The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-11
THE EVENING STORY
Mr.. Stevens's Career.
(By Grace Kerrigan0

Mr.. James Stevens was a. .lch man
and easy-going.
Mrs. James Stevens was a rich mans
wife and devoted to society.
Mr.. Fred Stevens was a rich mans
son, and would have been a ninny or a
snob or half-fool at the age of TWEEN
ty-three but for his grandfather's
blood. He got little or no care from his
mother, and little or no advice from his
father. When he was old enough to
go to college he packed himself off
with hardly word to anybody. He did
1t because other sons did it.
At college young Mr.. Stevens learned
the college yell, how to squa-der mon
ey and several words in the dead Ian
guages. There might have been a bit
more, but if so he forgot it on the
train back to New York after he had
been presented with his diploma.
Grandfather Stevens had been a
blacksmith who held on to two hun
dred acres of land until it made him a
millionaire. He was practical and
looked ahead.
Two years after young Stevens had
graduated he caused his friends to
be greatly surprised in him. They had
argued that he would wed a chorus
girl. On the contrary, he fell in love
with a music teacher and asked for her
hand within month.
No, sir!" was the prompt reply
''But-but-r'
You want reasons, and I will give
them to you. You are a rich mans
son and have money of your own. If
you were to lose your wealth, as hum
dreds have before you, you could not
earn SIS per week"
But it's in bonds, and how can I
lose it?'
How have others? But admit that
you don't lose it, Have you earned a
dollar of it yourself?"
Moo"
And you don't propose to earn
dollar. You think to live on the in
terest."
IL can speculate stammered
Fred.
IF you speculate and make money
you take it from some one else with
out earning it. If you lose you may
be reduced to the point where others
have got to aid you"
eff I take my capital and buy land
and wait for it to advance in value as
my grandfather did,"
That's a gamble. One never can tell
what is going to take place to raise or
lower land values"
"Say, by Jove, but what's a Teller to
do exclaimed Fred in his desperation.
"You have asked me to marry you"
replied the girl, land I have refused.
At the end of year, if you have made
good, as the saying is, you may ask
again.
But make good, how?''
There are law, medicine, journalism,
insurance. real estate and other things
to take up. Choose one of them. Don't
be a dwadler-get busy. Help the rest
of US to turn the big wheel around. I
see your name in the papers as riding
to hounds 1 never saw it as riding to
business I see you mentioned as being
at some afternoon tea. Men that make |
the world haven't tine for such frivol- |
ity. Think it over"
Mr. Stevens thought till his head
ached, and he hadn't struck the right
thing yet when one of his friends at |
the club asked him one day:
Fred, why don't you take up a study |
and be of some use to yourself and the |
world at larger
Gust what I want to do. What shall
it be?''
"Criminology,'
That's studying into crime?'
yet and studying criminals. It's !
an interesting thing. You'll be called
and you'll give us books on |
the subject. It's inexhaustib1e There's |
money and fame for you. There aren't /
but two or three criminologists in the
country"
But how and where does fellow
begin?'
fes that has looted SO many houseS'
"Of course.
"And that they have got him at
last?
by jove. no."
well they have. and he looks near
enough like you to be a twin brother.
He is in Jail at Hampstead. Take
run down and get some pointers
"TlI do it,
An hour later he called at the home
of the widowed mother of Miss Dor
otby Speed. his near" fiancee.
'eWhat do you think" exclaimed the
voung man in considerable excitement
as he stood in the presence of the girl.
"Have you opened a real estate Of
fce?" she queried.
NO
asGot a position on the staff of a
You never could guess. I am to be-
come a criminologist-'
when do you begin?''
GAS soon as can get down to Hemp
stead in my auto. They've got Raj
hes in iail there. He is to be my first
subject Can't you and your mother
come along?
Tt was decided that they could and
if was a pleasant run down they had,
with Mr. Stevens acting as his own
chauffeur. Queerly enough. with all
the talk about Raff1es, the young man
never mentioned that he had been told
there was a strong personal resem-
blance-
At the Hampstead Jail, so rapidly do
some folks progress when they have
struck their gait, Mr.. stevens intro
duced himself as Prof. Stevens and
III md ond f17aro ffff1a |