The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1904-05-20
TWO APRIL FIRST
LETTERS
BY MRS. CLARA S. COTTON

| EFFREY RANSOM pridod himself
upon his ability at getting of Jokes
on others aud his shrewdncss In seeing
through any attempt at return OF the
compliment The month OF March nj.
ways found him bnsy planning new
tricks for the first of April. lie even
let the subject absorb his thoughts dur
Ing the day at The store His absent
mindcdncss ucccssitatCd the repetition
uf questions 10y customers and directions
by head clerks until sharp rcprooi
from the floor walker brought his wits
back 70 the duties IN hand
The evening Of March 81 jeffrey spent
In getting his Joke materials ready for
the next day. and In dtsposing of those
for which darkness was best, He mailed
several Invitations 10 parties that exist
ed only In his fancy; he dropped false
orders into the boxes NJ express com.
panics and physicians, he mailed pack
ages Of confectionery and fruit, candies
opened and filled with flour paste and
Rkillfully closed again; oranges and ba.
nanas carefully rotillod with damp saw.
dust and the skins carefully glued to-
gcthcr He had several tcmptiney fat
looking pockctbookE to drop on the side
walks and the store floor
jeffrey had a specially good sell" pre-
pared for Frank Burns. n former high
school classmatc. whose greater popu.
In 81 -. 81 40, 4
an cycsorc to him Frank who needed
work very much his father being III.
had failed as yet In securing position
Jeffrey felt no sympathy for him, but
only triumph NJ his own success
I'm getting Joke on fellow you want
TO ind his tcndcrcst point and touch him
there with your arrow ." was the prln.
ciplc on which Jeffrey said rhc Joking
genius rested
jeffrey wrote letter to Frank saying
that he had just heard accidentally Of .
fact not yet announced In the store that
ono of the clerks was 10 leave. aud that
II Frank would apply for thc place at
once he might stand good chance Of
getting It Bring your best fusDlmon.
ials," he wrote. and 70 right to Mr. San.
horns private Office and send in your
card marked important business Of
course you must give no hint 10 any one
Of how you learned uf the vacancy.
As JEFFREY well know. but Frank ID
not. Mr. Sanhorn. the senior partner. was
tosty, Quick-tcmporod old gentleman
jeffrey thought with great satisfaction
Of the expression ne expected to soc on
Franks face as he came ont Of the NJ.
fee after asking for position which
existed only on first Of April basis"
as he was going to say to Frank
Frank entered the store at the time
Jeffrey had suggested, and as he passed
his counter he clasped Jehrcys hand
whispering; How can thank you for
remembering me so kindly
"Oh. that's all right. replied Jeffrey
avoiding Franks eager eyes
Frank was long time In the Office. so
that jeffrey was not watching him when
he stepped out and was startled when
he heard his voice close behind him.
He's going to give me the place. old
fellow! Won't II be great for us to he
together here? III never forget this
good turn you've done me rs long as |
live"
jeffrey stared In utter hewldarment
at Franks beaming face. but was too
busy with customers to ask the many
questions that rose to his lips
Only n short time before Franks call
one of the clerks had entirely unexpoct.
eddy given his resignation to Mr. San.
born.
AS soon as Frank entered the Office,
Mr. Sanborn said, brusQuely;
We'll, young man, what is it?"
Frank had letter Of introduction ad.
dressed: ITO whom II may concern"
and written by his pastor who was well
known as author and pulpit orator This
he handed to Mr.. Sanborn, saying: "Will
you kindly read this short letter from
Rev DIR Levering? He has known me
all my life"
81 know him we'll, too" said Mr.. San
born. opening the letter,
He read IT, replaced It In the envelope
and handed to Frank with the words:
do you want to start In with the place
to-day? Somers will be glad to leave
just Us soon as can get q substitute. II
you are ready take this card to Mr.. Gray
on the third floor and he'll start Won In.
Rev DIR. Leverlng and I were school
mates and have kept up our friendship.
We used to call him Truthful George
because he was always so afraid OF ex-
aggerating He seems to have kept
track Of you while you worked In Brown
d Bogg's. Too bad they failed. You're
not the only one that was thrown out by
their going to the wall. We don't cx-
pect any crash here" Mr.. Sanborn
smiled. 80. Mr.. Burns, It won't be our
fault II you don't stay with our firm TIL
your head Is whittier than mine All you
have to do Is to live up to what Or.
lowering says here of you"
As Franks position thus obtained was
q higher one than Jeffrey's, his chagrin
over the successful failure of his April
Fool Joke soon became envy and dislike
OF Franks boundless gratitude to him.
So JEFFREY was very glad to go when his
uncle in the west sent him m offer of a
place with him.
Fifteen years passed by, bringing pros
perity to both jeffrey and Frank. and
very rapid Advancement to the latter.
But In the financial crisis of a certain
year in the west, Jeffrey's uncle failed,
and involved him 80 heavily that the loss
of everything stared him in the face.