The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-03-06

"Thank you, sir"
So the new boys first trip was to
| the clearinghouse known as 2784.
Here he engaged board for So per
week, the landlady kindly waving
her rule of weeks board in advance
| in his case.
Two dollars per week for all his
other expenses, he thought; but So
does nCv look so small to some people
as to others.
Two of Randall's room-mates were
| workers in the same store with him
| self-Harry Littlefield, and another
| whose parents seemed to have be-
Slowed upon him only the initials j..
| L., which, combined with Lee, were
| very conveniently shortened into
"Jelly." 1t was some time before
Randall learned the constituent parts
of this name.
These young men received seven
dollars per week and filled positions
| next above Randall's at the big store.
The other occupant of the room
was a student in school Of stenog-
raphy, whose bills were paid by an
uncle, and who was allowed exactly
| twenty-five cents a week for pocket
money, which sum he was not obliged
| to account for. This student was
about Randall's own age, and con-
sidered his life one of great depriva-
ton. Having exhausted the sym
pathy of his other associates, he at
once poured all his woes into the
kindly ear of Randall Greer, who was
stupid enough to think that the lot
of the grumbling student was by no
means hard one.
On the whole, poor Randall passed
rather lonely summer. He did not
find his associates at the boarding
house very congenial. Not their
work but the money they received
and just how much they could buy
with it were the principal topics of
conversation.
He was surprised to find how much
of their time not spent at the store
was passed within four walls. Ac-
fresh air, the hot, stiffling atmos
phere of the store was almost unen-
durable during the long days of the
summer; but each evening saw him
off on long, solitary tramps over the
pavements in quest of cooler air and
fresh scenes.
He never tired of watching the busy
life at the water front. The great
piles of brick and stone reaching up,
up, up, to where the ceaseless roar
of the city sank to a dull murmur
were a never-ceasing source of won
der to him.
But-he was ashamed to confess it
to himself-it was the people who
tired him. Crowds, crowds every
where. 1t seemed impossible to swim
clear of the restless, surging mass
of humanity.
Yet Randall was unconsciously get
ting rid Of much that was uncouth
and blunt in his manners by contact
with these same people.
His work at the store was all the
most eXacting master could require.
The first of October found him earn
ing 81 a week. Randall's manage
ment of his financial affairs gave his
room-mates no little trouble. With
the exception of a small sum paid to
his laundress each week, and the pur-
chase of few collars and tie that
conformed more nearly to the pre-
vailing mode than those worn on the
day of his arrival in the city, the boys
weekly wages remained unaccounted
for, of course leaving the So paid for
board out of consideration.
Littlefield and Jelly wondered and
put many teasing questions to the
boy, which he took good-naturedly
and answered not at all. But one day
the student enlightened them.
"Randall's a cap" he told them,
"He's capitalist, fellows. He's got
a bank account. Saw him PUNK down
dollar to the receiving teller at the
bank to-day"
GA dollar!" exclaimed IittIefe1d.
ga whole dollar? Did understand
you to say dollar?" queried Jelly.
And then they had good laugh at
what they considered the parsimo-
niousness of their fellow-lodger.
''What do you suppose he saves
for?" asked the student.
'rDon't know, I'm sure" answered
Jelly.
''He must be a man with purpose
in life," observed Littlefeld, with
mock solemnity. GIVE heard tell of
them"
"But the fund is a kind of mystic
rious thing. Why doesn't he tell us
what he's about?" grumbled Jelly.
''He's Deep" said Littlefeld. "He's
saving for a purpose; and what's
more, he's going to keep it to him
SELF
And Littlefeld was right. Whatever
purpose Randall Greer destined the
fund for was not revealed to the
curious minded young men when they
rallied him on the subject of his
boarded wealth.
"There's something on the capital
lists mind" announced the student
one night shortly before Christmas.
81 saw him this morning in close con-
sultation with Miss Bye, the little
| dressmaker."