The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1907-06-28
CHAPTER j.-continued.


If could win out alone and pay back
the seat price, and then make pile
for myself, If you felt later like giving
me another chance to come into the
firm, then l should not be laying my
self open to the charge of being q
mere pensioner on your friendship.
You know what / mean, sir, and won't
think | 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
4 handle some of the firms orders, /
shall be just as much beholden to you
and Jim, sir and shall feel lot bet
ter myself
| knew what Bob meant; so did
father, and we were glad enough to do
what he asked, father insisting on
making the seat price in the form of
q present, after explaining to us that
q 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, AN honest mans notch l may
say in passing, that a Wall street
mans notch would make twice six
thousand yearly earnings cast an un-
certain shadow at Christmas time.
Bob was the favorlte of the exchange,
as he had been the pet at school and
at college, and had his hands full of
business 800 days in the year. Be-
sides Randolph & Randolphs choicest
commissions, he had the confidential
orders tof two of the heavy plunging
cliques.
l had just passed my thirty-second
birthday when my kind old dad sud.
denly died. For the previous six years
had been getting ready for such an
event; shat is, had grown accustomed
to hearing 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. / want to let the world
know as soon as possible that after
am gone our business will run as 1t 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
q ripple in our affairs and none of the
stocks known as "The Randolph's"
1uttered point because of that, to the
financial world, momentous event.
inherited all of fathers fogtune 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 year. -
Once more l begged Bob to come
into the firm.
Not yet, JIM" he replied. give got
my seat and about hundred thousand
capital, and l 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
a 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 by honor schooed,
A heart by passion ruled
but he never seemed to see 1t. 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
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 old
bronze John Harvard In the yard. you
r.. 40. t.~e. t,,,k 4.