The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-03
LOVED GOOD DINNERS
AND WORKED LIFE INSURANCE
MEN TO A NICETY.
They Thought Him Millionaire and
Dug up Many Hard-earned Dol
lar, Thinking to Write Him Up"
-Soper's Convenient Case of
Bright's Disease.


a chance in life" said the general life
insurance agent, I think of old Soper,
and his talent, and what he made of it.
Never heard Of old Soper? Well, he's
been dead these fifteen years, but he
gave pleasant dreams to one whole
generation Of struggling life insurance
solicitors.
1T was shortly after 1 had gone to
work as a solicitor for the Fraternal
Life, nearly eighteen years ago, that
met hii. first. one day an elderly, we'll
dressed man came into the Office and
asked if he could get few facts about
the Fraternity's policies I got him into
a corner and proceeded to fill him up.
He was a very intelligent man, with a
clear head for figures, and he made
notes from time TO time with heavy
gold pocket pencil in a morocco covered
notebook.
When I had told him all I knew,
he thanked me and said: You seem to
have an excellent policy, and / may
wish to talk with you further if you
will kindly let me have your card.
I did so, and suggested an early in
teTview, and after a moments reflec-
ton he named what was in those days
top-notch hotel in Chicago, and said
I might look him up in the smoking
room that evening between 6 and Z.
The rest Of the day l spent in trying
to conceal my satisfaction from my less
fortunate fellow employees. My career
in the insurance business had so far
Melted me one $4,000 policy, and I had
begun to have nisgivings. But here.
plainly, was the insurance solicitors
ideal-solid affiuence and strict bust
ness, the kind of a man that doesn't
talk anything less than $4,000. It was
probably only a question Of whether
( I had the stuff in me to get the Fra
ternity in ahead.
Il showed up in the hotel smoking
room at five minutes past 6, and about
half past he strolled in with an even
ing paper I got him into an easy chair
and went to work I thought 7 talked
we'll, and he certainly seemed deeply
interested. Finally, when the psyche
/ logical moment seemed 20 have arrived.
| said:
Now. Mr.. Soper'-he had given me
his card at the office-I want to write
you for $4,000 at once
Wanted a Bigger Policy.
Ten thousand dollars he repeated.
! There was that in his tone that told
me on the instant that the sum I had
named seemed insignificant.
't'Or better still, S25000.' 1 said as
soon as I caught my breath.
What is your insurance limit? he
asked.
Fifty thousand I gasped.
He nodded quietly. and seemed lost
/ for a time in meditation. Then sud
denly he arose.
e Your policy has features which at
tract me- he said. with a kindly smile.
Indeed, the InfiuentiaPs is the only
one that seems to compare with it. I
am to see the influential agent tonight,
and if 1 do not conclude with him I
shall wish to have a further talk with
/ you. Just now I must ask you to ex-
! cuse me, as it is my dinner time
oh LOrdi' I said to myself, there's
/ just my luck. I could have the thing
nailed In five minutes more, and now
I that other agent, who's probably an old
| hand, win practically take that $4,000
/ commission out of my pocket [ made
| q, lightning calculation of how much
money / had with me, S25. by an acct
/ dent. and summoning all my nerve.
/ asked the old chap to dine with me.
| He consented graciously, and it looked
/ as though l had my opportunity by the
| hair
I won't bother you with the details
/ of that dinner After we'd finished
| soup-Blue Points and soup had always
/ seemed to me a simple NATTER re-
/ tired from the role of host in confusion
and asked him to take charge, which
/ he did. I had started the wine with
/ modest hook. He ordered the claret.
Latte, of a vintage, he said, he could
! recommend, which cost more than
! champagne, and followed it ur with a
! Montrachet at So a quart. And al the
end he introduced me to his SaVo=ite
brand of cigars, fat thing he called a
! CeIestiale, that smoked like dream of
! Araby the Blest, and for which I sub
seqUently gave up so cents apiece
when I wandered home that night
/ my pocketbOok was lighter by S24 rs
but what did that amount to? He was
going TO drop me a. line when to come
round and finish the thing up-and
/ $4,000 was the amount he was think
ing Of
But, somehow, although l saw him
! half a dozen times during the next two
weeks, I hadn't landed him; although
| every time / left him il seemed as
/ though everything was over except
i drawing my commission. He lunched
with me three times during those two
weeks and dined with me again. l had
to borrow the money, but it was no
time to look at dollar or two. And
then, sure enough, / got him over to
Kinsley's to luncheon one day and did
/ land him-for S50,000-and got him
around for his examination that same
afternoon
Proves a Worthless Risk.
1.-Two hours later I saw our medical
examiner. Ize looked sympathetic.
1" Sorry he said. Bright's disease.
=" On, look here I replied, are you
sure?'
Sure as DEATH, he said Not very
far advanced, but the analysis is plain
as day Absolutely worthless risk
I wrote Soper note the next day.
But, though it was the only decent
thing to do, it was several weeks before
1 got up courage to go round and see
! him Finally one night I did hunt him
up, but didn't say my little speech.
found him in the main dining room at
! dinner One Perkins. an agent Of the
I Influential, was doing the hOnors.
There were all sorts of things on the
table, solid and liquid Also an assert
( ment of insurance tables Perkins was
| talking earnestly, and Mr.. Soper seemed
deeply impressed. l retired quietly.
bordering as l went.
"A couple of weeks later I ran across
Perkins. I mentioned seeing him az
dinner. and asked him casually if he
had come into a fortune. Then Per
kins told me a narrowing hard luck
story; how he had happened onto this
solid, elderly party who was evidently
a millionaire; how he had worked at
him for three weeks, spent S5Sz5 in
lunches and dinners, finally written
him for $50 600 no less and had him
thrown down on his medical examine
ton
Il offered Perkins my. sympathy I'd
after that tried to forget the Soper cpl
sode, until one day, young Peasley, our
newest solicitor, took me aside. Peas
ley had been acting peculiarly Ordi-