Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-08-11
CHAPTER VII.


1t is no longer so very laudable for
a young man to pay his way through
college; and Morris Leighton had done
this easily and without caring to be
praised or martyrized for doing so. He
had enjoyed his college days; he had
been popular with town and gown; and
he had managed to get his share of
undergraduate fun while leading his
classes. He had helped in the college
library; he had twisted the iron letter
press on the presidents correspond
ence late into the night; he had copied
briefs for a lawyer after hours; but he
had pitched for the nine and hustled
for his frat" and he had led class
rushes with ardor and success.
He had now been for several years
in the offices of Knight, Kittredge s.
Carr at Mariona, only an hours ride
from Tippecanoe; and he still kept in
touch with the college. Michael Carr
fully appreciated young man who
took the law seriously and who could
sit down in court room on call morn
ings, when need be, and turn off de-
murrer without paraphrasing it from a
textbook.
Mrs. Carr, too, found Morris Leigh
ton useful, and she liked him. because
he always responded unquestioningly
to any summons to fill up a blank ut
her table. Young men were at pre-
MUM in Mariona as in most other
places, and it was something to have
one of the species of an accommodate
ing turn, and very presentable, within
telephone range. 1t was through Mrs.
Carr that Leighton came to be well
known in Mariona; she told her friends
to ask him to call, and there were now
many homes besides hers that he Wis
ited.
An errand to a law firm in one os
the fashionable new buildings that had
lately raised the Mariona skyline led
him one afternoon past the office of his
college classmate, Jack Balcomb. II.
Arthur Balcomb" was the inscription
on the door. Leighton had seen little
of Balcomb for year or more and
his friends name on the ground glass
door arrested his eye.
Two girls were busily employed at
typewriters in the anteroom, and one
of them extended a blank card to Nor
ris and asked him for his name. The
girl disappeared into the inner room
and came back instantly followed by
Balcomb, who seized Morris hand,
dragged him in and closed the door.
''Well, old mani" Balcomb shouted
I'm glad to see you. It's downright
pleasant to have a fellow come in oc-
casionally and feel no temptation to
take his watch"
Morris cast his eyes over the room.
which was handsomely furnished
Frbarp x4ra croo5 r,,o IN aoo,
the desk and table were of heavy oak;
an engraving of Thomas Jefferson
hung over Balcombs desk, and on the
opposite side of the room was table |
covered with financial reference books. |
What is your game just now, Jack. |
if it isn't impertinent? It's hard to |
keep track Of you. l remember very |
well that you started in to learn the |
wholesale drug business" said Morris. |
"Oh, tush! don't refer to that, as |
thou lowest me! That is one of the |
darkest pages of my life. Those peo-
pie down there in South High street
thought 1 was a jay, and they sent me
out to help the shipping clerk.
Wouldn't that jar you, Overalls-and
a hand truck l couldn't get out of
that fast enough. Then. you know,
went ~ CllACdBD anu spent year IN z |
brokers office, and ] guess l learned a
few up there. Oh, rather They sent
me into the country to sell mining
stock and I made a record. They kept
the printing presses going overtime to
keep me supplied. Say. they got afraid
of me; l was too good"
What's your line now? Real estate.
mortgages, lending money to the door?
How do you classify yourself?"
You do me a cruel wrong, Morris.
a cruel wrong. You read my sign on
the outer wall? Well. that's a blun.
There's nothing in real estate And
the loan business has all gone to the
bad-people are too rich; farmers are
rolling in real money and have it TO
lend. There was nothing for little VIII
lie in petty brokerages. I'm scheming
-prOmoting-and I take my slice Of
of everything that passes"
THAT certainly sounds we'll You've
learned fast You had an ambition to
be a poet when you were in college. I
think I still have a few pounds OF
your verses in my traps somewhere
And then. you remember" Balcomb
went on. in enjoyment Of his own rem
i wooed the law for q