Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1911-06-02
A ROMANCE
OF PICKLES
BY H. S. Harrison
Copyright. 1908. by Benz. B. Hampton
BY H. S. Harrison
Copyright. 1908. by Benz. B. Hampton

took his apprenticeship in the ways
of things and at twelve stood forth a
finished and resolute man of his word.
Then, having all the facts at his COM
mand and the future of his mother
to provide for, he made his hard,
careful plans for success, and put his
determined foot upon the ladder.
There was never anything to do
with Tommy except to stand aside and
let him rise. This they soon discov-
cred at Hathaway's great factory,
where he began by folding circulars
and copying letters. When he was
sixteen they made him travelling
salesman.
That was the last day that his
mother ever did any work. BY anoth-
er week he had moved her uptown.
Three years later, when they took
him off the road because they needed
him in the office, he moved his moth
er again. By another year they were
giving him a salary which he could
not think of without blushing.
But Tommy had seen at the start
that the way to make money was to
save it; and at twenty-three his
chance came. Hathaway wanted new
capital to enlarge the business, and
was discussing the proposed improve
ments with his partners and Tommy
when the latter blurted suddenly.
"Why not let me come in?"
The general manager stared. The
president, great Hathaway himself,
looked out of the window and smiled.
"Why, you see, Tommy" he ex-
planned, this is a matter of such-an.
such a sum-"
YES" said Tommy, undismayed
by the size of the figure, 81 know. l
could bring certified check for it on
Thursday"
"Why, where on earth did you get
so much money, Tommy"
81 have been drawing a lot of
money for the last seven years." said
Driscoll calmly "Then I've been
awfully lucky on some investments"
and he mentioned one or two.
So Tommy went into the firm as
treasurer, but he was much more
1.
year the earnings of the firm had OK
actly doubled. Toward the end of The
third they had doubled again. By the
end of the fifth when crowding COM
petition had brought progress to a
standstill, the lines for the great
merger-seven big houses from Jer-
sey City to Los Angeles-had already
lot Nf hn rtx
year the merger was an accomplished
fact 1t was really Tommy Driscoll
of Hathaway's who had put the deal
through, though the papers did not
say so. Then Driscoll bought a few
more gilt-edged securities, little
more choice real estate, did little
further figuring and found that he
was in fair way to become wealthy
young man. But suddenly, just when
he was making plans for playing busi-
ness on a really large scale, his COM
mercial career came to an abrupt
close.
Tommy" said his mother one
night, as she sat on the side of his
bed and gently stroked his great mop
of head, Il want you to give up the
factory-and-be a gentleman"
"a what?"
"a gentleman" said his mother
softly.
"Yes'm," said Tommy.
"And marry" added his mother, her
cheek against his, "some nice girl-a
lady"
"a what?"
"a lady" said his mother still more
softly.
"Yes'm," said Tommy again.
He took an Office in a downtown
sky-scraper, engaged stenographer,
and spent an hour there every day,
looking after his affairs which pros
pered largely.
He was approaching twenty-nine at
this time, very big and simple, very
pleasant to look at, very full of those
eager spirits which all these hard
years had not been able to crush out
of him.
81 believe I'll start and find lady,"
he said to himself-"a lady"-and
here he smiled, for this was Hatha-
ways most famous catchword, which
he himself had invented who's the
best thing going"
Then one day his patience was re-
warded. She sat in a Victoria with
a maid, while a male attendant and
some baggage followed in hanson.
Smith," said Tommy to his man,
who was behind, follow that man in
the hanson to the ticket window.
Find out where he's going and buy
me ticket to the same place.
"To Oldcourt, SIR" murmured Smith
at the designated tryst, handing Tom
my the ticket. "The lady and the
maid have just gone on. There are
two cars, sir, the Laconia and the La
tonia. The lady and the maid are
in the Laconia. l have got you seats
IN hOth air"