The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1907-07-31
A NEW
RIP VAN WINKLE
IorIgInal.l

leTenNt 1DStNeE0 lue uIbI tuU lHe ldbl
Van Winkle was that the first slept
twenty years, the last forty. Walter
had gone to the mountains one summer
with aparty Of young New York bank
clerks, had got separated from the 9TH
ers and had taken a four decade nap.
Descending the mountain. he footed
It to Catsklll and was surprised to
come upon a railway station. A train
was pulling out, and he jumped aboard.
The conductor on collecting his fare
punched printed slip and handed 1t
to him.
What's thls7' asked Van Winkle.
Excess fare"
"What.llI do with itr
The conductor passed on without re-
ply, and a passenger explained that
the slip was a check on the conductor
to gperd against his stehlIng the fare
collected. Van wfnkle looked at his
informant aghast.
"And the management makes spies
Of Its conductorsi And they submit
to such a systemT
Conductors and passengers are both
the company's spies now"
Van Wrinkle gave low whistle.
as this want of trusting to indiyld-
ual honor confined to railroads?"
"By no means. No one Is trusted ex-
cept the managers, and they are trying
to beat one another"
"Is there no standard Of honorP
"No. Once a merchant who failed
felt disgraced; now merchants fail In
order to make money"
When Van Wlnkle reached New York
he went to the banking house where he
had been employed. 1t was now on
the ground floor of thirty story sky
scraper. OF course he knew NO one
there, or, rather. no one knew him.
So he wrote note to the president.
Richard Trimble, who had been clerk
with him forty years before and on the
camping trip at which he had disap-
/ peared. Van Wrinkle was shown into
the presidents private office and re-
/ ceived with suspicion. Not daring tc
give the Rip Van Winkle story, he said
he had gone to see the world. He
asked for position, and there being
vacancy in department where large
sums were handled he was appointed.
The salary was $500 year.
Eight hundred year for guarding
millions" exclaimed Van Wrinkle.
"All that's changed. Walter. We
don't need TO rely on our employees
honesty now; we insure it"
Insure itf'
"Yes. A company for a premium
takes the risk
"And do you mean, friend of my boy
hood, to insure meT
"As president OF the bank 1 can't
help doing 80. It's rule made by the
directors"
"Then If come In here to work for
you l am at liberty to beat the bank If
1 can"
Certainly"
DO you refrain from beating 1t be-
cause of your integrityr
I'D be fool to beat it-illegally."
81 see."
Sorry 1 can't do any better for you,
Walter. You should have stuck to
business as have instead Of roaming
all over the world"
"Let me ask you one question, Dick"
"Go ahead"
"Are you an honest manP
Trimble put his lips to Van Wrinkles
ear and whispered: "Only in small
things. not in big ones; no petty lar
ceny for me. This is between me and q
friend of my boyhood."
ITS taken you years to learn to be
dishonest. I've learned it in one day.
see it's become the fashion"
"You might as well wear plug hat
made Of beaver as to be honest-that
! is, what we used to call honest"
81 see. When shall go to workT
Tomorrow. If you like"
When Van Wrinkle appeared at the
: bank the next day he found a photo
grapher there. President TrImble came
out of bis private office and said:
you'll have to be photographed,
Walter"
What fort"
"oh, the rule is to have photograph
of all our employees. They're easier
caught If they light out with the funds
of the bank"
"a sort Of rogues' galleryY'
'It's for those who become rogues.
Most concerns get their clerks together
occasionally and photograph them in
groups. Makes the boys feel their i'm
portance, and the concern has the gal
lery. But We don't stoop to that. We
take picture Of every employee be-
fore he begins work"
"Is there any more Of this sort Of
thing to learn?"
"Yes; one You'll have two weeks
vacation during the year-two vaca-
tions of one week each at six months
interval"
81 don't want any vacation. lost
forty years by my last vacation"
"But you must take your vacation"
"Why sof'
"That we may have an opportunity
to examine your accounts"
Poor dog Trusts dead Indeedr' re-
marked Van Wrinkle, with sickly
smile.
"Better dead than dying. Give me a
community Of honor or one Of ac-
knowledged roguery."
as there any community In Ameri-
ca where our former standard still ex-
istsT"
/ Not in commercial life"
"How about the armyf'
rThere's good deal left there. ! BE-
Heve."
Every well; I'll 60 there. I'm too old
to enlist, but can become mule
driver, and that's better than making
money under the rogue system"
And he did. OSCAR COX.