The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-07-13

Steel. as brave as non ana the
best comrade friend ever had.
Perhaps it was because his fathers
death had saddled Bob's youth with
the heavy responsibilities of husband
ing and directing his family's slim
finances that he took to business as a
swallow to the air. We entered the
office of Randolph & Randolph on the
same day, and on it's anniversary. a
year later, my father summoned us
into his Office for a sort of tally-up
talk Neither of us quite knew what
was coming, and we thrilled with
pleasure when he said:
Jim, you and Bob have fairly out
done my expectations. / have had nv
eye on both of you and | want you
to know that the kind of industry and
business intelligence you have shown
here would have won you recognition
in any banking house on the street
l want you both in the firm-Jim to
learn his way round so he can step
into my shoes; you, Bob, to take one
of the firms seats on the stock ex-
change"
Bob's face went red and then pale
with happiness as he reached for my
fathers hand.
I'm very grateful to you, sir, far
more so than words can say, but |
want to talk this proposition of yours
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
If | could go over there into the swirl
and smash 1t out for myself You see
if-L 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 a stock exchange seat on my
note, and will give me the chance,
when 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 a lot bet
ter myself"
| knew what Bob meant; SO did
70 fr1ad 30, 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" | 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 800 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
had been getting ready for such an
event; that 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. ESQ 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"
Auttered 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
half year.
Once more l begged Bob to come
into the firm.
Not yet, Jim," he replied. I've got
my seat and about hundred thousand
capital. and l want to feel that I'm
free to kick my heels until 1 have
raked together an even million al 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 Bobs orbit but had felt that
fascination, delicious to all women, in
the presence of:
soul by honor schooled,
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