The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-03-13
Universal
FurniSherS
INCL
BY Frank H. Williams

We can find you the thing you've
been hunting for!
No matter whether it's an ant-eater
or piece Of early Japanese pottery
just tell US what you want and we'll
; get 1t.
OUR PRICES ARE MERELY
NOMINAL.
What you want furnished when you
want It. Give US a trial.
UNIVERSAL FURNISHERS QNC.)
THAT the ad. thatll bring emf"
Sam Culbertson, the aged president
and practically sole owner Of uni.
versal Furnishers Qnc.)." spread
the morning paper before him on his
handsome new desk and leaned back
In his richly upholstered new chair.
He ran his hands through his scant
locks. screwed up his far from hand
some face and winked at Sallie Jor-
dan, his pretty stenographer.
"This'll be the best little graft l
ever worked"
Sallie looked far from pleased at
this announcement. Sam laughed
loudly at her expression.
MY dear GIRL" there was vast
condescension In his voice, II call
everything l do graft There's
nothing wrong about the scheme.
You needn't feel at all worried, even
~ VA, boyo nat opo sharo Of ctOCk
and even II you are one OF the incor'
porators. Neither does Bill, the OF.
flee boy. need to feel worried, though
he's got a share and is also one Of the
incorporators. No one need feel
worried. because this business is 60
Ing to be fair and above board, and
it'll be about the only square thing
I've been in for 20 years"
But why do you call It a graft
them" Sallie spoke timidly. She was
fresh from a business college and this
was her first position.
Il call everything graft, but that
word is good in this case, because It
will be something Of graft In the
prices I charge the customers. You
see, people who are so anxious to get
things that they will employ a pro-
fessional getter to get them, will pay
almost any price II the getter Is sue
cessful. That's where the graft comes
In. All. Sallie. II will be wonderful
what prices We can charge our dear
customers and still get away with It."
But you say our prices are nomi'
nall" Sallie's voice indicated her In.
dignation.
my dear little church.worker. our
prices are nominal-camparatively
nominal. We will scale them nicely
to what our customers think the
thing We get for them ID worth. Now
it, Ill fair and square-just forget
your Puritan conscience for . time.
I'd hate to have one Of my fellow.
incorporators out Of sympathy with
the plans Of the business. All. here's
our first batch Of mail"
Sam took the three letters extended
to him by the postman and opened
them rapidly. It took him but . mo
ment to digest their contents.
Three orders already. gallie,
That's fine. Wen Just stop adver'
Using until we get these orders out
Of the way. It would never do to
burden tho company with too much
business at the start. Here's a man
In room 3l4-that's on the third floor
of the Portland fats. He's making
a collection OF hats and he wants one
worn by an American soldier In
the Revolutionary war. Hum, that
ought to be easy. Here's another,
from Rudolph Erickson. 917 Jefferson
street Rudolph wants key that will
open six-by-four trunk used by his
grandmother. That's explicit. isn't 1t ?
Guess I better call him up and get
fuller details-he gives his telephone
number. And here's the third one
some fellow by the name OF Ernest
Randolph. Ernest will not confide his
desire to his letter; he wants to see
representative Of the company.
tell you what, Sallie, you go up and
see Ernest I'll be SO busy with these
two other cases that won't have
time to work him for graft. Be sure
and get . good fee from him-that's
the important part you know-a big
fee"
Sallie was inwardly rebellious at
being connected with any concern
which even savored Of graft, but she
was exceedingly anxious to make .
little money BY working In an once.
so she had no thoughts Of resigning.
After al. the business was really 10
climate. and for her part she decided
AZ she walked toward Ernest RAN
dolph's address she would charge
nothing but . perfectly honest, mod
crate Tee.
When Sallie returned to the once