The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-02-01

ny writing table. Three or four COM
/ Portable chairs were scattered about
/ the room.
On the glass Of the hall door, glazed
halfway TO the top. was the inscrip-
\ ton IN trim black letters. lee Ran
dall. Assistant Cashier"
And so it was with Lee Randall,
alias Jimmy Valentine, that Bobby
Lane. the bankers little son.. was fond
of romping away his CBobby's) idle
hours and with whom he frequently
enacted the role Of an austere. uncom-
promising banker
Very much the same Jimmy Nalen-
tine in appearance and manner Mr.
Randall had scored a signal success
as assistant cashier, and neither MIR.
Lane nor any other official or director
had found in the three years occasion
for the slightest adverse criticism OF
the new employee. In fact. he was
deemed to be "A most valuable acquisi-
ton 10 the executive staff OF the bank
and had evidenced unusual capacity as
q detectOr Of counterfeit notes and OF
forged signatures on negotiable instru-
ments. Yes. the assistant cashier was
a man with a future of promise IL
store for him, and the Fourth National
of Springfield had but month before
offered him the position of cashier,
with a thousand dollars a year in
crease over his present salary. Not
one official of the Fourth National could
give satisfactory reason for his re-
fusal of the offer. VERY remarkable
young man. very" was the comment
Of the president of the Fourth National
when notified Of the episode.
"Hurrah! Nobody in the officer ex-
claimed Bobby to his sister Kitty. who
followed him into the room.
The children. prime favorites with
the assistant cashier. were accustomed
to do very much as they pleased with
him or with his Office at this late hour
in the day. when business with the
lpubllc had practically concluded. Al
most the only remaining thing for him
to do was TO attend TO certain routine
matters connected with the closing of
the banks business for the day
Come on; let US play something"
challenged the sprightly Kitty, who.
in her short slllrted white linen dress
and with her delicate features, much
like those Of her sister Rose. appear
ed more like a Christmas doll than a
future inheritor of a fortune and of an
imposing. dictatorial social position.
At Bobby's suggestion the children
decided 40 play at being a banker"
and after a lengthy. spirited dispute
Bobby impersonated the role OF Mr..
Randall. while Kitty was forced to be
content with the character Of LADY
borrower"
Bobby perched himself on the as
sistant cashiers chair and assumed as
stern an expression as his childish
features and mischievous rowing eyes
would permit.
Snow. / understand you wish a
loan" began Bobby.
II don't, either" retorted Kitty, sit
ting herself on a chair in front Of the
desk
"Oh, come on and play. When | say
Il understand you wish a loan.' you
say Yes"
"But you won't give me any money"
ar your security is good enough l
will Now" imperiously, 81 under
stand you wish a Loan
Glow much can / get?"
"No. no! You say a lot at first;
that's business. Now, how much?"
Fifty thousand dollars"
"That's ine." He paused, judiciously
pickering his brows. THAT'S consid-
cradle money"
"That's the most could think of"
decisively.
Don't talk that way" instructed
Bobby. "You would be put out for
making breaks like that. Just don't
say anything when they find fault.
Now. that's considerable money, but
Of course you have security| lie
paused. 'Well, say Yes"
Eyes"
swell, / thought so--what"
"WhatT
"What have you got in the way OF
securityT he asked.
~ farm"
GLOW large a farm?"
"Ten million acres"
'Well. that's good. Now. what
grows on this farm?"
She hesitated. then said; "Fruit-
peaches and apples"
That's good. What elseT he pro
nounced.
Pears"
"Any bananasY Kitty shook hel
head. every sorry" the lad went on
'but we have all the fruit you have
in our own back yard. The only fruit
farm could loan money on would be
banana farm. No. No bananas
no loan. Good day"
"But you didn't tell me to say bana
mas" insisted the girl.
"Tell you! A banker don't tell yor
anything you ought TO know"
After delivering himself Of this
piece of financial wisdom Bobby en-
deavored to continue. but Kitty in
sisted on being the man for awhile
While the argument was in progress
the door leading from the vaul