Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-11-07
49,.
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Johnny, SAID the cashier TO. the
bill clerk, Il notice with pain and anX-
iety that you are showing tendency
to drift. / hope you will pardon me
for mentioning it. Were 1 not warmly
interested in you, in your welfare and
your future prospects, I should bite
my tongue off sooner than breathe a
word"
You'd find some way Of shooting off
your mouth whether you had any
tongue or not" said the bill clerk. I'D
like to know what you mean by drift
ing"
You drift into the Office in the
morning about fifteen minutes late on
an average" said the cashier.
eff L do drift out about fifteen
minutes early and that ought to
square it." retorted the bill clerk.
"How would it be if l blew in?'
"You blow In overmuch, 1 imagine"
said the cashier.
''You blow off more than like" said
the bill clerk. You're the best venti-
lated guy 1 ever met. There's more
fresh air about you than they'd need
to run a sanitarium. It's the freshest
ever. Who gave you a license to get
anxious about me?"
Don't resent it, Johnny" begged
the cashier, pathetically. Don't re-
buff me. Learn to bear the admoni-
tions, even the reproofs, of your ell
ders. What want is to arouse ambt-
ton in your breast, to instill purpose
1 want you to have a definite object
in life and bend all the energies of
your mind and body to its attain
ment"
II don't know but you'll get your
wish," said the bill clerk. "I'm be-
ginning to form a definite purpose al
ready, but if l do bend the energies of
my body to carry it out you'll be sorry.
I'm a terror when 1 get started. I've
got a punch that's a lalapaloosa."
Seriously, my young friend, did you
at any time have a thought for the
futureY' asked the cashier.
Sure" answered the bill clerk.
"You really have vague idea of
making your present position a STEP
ping stone to better things, have your
"You bet your life." said the bill
clerk, 81 don't intend to stay here al
ways It's all right for while, but
it's not going to last forever. I'll stay
as long as they raise my salary every
so often and put me up notch or two,
but they haven't got any lead-pipe
cinch on me at that. Some of these
fine days I'm liable to hand in my res
ignation and let 'em crdmble to ruin.
81 was afraid of this" sighed the
cashier 1.-The remarks that l made
moment or two ago were designed to
elicit this confirmation Of my worst
and direst apprehensiOns, as it were.
You couldn't deceive me, Johnny. l
always suspected that your asininity
was an affectation. / knew in my
heart that you yelled with an exterior
of puttylike conformity to typical So
a-week carelessness, laZiness and i'm
providence, a boundless energy, an iron
will, q diabolical determination and an
unlimited capacity. Some of these
days 1 suppose you will show these
qualities, but until then you are bid
ing yoCr time Is that it,"
"That's the idea, exactly" admitted
the bill clerk. you've got me sized
up at last
''Your program is to make yourself
indispensable here, by insidious de-
grees, and, having gained a hold on
the firm, to extort every cent possible,
regardless of the poor stockholders
widows and orphans, as many Of them
are You will call it salary, this black
mail. Then when we are squeezed dry
you will lightly toss us aside-leave
us to crumble to ruin, to use your own
words-and will find a wider sphere,
more extended scope of operation.
Have fathomed your fell design"
Don't tell anybody" begged the bill
clerk.
81 don't know said the cashier, ir-
rcsolutely. 81 think it may be my
duty. Still, 1 shouldn't like to see you
hunting a job these hard times and
might as well tell you that Mr.. Wicks
is making a roar about you and the
indications are that you'll have to get
ahead of your schedule or go to
hated competitor. That's straight"
The bill clerk looked little anX-
ious. Doesn't he like my work ?" he
asked.
'He says he doesn't see enough of it
to tell" replied the cashier.-Chicago
Daily News.