Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1901-03-15
The Instructive
Case Of Jenkins

nearly two years without earning
enough to buy a whole suit Of clothes.
OF course he's busy. 1t takes him
about ten hours n week to study out
the diplomatic possibilities of his next
encounter with his landlady. Then
there is his affair at the restaurant. He
has to keep watch of the holes IN his
meal ticket and look for chance in
vitations to more sumptuous meals. II
took him nearly a year of finance with
Chinese laundrymen before he adopted
celluloid. What leisure he had was I'M
til lately occupied with a sort Of credit
correspondence with his father. upon
whom he is ut liberty to draw only In
cases of extreme necessity. jenkins
has written home many really able
definitions of extreme necessity"
All this may not prove that jenkins
is willing to work, but he is, and he
proved 1t last week He offices" with
nm eminent lawyer. This means, in his
case. that he gets desxroom In ex-
change for his services as office boy, |
court messenger and n few more i'm /
portant yicarious duties. In the same
Office with jenkins there is Stack, the
clerk, whose chief excuse for being
there is that lie is nephew to the afore-
said eminent one. Then there is Har-
kins, the stenographer. who really
works and who is the envy Of both
jenkins end Stack because he draws q
good salary and Is allowed postage on
his own mail. Stacks salary is $3.50,
but as he lives with his uncle and pays
no board he is really the aristocrat of
the Office. Jenkins gets 2 per cent on
the bills he collects.
Two weeks ago, however, somebody
bought him n good dinner, and then
such an unwonted courage rose up
within him that he decided TO approach
the eminent lawyer with whom he of
fees" and ask advice. To the lawyer
Jenkins said:
"Mr. Lord, I'm not getting along very
well, and / don't know exactly what to
do to improve my affairs. or course ]
don't want to leave you, but the fact
is If l don't commence to take In a lit
tie more money I'll have to get a stu
alton, go into some trade - quit the
law"
Now. see here, Jenkins" said MT
Lord. III tell you what I'd do II
your place. I'd start a collection agen
cy. You can do 1t right here In my OF
fee. Take in the other boys; get up
little stock company. 1t doesn't reQuir
any capital, and II it's run right (
ought to pay. I'll give Stack ali IN,
old accounts, and you can get as man,
more as you want by advertising"
Jenkins eyes bulged with JOY. Her
at last was his chance. He thanke
his superior repeatedly, and that yer
day the Calumet Quick Collection CON
pany was formed. jenkins wrote
long letter to his father, explainin
that postage stamps were an "extrem
necessity" and then drew for s.
Stack and Harkins each contributed a
much, and the new concern began lif
with a stock of enthusiasm and hon
that was not expressed In the amour
Of paid up capital. Jenkins contrib
uted most of the enthusiasm, but STAG
and Harkins hoped for the best TIL
work was so divided that the youn
lawyer had to do all the outside worl
The stenographer, of course, could nc
leave the office except for meals, an
the clerk argued that IL would pay I
have some one at headquarters to NEE
customers and clients; so, with som
misgivings, jenkins agreed to this a
rangement.
The young lawyer was determined [
do or die In his new venture, and
this end he came down TO the offiC
about daybreak on the morning OF h
first effort He had package OF stat
ments an inch thick and a long book
which the names and amounts wei
listed he began work at o'cloC
with Go cents for car fare In his pock
and the anticipation Of swift and &c
tain success shining In his eyes. @
foot, in street cars and in trains he II
orally flew about the town till noon
Some OF the men he sought we
dead.
Others talked as If they would Ill
10 be.
Many had left the city for good-f
their own good. Jenkins thought Son
were so poor that he knew t'!ey wou
never pay.
A few laughed at him.
Nobody paid him.
He got back to the office about no,
broken In finances. but not In spir
He almost lost his temper howevs
when Stack laid down the paper cove
ed novel he was reading took his Re
down from the steam radiator al
asked:
-How much did you getr'
he even fancied that he could he
Harhins laugh when he answered:
didn't collect a cent. Hard luck, Isl
It? ran into a gang Of tough ones a
then ran out OF car fare. Any answs
10 our dunning lettersT
mot glimmer," mourned Harkin
Stack looked glad of It. He loan
Jenkins half dollar for car IA
charged 1t up on the company's DO
and resumed his warm place In
corner.
When the young lawyer was &c
rsaAiSA eiarlL- sidled I'D TO the stenag