The Jennings daily record., 1902-12-13
MAKING
GOOD.
HE Universal Trading Com
pany wasn't so much trad
ing company as it was uni


graphed letter head. Abers, the Presi-
dent, would have preferred to have tile
name lnter-S,ellar Trading Company,
but, as Abers sometimes sadly adj
mitted to himself. the present age is
far behind the times.
Abers was a nervous little red-headed
chap. He believed implicitly in Abers.
His religion was that the world owed
him a living.
Any one entering the Office Of the
Universal Trading Company immedi-
ately found himself wedged between
the office door anl q frosted glass par
tition This partition had little Sits Or
openings in it, labelled respectively
Letters" Gables and Telegrams,"
"Caslier." and ''Bookkeepcr." This was
all that the public was allowed to con-
template. On the other side of the
glass was the letter clerk, the stenos
the cashier and the bcolikeeper. His
name was Middleton, and naturally he
was 81 melancholy young man. Mid
dleton's work was to keep one eye on
the four slits i'll the glass, and the
other eye on Abers. This latter eye
was so busily employed that it had ac-
quired Il slight cast.
The word melancholy used above rs
describing Middleton is used reserved
ly, and merely serves the purpose OF
expressing q condition OF thought.
ADcrs had the blues, il such an OK
preston may he used regarding Il red
headed man. Business was bad. All
that he had was his original capital OF
S15,0t0, and now this was threatened.
If he only had $4,000 more. This
sum would mean an income OF $500
year Abers often thovght that with
this income man could buy Il sub
ruban place somewhere, run for
Mayor marry a rich widow, and there
you arc! His present game was to
gel that other $4,000.
lie found the game q stiff ono. par
ticularly as he had to play il alone
Iie would have preferred Il game more
similar to golf, for instance, wher. in
c.iasper;ting moments there is always
81 good heavy driving iron ana Il
friends head handy. \ solitary game
with losing odds would give even a
hopeful political stniiStician the blues.
1t was in this state of mind that Ahers
decided to take III IN uptown variety
theatre. AS q rule. theatres We're
against his principles. He had often
impressed upon Middleton the fact that
he had never been TO the theatre in
his life.
Ahers took great interest IN tie SNOW.
lie laughed Upr0arioUsiy. There was
only one laugh in the house more 70
bust than his. and Ahers noted with
pride that tiiat WAS n box laugh He
glanced UP at t'ie box with smile. but
the smile slowly ;ellied on his face.
For in the box, basling in the smiles
OF Beauty. was Middleton, the $40
c!erh-Middleton the melancholy. VINO
that he WAS alive.
Abcrs shvercd. "Say, now" he re-
marked. "Ill bet she wouldn't look at
anything less than wine, either
The show immediately palled uOon
him and he went back to the office
After an examination Of the books the
blues deserted him, and what might
be called the ycllOWs set in.
When Middleton opened tile Office
door the next morning he had the
ShGck OF his life 4 substantial look
:nG policeman grabbed him by the arm
while Ahers danced eScitedly around
the pair. pointing the finger OF accu-
sat;on at his late assistant.
"Dtiicc-." said Abers. That man has
robbed INC Of at least $1,000. His books
are short. 7 shall have an expert OK
animation made at once. Meanwhile
l wish him arrested"
''Wait moment" said Middleton.
'there is such thing as being in error
you know. Officer, what's your name?
McCa"ty? Thanks. Mr.. McCarty,
please wait in the hall two minutes.
i wish to speak privately to Mr.. Abers.
Thanks.
Now. look hero, Mr.. Abcra." lie went
or, II am slcrt-Sl5G0. l knew it'd
he found oat sooner Or later. Well
and good. ] have cost you $500, and
now / am going TO be the mcaus OF
your making $4,000 out OF me. What
d'ye think of that
Middleton pauGcd dramatically. Evi-
IDENTITY the education he had picked UP
from theatre boxes had not been CHI
tivcly lost. "Fifteen thousand" he re-
pcated. land you'll make it as easy
as winliing."
4Abers gave his shoulders a shrug ac-
uuired the previous evening. Don't
tell me-" he said disdainfully.