The Press., 1901-08-01


didn't collect a cent. Hard luck, isn't
lt2 ran into gang Of tough ones and
then ran out of car fare. Any answers
to our dunning letters"
mot a glimmer," mourned Harkins.
Stack looked glad Of it. He loaned
Jenkins a half dollar for car fare,
charged it up on the company's book
and resumed his warm place in the
corner.
When the young lawyer was gone
out, the clerk sided up to the stenogra-
pher and said:
"say, Hark, think we're on a dead
one, don't your
81 hope not, for jerks sake. He's so
in earnest" said the stenographer.
"Well, it's jerks doings. He sug-
gested it, and guess he needs the mon
ey worse than we do"
"But IL it fails"
"Well, If it fails l think Jenkins
ought to stand the losses. I'm out five
fifty already, and it's his fault"
"But he's doing all the work." sug-
gested Harkins.
"Well, so he ought" And Mr.. Stack
went back to his novel.
The young lawyer worked like a
fend. When car fare was gone, he
walked, even ran, after his supposed
victims. He quit going back to the
Office and worked far into the night.
He pestered the life out Of every debt
or who showed the least sign Of paying
up, and If they offered him a dollar
he took it and asked for two. In the
meantime, a few answers to advertise
ments came into the Office, but Mr..
Lord seized upon them as ''too deep for
the boys. Nobody called. Stack be-
gan and finished three paper covered
novels. Harkins plodded away in
doors, both wondering how long Jen-
kins' nerve would stand the hardships
of chasing his prey through ice and
snow.
At noon on Saturday jenkins ap-
peared at the Office. He looked thinner
than ever. His shoes were worn out.
He had a piece Of red flannel round his
neck and his voice was a husky whis-
per. Harkins didn't have the heart to
ask him how he Jared, but Stack yell
ed:
"Hello, old man! We thought you
had absconded with the firms money!
Jenkins was very silent. He sat
down at his desk and began to make
out his statement. Stack watched him
with curious interest as he piled up the
few checks aud greenbacks which rep
resented the first weeks business OF
the Calumet Quick Collection com.
pany. He had collected $24O, and the
net earnings Of the company at 10 per
cent amounted to $24-just SO for each
of the three stockholders.
Good boy!' said Stack, picking up
his share. you're a wonder. l didn't
think you'd make it 60"
Harkins, being what Stack calls "a
chump," clushed when Jenkins handed
him his share of the profits.
''T'n tell. you, Mr.. Jenkins" he said
II don't feel as If was entitled to any
Of this money. You and Stack here did
all the work, and you ought to keep my
share for stamps and car fare, ehw
But Jenkins insisted, and the stenog-
rapher yielded.
"All right" he laughed; I'm take II
on condition that you take dinner with
me this evening. Wen celebrate the
weeks success-kind of christen the
business. What do you say?"
Jenkins and Stack promised, and at
o'clock that evening the three part
ners were sitting together ut a restau-
rant table christening the collection
company.
When they got to the coffee, Jenkins
let his bomb fall upon the festal board
in this wise:
"Now, Hank and Stack, as to this
collection company, don't know
whether it Is the quick or the dead,
but want to announce that, so far as
1 am concerned, 1t is dissolved, evapo-
rated, vanished. Here are our ac-
counts" He pulled out the package.
'They are supposed to represent $4,000
Of good accounts. You can have them.
l wouldn't give 81 for the bunch"
His partners looked at him in aston
ishment. You're jokingw they cho-
rused. "Why. we have just got to
work.
"You mean I've just got to work"
said jenkins. "Well, I'm done too. I'm
out SIS for stamps, I've worn out pair
of shoes, I've done 500 worth of the
meanest work on earth. and l haven't
got anything but So and the grip. This
is the first square meal I've had for
two weeks, and l tell you the quick col
lection business is all off,"
The next day Stack said to Harkins
that jenkins wasn't such a mark after
all. AS for the young lawyer, he is in
doubt whether to go back to the farm
or look for more congenial place to
''ofice." for now Mr.. Lord, the eminent
attorney, says that Jenkins has mo
sand" and will never get along unless
he learns to "love work" - Chicago
Record.