The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-02-13

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q church member Perhaps It
was for this reason that the directors
OF the First National Bank Of Man
nington, H. j., had more implicit con-
ddenee IN him than It Is customary to
place In cashiers Of such institutions
Nicholss glance was keen. His
speech was blunt. His voice dwelt In
the cellar Directors like such men and
Nichols knew It.
All work and no play is a reprehca-
sible combination. After banking |
hours Nichols was a sOciologist. lie |
was a modest man and did not brag |
about his accomplishments. His spe- |
clal line Of thought was the Tenderloin |.
by night-a fascinating study. Nichols !
learned to call the wardmen, the !
bOuncers and the violent-scented ones
Of that interesting section by their pet
nameS-an expensive education. In
return they called him by name, but
not by the name of Nichols. He was
a very modest man in all matters con
nected with his intellectual pursuits.
Now, If Il bank cashier gets $4,000 n
year and frequently loses as much in
a week working out the philosophy of
faro Simply in the interests of sociol
ogy) the situation becomes complex
Not that Nichols really lost these
amounts. He merely dropped them
Later he confidently expected to pick
them up again. This acquired addi-
tional capital and many years Of study.
AS n matter Of statistical fact, the
faculty Of picking up amounts SO lost
is only given to graduates cum laudc.
After a year or two of study and
when still in the sophomore class, so
to speak, Nichols began to have
qualms. His glance lost some Of its
: keenness. His speech missed part of
its bluntness. His voice at times went
up to the second story.
"What the deuce" he reflected night
and day. "A man may throw a bluff
as big as a mountain, but he cannot
hide a shortage Of 100000 all his
life"
In his dreams he began to see the
hippOpOtamus smiling.
In his working hours he began to
hear the hyena making derisive noises.
Nichols didn't like it. 1t will be I'M
derstood that he was a sociolOgist pure
and simple. Zoology being forced upon
his attention naturally irritated him.
In a word Nichols had his hands full.
His only relief was that the directors
continued the speciality Of Rip Van
Wrinkle But even this could not last
forever The directors began to come
around shifting Sniff, sniff, sniff. SIS
that a rat we smell?" they asked cacl
other anxiously. They decided upon {
thorough examination Of the books t
see if any odoriferous rodent lurheC
therein.
1t may be set down as q maxim tina
when board of directors suddenly &C
quires a set of olfactory nerves, the,
viii generally find a highly scented
condition Of affairs in the state O
Denmark.
Simmons completes the cast Sim
closing hours failed to limit him. Hi
business was the amelioration 0
thirst, and thirst is not a railroad trail
to be run on q time table Especial
is this true Of Third avenue thirs
Moreover his knowledge Of the PHI
nomena of thirst was not based el
tirely upon hearsay evidence Sin
mons frequently had a thirst himsel
Third avenue enyied Simmons. I'll
joint owner Of a corner saloon and
thirst Could earth offer more the
wondered.
Simmons's thirst arose from refe
ton. Continued reflection necessitat,
occasional beer and beer begets philo
ophy. He liked to contemplate humG
experience, as reflected in the amb
Y brew. and when the spirit Of philOs
\phy descended upon him, even as n
lure abhors q vacuum, so did Simmo
abhor an empty beer mug
sometimes after prolonged philosop
zeal reflection Simmons would spei
entertainingly regarding electricians
In moments Of supreme elevation
asked nothing better than TO meet
living electricians. one by one, man
men. brass knucklee allowed and
buug starter for a gaff.
IN periods ol profound depress.ca
bitterly iuveighed against the mann
n which they bad taken the bread {
ar he mouths Of honest men.
every certain safe worth crack