The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-22

came. but Of course we clerks were all
turned adTift, the tWenty-seVen of US.
/ tried here md tried there, but there
were lots of other chaps on the same
lay as myself, and it was a perfect
frost for a long time. / had been tax
ing three pounds a week at COXOn 5,
and had saved about seventy of them,
but ! soon worked my way through
that and out at the other end. l was
fairly at the end OF my tether at last,
and could hardly find the stamps TO
answer the advertisements or the en-
velopes to stick them TO. l had worn
out my boots padding up Office stairs.
and ] seemed just as far from getting
a billet as ever,
At last / saw q vacancy It Mawson
& Williams, the great stock bToklng
firm in Lombard street. / dare say l..
{. is not much in your line, but L can
tell you that this is about the richest
house in London. The advertisement
was to be answered by letter only.
sent in my testimonial and application,
but withoutsthe least hope of getting it,
Back came an answer by return, say
ing that IT, 1 would appear next Mon
day | might take over my new duties
at once, provided that my appearance
was satisfactory. No Ole knows how
these things are worked. Some people
say that the manager just plunges his
hand into the heap and takes the first
that comes. Anyhow it was my in
nings that time, and don't ever wish
to feel better pleased. The pay was u
pound a week rise. and the duties just
about the same as at COXOn's.
And now / come to the queer part OF
the business. / was in diggings out
Hampstead way, Il Potters Terrace.
Well, | was sitting doing a smoke that
very evening after l had been prom
Used the appointment, when up came
my landlady with a card which had
Arthur Primer, Financial Agent
printed upon it, I had never heard
the name before and could not imagine
What he wanted with me; but, Of
course, 1 asked her to show him up. IN
he walked, middle-siZed, dark-haired,
dark-eyed, black bearded man, with a
touch of the Hebrew about his nose
He had a brisk kind of way with him
and spoke sharply, like a man who
knew the value of time.
Mr.. Hall Pycroft. l believer" said
he.
Yes. sir" J answered, pushing a
chair towards him.
Lately engaged at Coxon & Wood
houses"
Yes, sir"
And now on the staff of Mawson's."
quite So
We'll" said he. "the fact is that I
have heard some really extraordinary
stories about your Financial ability.
You remember Parker, who used to
be COXOn's manager? He can never say
enough about it,"
OF course / was pleased to hear this.
1 had always been pretty sharp i'm the
Office, but / had never dreamed that 1
was talked about in the city in this
fashion.
You have Il sood memory said he.
Pretty fair" I answered. mOdestly.
Have You kept in touch with the
market while you have been out OF
work?" he asked.
Yes. ! read the stock exchange list
every morning.
Now that shows real application"
he cried. THAT is the way to prosper,
You won't mind my testing you, will
you? Let me see. How are Ayr
shires ."
a hundred and six and a quarter 10
Il hundred and five and seven-eights.
And New Zealand consolidated"
a hundred and four"
And British Broken Hills?"
Seven TO scven-and-six."
"Wouderful!" he cried, with his
hands up. This quite fits i'm with all
that l had heard. Ny boy, my boy, you
are very much too Sood to be a clerk
at MaWsons."
This outburst rather astonished me,
as you can think well" said ],
"other people don't think quite so much
of me as you seem to do. Mr.. Primer.
I had hard enough fight to get this
berth. and l am very glad TO have it,
Pooh, man. you should soar above
it. You are not in your true sphere.
Now, I'll tell you how it stands with
me. What l have to offer is little
enough when measured by your ability,
but when compared with MaWson's it's
light TO dark. Let me see. When do
You 20 to MaWson's?''
ON Monday
"Ha, ha! / think 7 would risk lit
tie sporting nutter that YOU don't go
there at all
Not so 10 Mawson's?'
No sir. BY that day you will be
the business malgcr of the Franco
Midland Hardware company, Limited,
with a hundred and thirty-four
branches in the towns and villages OF
France. not counting one in Brussels
and one in San Reno"
This took my breath away. Il never
heard OF it," said 1.
VERY likely not. Ii has been kept
very quiet for the capital was al
privately subscribed. and it's too good
a thing to let the public into. Ny
brother. Harry Primer. is promoter,
and joins the board after allotment as
managing director. He knew | was in
Q no a 20
pick zip a good man cheap. 4 young
pushing man with plenty of snap about
him. Parker spoke of you, and that
brought me here tonight. We can only
offer you a beggarly five hundred to
start with
Five hundred a year." 7 shouted
"Only that at the beginning. but you
are TO have an overriding commission
of one cent On all business done by
your agents. and you max take my
word for it that this will come TO more
than your salary"
But I know nothing about hard
ware"
Tut my boy; you know about
figures"
My head buzzed, and I could hardly
sit SUN In my chair. But suddenly
little chill of doubt came upon me.
Il must be frank with you" said l.
MaWsOn only gives me two hundred,
but Mawson is safe. Now. really I
know so little about your company
that"
All, smart. " he cried in a
kind of ecstacy OF uelight You are
the very man for us. You are not to
be talked over, and quite right. too.
Now, here's a note for a hundred
pounds. and if you think that we can
do business you may just slip it into
your pocket as an advance upon your
salary"
THAT is very handsome" said I.
When should / take over my new
duties?"
"Be i'm Rirmineham tnnnnrrnw ~