Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1903-05-01

NA1 VIC uNllt uuNs anu III NiNNA io hfplN uN-
pleasant complications, such as salary
ihey made her a member Of the firm
with the understanding that she was to
be a decidedly silent partner.
The firm Of Francis & Co. transacted
a job printing business. George bad
bsen presented with handpress that was
Too large TO be regarded as a mere toy. and
Harrys father had given his son several
new fonts Of type
BY pooling their interests they found that
they would have q considerable stock, so
they retired 20 o corner and drew MP the
partnership. Mr Francis leased space in
his stable to the new firm for p cents
week, with the express understanding that
they cleaned their type with lye instead Of
henzine
Both boys had grown familiar with type
setting through Harry's smaller press, and
soon they not only had their printing Office
established but they were in proud pos
session Of a tin business sign made for them
BY the regular sign painter in return for 100
business cards.
The parents Of the heads Of the firm were
mildly skeptical as to the lasting powers Of
the concern, but before the month was over
they had to admit it was strictly business.
There were internal dissensons, Of course
: as WNEu marry ulAut tue hiNiIulNNe AaNc Nt
two cents a dozen for some cards to Frank
Seymour because Gertie Seymour was a
pretty girl.
George retaliated by printing Gertie her
self another two dozen cards for nothing
at all, and after that he and not Harry car.
ried her school books home for her
For week business was suspended and
the firm was threatened. Then Nellie told
Harry of an order that amounted to whole
dollar and quarter and a truce was patch
ed up, the leading features of which was the
understanding that prices were to be fixed
by the three partners iRioint session.
Nellie canvassed for orders, and they final
/ ly grew so prosperous that they decided TO
have a letter head and call themselves
"Printery."
They even laid in a new line Of fancy cards,
and were considering the idea of getting out
comic Valentines, when the town election
came and gave them higher ideals.
! There were no job offices in the town,
/ for Hastings was not large enough to sup
port a local paper. The day Of the election
/ the mail train was wrecked and the ballots
/ that had been ordered from the county seat
were burned in the express car
Then the town clerk turned to the
printery. The priptery promptly turned
out the ballots.
Later in the afternoon Thomas Jackson
put in an appearance Mr. jackson was the
richest man in Hastings He was running
for office on an independent ticket and the
/ town clerk had conveniently forgotten to
provide his ballots.
The printery was very tired. From the
senior partner to the silent one they had
hurried to get the regular job out and now
here was Mr.. jackson insisting that they
print another set.
"Never mind making a price he said;
| "I'n make it all right with you; only have
the ballots down at the town hall at s
o'clock and see that no one gets them but
me"
Mr. jackson had been gone only half an
hour and the forms were almost completed
when the town clerk entered.
"Has Jackson been here" he demanded.
The children said that he had
The clerk unfolded a crisp $40 bill Il
paid s. for the other ballots" he said
smoothly. 81 am willing to pay $40 for the
ones jackson ordered, and You won't even
have to print them Just upset that type
and tell him you couldn't get them ready,
I'll leave the money now. l can trust to
your honor"
The three looked at each other. Fifteen
dollars for the printery in one day was a
terrible temptation, The clerk had ordered
two sets of ballots, so that they could not
very well charge Mr.. jackson more than half
that sum for his single set.
1t was an awful temptation, but George
was equal to the situation. He picked up
the bill.
"Mr. Stevens" he called after the re-
treating figure Better take this The
printery of Francis Co intends to do right
by all Of its patrons"
Stevens turned angrily. "What do you
mean.' he demanded Don't you want the
money!"
"We want the money" George retorted
quietly, "but we want honest money"
With a face red with anger Stevens
snatehed the bill and at the same time struck
out at the boy. George swiftly stepped to
one side, and instead of hitting him Stevens
arm swept over the table and upset the can
of lie with which they had been cleaning the
type.
With a howl he dashed out Of the place,
for the lye had spilled oyer bis legs. Two
hours later the story of Stevens bleached
trousers was well circulated about the vii
iage
That evening the printery made delivery
Of the ballots to Mr.. jackson, and after the
most exciting contest in the history of the
town Mr. jackson was elected
The children sent him bill for $3.50, but
beyond a note of thanks they received nc
reply for more than a month.
Then one Saturday afternoon one Of The
Jackson trucks drove up to the door of the
printery and unloaded a brand new press
and huge boxes Of type With it was a note
from jackson which read;
q . 4 r.
my bill which you viii please receipt The
story Of how You withstood Stevens tempta
ton is known 60 me- and ! know that you
saved the election for me- I am sending
press, which j hope will be frequently put
to my service. ] need a lot of printing ant
shall see that the printery of Francis-&Co
gets my work, since it has proved themselves
to be reliable. Faithfully yours
Thomas Jackson
For a moment nothing was heard in tn,
Office. Then, even the silent partner let oui
a yell that startled the head Of the famil,
and brought him out TO see if another car
Of lye had been upset
The printery has a bank account nov
and the handsomest printed check ia H.,
village with the line, "Ohicial Pnntery iol
the Village Of Hastings Boston Globe
Proprietor (who has been looking ovei
the accounts)-"Mr Waddle, do YOU evei
take any money out Of the cash drawer :.
Salesman--"I occasionally take out a cal
fare" Proprieior-"H IN, hmi Do yoi
live in San Francisco or Sitka ?Y-BostoI
| Transcript.
George says his father win cut him Of
with a shilling if he insists upon marryin,
me-" "And what did you sayT Il he
minded him that papa is a lawyer and tha
he'd be glad TO take up the case against hi
/ fathers estate on shares &C Cleveland plail