Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1907-04-16
con,lnued dom Last Issuo.

over with Jim here first He knows
me better than anyone else in the
world, and I've some ideas I'd like to
thrash out with him"
Speak up here, Bob" said my
father.
well, sir, should feel much better
II could go over there into the swirl
and smash it out for myself You see
il could win out alone and pay back
the seat price, and then make a pile
for myself, if you felt later like giving
me another chance to come into the
firm, then / should not be laying my
self open to the charge Of being a
mere pensioner on your friendship.
You know what / mean, sir, and won't
think l am filled with any low-down
pride, but If you will let me have the
price of stock exchange seat on my
note, and will give me the chance,
when l get the hang Of the ropes, to
handle some Of the firms orders, !
shall be just as much beholden to you
and Jim, sir, and shall feel lot bet
ter myself"
1 knew what Bob meant so did
father, and we we're glad enough to do
what he asked, father insisting on
making the seat price in the form Of
a present, after explaining to us that
a foundation stock exchange rule pro-
hibited an applicant from borrowing
the seat price. Four years after Bob
BROMLEY entered the stock exchange
he had paid back the forty thousand,
with interest, and not only had snug
fifty thousand to his credit on Ran
dolph & Randolph's books, but was
sending home six thousand a year
while living up to, as he jokingly put
it, IAN honest mans notch" l may
say in passing, that Wall street
mans notch would make twice six
thousand yearly earnings cast an I'M
certain shadow at Christmas time
Bob was the favorite of the exchange,
as he had been the pet. at school and
at college, and had his hands full of
business 300 days in the year Be-
sides Randolph & Randolph's choicest
commissions, he had the confidential
orders of two of the heavy plunging
cliques.
/ had Just passed my thirty-second
birthday when my kind old dad sud
denly died. For the previous six years
7 had been getting ready for such an
cta7t; tat IS. 7 had grown accustomed
to hea-.zg my father say: Jim, don't
let any grass grow in getting the hang
Of every branch of our business, so
that when anything happens to me
there will be no disturbance in the
Street in regard to Randolph & Ran
dolph's affairs. l want to let the world
know as soon as possible that after /
am gone our business will run as It al
ways has. So will work you into my
directorships In those companies where
we have interests and gradually put
you into my different trusteeships."
Thus at fathers death there was not
a ripple in our affairs and none OF the
stocks known as The Randolph's"
huttered point because of that, to the
financial world, momentous event.
inherited all of fathers fortune other
than four millions, which he divided
up among relatives and charities, and
took command of business that gave
me an income of two millions and a
half a year.
Once more 1 begged Bob to come
into the firm.
Not yet, Jim" he replied. I've got
my seat and about hundred thousand
capital, and / want to feel that I'm
free to kick my heels until have
raked together an even million all of
my own making; then I'll settle down
with you, old man, and hold my handle
of the pillow. and if some good girl hap
pens along about that time-well, then
it will be An ivy-colored cot for
mine"
He laughed, and ! laughed, too Bob
was looked upon by all his friends as
bad case of woman-shy. No woman,
young or old, who had in any way
crossed Bob's orbit but had felt that
fascination. delicious to all women, in
the presence Of:
a soul Dy hOnOr SchOoleo,
A heart by passion ruled
but he never seemed to see it. AS my
wife-for / had been three years mar.
ried and had two little Randolphs to
show that both Katherine Blair and |
knew what marriage was for-never
tired of saying, Poor Bob! He's
woman-blind, and it looks as though
he would never get his sight in that
direction"
"Then again, jim" he continued in
a tone Of great seriousness, there's a
little secret have never let even YOU
into The truth is am not safe yet
not safe to speak for the old house Of
Randolph & Randolph Yes, you may
laugh--you who are. and always have
been, as staunch and steady as the ole
bronze John Harvard In the yard. yot
who know Monday mornings just whaf
you are going to do Saturday nights
and all the days and nights In be
tween, and who always do it, jim.
have found since / have been over o.
tho foor that fha soufheru o,au,hlf,,