The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-12-12


at his work; but he had an eye on
the door of the directors room, and
an eer that insensibly turned toward
the annunciator by which messengers
were called to the boardroo ON. 1t rang
at last, and Wheaton wiped his pen
as he awited for the result of the
summons. This was on his twenty
fifth birthday. f
"Mr. Wheaton, The other clerks
looked at one another. The question
that had been uppermost with all of
them for a week past was answered.
Thompson's nephew slammed his book
shut and carried it into the vault
Wheaton put aside the balance sheet
over which he had been lingering and
went into the directors room. There
had been no note Of joy among his
associates. He knew that he was not
popular with them: he was not, in
their sense, a good fellow. This was
his hour Of triumph, but he went to
his victory without the cheer Of his
comrades.
He heard Mr.. Porters question as to
whether he felt qualified to accept the
prom otion, and he sat patiently under
the inquiries of the others as to his
fitness. 1T required no great powers
Of intuition to know that these old
men had already appointed him; that
if they had not known to their own
satisfaction that he was the best avail
able man, they would not be taking
advice from him in the matter.
Sanders leaves on Monday to take
another position, and we will put you
in his cage to give you
ly Wheaton expressed his graft
tude for this mark Of confidence. He
was not troubled by the suggestion Of
trial. The position had been filed
and there was nothing more to be
said. Thompson, however, always
liked to have last word.
"WNhesato1n,; your family live here,
Mo- said Wheaton. smiling his
difficult smile, Il haven't any family.
My parents are dead. I came here
from Ohio, and board over on the
north side
Another Ohio man." said Porter,
laughed at Porter's joke and Whea-
ton bowed himself out under cover
| of it.
Later, when need arose for Great
ing the position of assistant cashier,
it was natural that the new desk
| should be given to Wheaton. He was
faithful and competent; neither Pol:-
| ter nor Thompson had a son to install
in the bank; and, as they said to each
other and to their fellow directors,
| Wheaton mad two distinguishing quail
ifications-he did his work and he
/ kept his mouth shut.
I In the course of time Thompson
/ health broke down and the doctors
! ordered him away to New Mexico
and again there seemed nothing to dc
/ but to promoted Wheaton. Thompson
/ wished to sell his stock and resign
but Porter would not have it so; but
/ when. after two years, it, was clear
that the cashier would never again bt
fit for continuous service in the bank
Wheaton was duly elected cashier anG
! Thompson was made vice president
Wheaton had now been in ClarkSor
/ fifteen years. and he was We'll aware
i that other young men, with infuen-
ltial connections. had not done NEARLY
SO we'll as he. He treasured Gno Uillu.
sions as to his abilities; he did moi
I think he had a genius for business
but he had demonstrated to his owl
satisfaction that such qualities as he
Observation-Disclosures, sobrety anc
obedience--brough results, and with
these results he was we'll satisfied
He hoped some day to be rich, bu
he was content to make haste slowly
/ He never speculated. He read in the
newspapers every day of men hold.
sng responsible positions who en-
bezzied and abscOnded, but there was
never any question in his mind as be.
tween honesty and knavery. 1t irri.
tated him when these occurrences were
commented on facetiousIy before him
he did not relish jokes which carried
an implication that he too might be
long to the dubious cashier class; anC
inquiries as to whether he would
spend his vacation in Canada, or, i
it were winter, in Guatemala, were
not received in good part, for he hat
much personal dignity and little hui
NOR.
Raridan knew the personal histor,
of most of his fellow townsmen, anC
he was fond OF characterizing those
whom he particularly liked or ciisliked
for the benefit of his friends. He tool
it upon himself to sketch Wheaton 70,
John Saxton's benefit in this fashion
Jim Wheaton's one Of those ne1
who never make Mistakes said Rari
dan, with the scorn of a man whose
own mistakes do not worry him. III,
went into that bank as a boy, and wa
first a, model messenger, and then
model clerk; and when they had Il
have a cashier there was the mode
assistant, who had been a mode
everything else, so they put him in
Il There wasn't anybody else for the job
!, and I guess he's a good man for ii
y too. A bank cashier doesn't dare t.
make mistakes; and as Wheaton is no
:, of that warm, emotional nature tina
:. would lead him to lend money withou
getting something substantial to 11ol,
| before the borrower got away, he's tn
: model cashier. You've heard of thos
bank cashiers who can refuse a 1oal
: to 9, man and send him out Of the banl
singing happy chants. Well, Jir7
5 isn't that kind. When he turns dow
5 a man, the man doesn't go on his wa
| rejoicing. ] don't know how nue.
/, money Wheaton's got. He's mad
, something, of course, and Porte
, Would probably sell him stock up t
a certain point. He'll die rich, an
no body, I fancy, will ever be any glad
der because he's favored this little oil
! earth with his presence"
: AS a bank clerk the teIler's cage ha
: shut Wheaton off from the WORLD
: Young women of social distinction VIII
: came sometimes to get checks cashec
: knew him as a kind of automaton, tina
! looked at both sides of their check
and at themselves, and then passed GU
coin and paper to them; they saw hir
. nowhere else, and didn't bother them
! selves about him, After his promo
. ton to be assistant cashier. he sa,
9 the world closer at hand. He had
T desk and could sit down and talk
q the men whom he had studied fror
5 the cage for so long. The youn
!. women, too, approached him no 1onge
e with checks to be cashed, but with Iii
s tie books in which they urged him off
7 cially and personally to subscribe t
q charities. Porter, who was natural
s a man Of generous impulses, knew hi
@ own weakness and made the cashie
8 the banks almoner. He was yer
e Esure that Wheaton would be as care
f11J of 11oh "A nh &C ,f hi <,xxy