Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-11-29
TWO "pIlI.ArS Or SOCIETY,""

l mad made them temporarily easy IN
their finances just before that dinner.
and they, being fatuous. iucuI,blc OPP
timists, were probably imagining they
would never need ne again. l did
not distirb them until Monsoon and l
had got my education So we'll under
way that even l. always severe in self
criticism and now merciless. was com
PEELED To admit To myself Il distinct
change for the better. You know how
ii is with a boy at the growing age
how he bursts out of clothes and
IDEAS of l,fc almost as fast as they are
supplied him. SO swift: is he trans
forming into Il man. Well. L think it
Is much that way with Us Americans
all our lives; we continue on and on
ut the growing age. n il one of US
puts his or her mind hard upon growth
In some particular direction, you see
almost overnight II development tle,ged
10 the last tail-fcatliors and tip of top
Knot where there was nothing at all.
What miracles can be wrought by an
open mind and Il keen sense of the
cumulative power of the unwastei
minute. All this apropos of Il very
trivial matter, you may be thinking.
i5ut, be careful how you Judge what is
trivial and what important i'll Il uni
verse built up of atoms.
However When nay education
seemed far enough advanced. l sent for
sam. He. after his footless fashion.
didn't bother to acknowledge my note.
His margin ccoun with me was at
the moment straight: l turnc to his
father. 1 had my cashier send him u
formal. typewriter letter signed
Blackjack & Co, Informing Kim tina
his was nverdrawn and that
we would be obliged If he would give
the matter his immediate attention"
The note must have reached him the
fntl xrtn M tp. lrt LA Itl ,.@t
come until. after waiting three days.
we sent him IL sharp demand for u
Sheck for the balance due us.
A pleasing. MISUNDERSTANDING fig
urc he made as he entered my office.
with his air OF the man whose hands
have never Known the stains of toll.
with his manner of having always re-
ccived dcferential treatment. There
was no pretense i'm my curt greeting,
my tone of "dispatch your business. sir.
and be gone: for l was both busy
and much irritated against him. Il
guess you van to see our cashier"
said I. after giving him a hasty. alb
sent minded handshake. My boy out
there will take you to him"
The old do-nothing's face lost it's
confident. condcsccnding expression.
His lip quivered. and l think there We're
tears in his bad. dim, ~gray-green eyes.
1 suppose he thought his Il profoundly
pathetic case; no doubt he hadn't the
remotest conception what he really
was-and no doubt. also. there are
many who would honestly take his
view. AS IL the fact that he was born
with all possible advantages did 0
make him and his plight inexcusable.
1t passes my comprehension why peo-
pie of his sort. when suffering from
h calamities they have deliberately
brought upon themselves by laziness
and self-indulgence and extravaganza.
should get II sympathy that is withheld
from those of h honest human rank
and file falling into far more real mis-
fortunes not Of their own making.
mo. my lear Blackjack said he.
cringing now as easily as he had con-
descended--how to cringe md how TO
condescend are taught at the same
school. the II lie had gone to all his
life. 1T Is you l want to talk with,
And. first. I owe you my apologies.
I know you'll make allowances for one
who was never trained to business
methods. I've always beer like a child
I'm those matters"
You brighten me-" said I. The last
gentleman who came throwing M off
my guard with that plea was shrewd
enough to get away with Il very large
sum Of my ~hard-earned money. Be
sides'-and was laughing. though
not too good-naturedly-"Tve noticed
that you gentlemen become vague
about business only when the balance
Is against you. When it's In your ia
v,or. you manage to get your minds on
business long enough to collect to the
last fraction OF Il cent"
He heartily echoed my laugh. Il
only wish l were CLEVER said he.
However,. I've come to ask your in
diligence. I'd have been here before.
but those who owe me have been nut
ting me off. And they're of the sort of
people whom it's impossible to press"
I'd lik to accommodate you
further" said 1, shedding that last
little hint as a cliff sheds rain,
but your account has been I'm an
unsatisfactory state for nearly a month
now"
I'm IL you'll give me a few DAYS
longer was his easy reply, as if we
were discussing a tritle. by the way.
you haven't been to see us vet, Only
this morning my wife was WONDERING
when you'd come. You quite c%aptivated
her. Blackjack. Can't you dine with us
tomorrow night-no. Sunday--at eight ?
We're having. In a few people l think
you'd like to meet"
II any II imagines that this bald,
~businesslike way OF putting it set my
teeth on edge. let him dismiss the idea.
my nerves had been too long accustom.
ed to h feel OF the harsh facts of life.
1t is evidence Of the shrewdness OF the
old fellow at character reading that he
wasted none Of his silk and velvet pre-
tense upon me. and 80 saved his time
and mine. Probably he wished me to
see that I need have no timidity or
false shame In dealing with him. that
when the time came to talk business
was free to talk It In my own STRAIGHT
fashion.
'Glad to come." said I. wishing to oe
rid OF him. now that my point was
iEnined. wen let the account stand
open for the present. rather think
your stocks are going up. Give my re-
cards to-ehe ladies. please. especially
to Miss Anita"
! He WINGED. but thanked me gracious
~: gave me hts soft. nne hand to shsle
and departed. az eager to be on "A I
to b rid Of him. Sunday next-af