"
declared Lucille in disgust
But l just let her jeer and kept on
economfZing, and at last there came Il
day when had $3.50 in the bank. Mr..
Adams, a friend of my fathers. invest
ed it for me in first mortgage on
suburban cottage, and when the papers
were signed | went home flushed and
triumphant.
congratulate me, Lucille l cried.
throwing myself into chair and my
hat on the couch. Il hat Investigated
mein moneys"
Lucille was trimming a hat to wear
to the thcater that night. one of those
silly white tulle affairs THAI Il single
shower will transform into an imita-
ton custard pie before your very eyes.
"Huh!" 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's shop"
what do | care2" | retorted gayly.
1--WE got money out at interest, Lu-
o;1 I,,,+
''It means that you've worked like a
slave and denied yourself all pleasure
for year and a half to get it, and you're
thin as shad and as yellow as lemon.
Come on and go to the theater tonight
and forget that you're a capitalist long
enough to enjoy yourself, that's a
dear"
But the fever was in my blood, and
] wouldn't listen to her.
So l went on putting money in the
bank and looked forward eagerly to
the time when the interest from my in
vestment would begin to come in.
1t was paid promptly enough the
first quarter and the second. Then it
lapsed. Six months went by and no
interest.
at seems to me-" remarked Lucille
one day, that you'd better investigate
that money in dead earnest
"Oh, don't worry yourself" I re-
torted snappishly. ] was nervous of
late, and besides, Mr.. Higginson was
allowed to be as cross as he liked. re-
membered.
"Wcll. it's a great thing to have
money out at interest,"" she responded
airily, fitting her sailor hat over her
nose and shaking out her rustling
skirts preparatory to going out. She
was really outrageously pretty.
At the door she met some one coming
in. a pale, forlorn-looling old woman,
with a pinched face and an appearance
of having cried for six months.
''ls this Miss Dunning?" she asked.
| assured her it was, and she pro-
ceeded timidly: II called to see you
about that mortgage.
"Ah, yes" | said, Fastening to shut
the door on Lucille, who was lingering
in the hall in an unprincipled fashion
which | could not approve.
,.