The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-04-03

The first college. man / ever hired
vas old John Durham's son, Jim. That
was a good many years ago. when the
house was a much smaller affair. Jim's
father had a lot of money till he started
out to buck the universe and corner
wheat. And the boy took all the fancy
courses and trimmings at college. The
old ma was mighty proud Of Jim. Wanted
him to be a literary fellow. But old Dur
ham found ont what every one learns who
gets his ambitions mixed up with number
two red-that there's a heap Of 1t lying
around loose In the country. The Bears
did quick work and kept the cash wheat
coming in SO lively that one settling day
half a dozen of us had to get under the
market to keep it from going to everlast-
ing smash.
That day made young jim a candidate
for a job. It didn't take him long to de-
eide that the Lord would attend to keep
ing up the visible supply of poetry, and
that he had better turn his attention to
the stocks IF mess pork. Next morning
he was laying for me with a letter of in
PRODUCTION when I got to the office, and
when he found that l wouldn't have a
private secretary at any price, he applied
for every other position on the premises
fright down to office boy. l told him I was
I sorry, but I couldn't do anything for him
{Iheh; that we We're letting men go, but I'd
Keep him in mind, and SO on. The fact was
that l didn't think a fellow with Jim's
training would be much good, anyhow.
But Jim hung on-said he'd taken q fancy
to the house, and wanted to work for it.
Used to call by about twice a week to find
out IL anything had turned up.
Finally, after about q month Of this, he
wore me down so that l stopped him one
day as he was passing me on the street.
Z thought I'd find out If he really was so
redl1ot to work as he pretended to be;
re N,ef1o,hE T falt fhnf yorho nc E 7 e. HADN'T
treated the boy just right, as I had de-
lvered quite a jag OF that wheat to his
father myself.
Hello, JIM" 1 called; do you still want
that job?'
Yes, SIR" he answered. quick as light
ring. s
We'll, I'll tell you how 1t is, JIM I
said, looking Zap at him-he was one of
those husky. lazy-moving six-footers-"I
don't see any chance in the office. but I
understand theys can use another good,
strong man in one of the loading gangs
l thought that would settle Jim and let
me out, for it's no joke Juggling beef, or
rolling barrels and tierces a hundred yards
or so TO the cars. But Jim came right
back at me with, 'c.)one. Who'll l report
to?',
That sporty way Of answering, as If he
was closing a bet, made me surer than
ever that he was not cut out for q butcher.
3' ttAl r. MN nm oiiNA. AtHAAS 1890 - 49,
foot to find the foreman. | sent word
py another route to see that he got plenty
to do.
I forgot all about Jim until about three
months later, when his name was handed
UP to me for a new place. and a raise in
pay. 1t seemed that he had sort OF abol-
ished his job. After he had been rolling
barrels a while, and the sport had ground
down one OF his shoulders a couple OF
inches lower than the other. he got to
scheminE around for a way to make the
work easier, and he hit on an idea for q
sort OF overhead railroad system. by which
the barrels could be swung out Of the
storerooms and run right along into the
cars. and two or three men do the work
OF a gang. It was just as I thought. Jim
was lazy, but he had put the house In
the way. of saving SO much money that ]
couldn't fire him. So Il raised his salary.
n made MIN an assistant ttme-keeper
and, checker.
Jim kept at this for three or four
months. until his feet began to hurt him,