Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-02-19
WITHOUT A REFERENCE
BY c. 2. SPENCER.


inform Mr. James S. Sykes, the senior
partner of Sykes & Davis, that he was
not the only honest man in the United
States, his astonishment would have
been intense.
If any employee had limited in the re-
hottest degree that Mr.. Sykes was be-
coming very forgetful and absent-mind-
ed. that daring employee would have
been out of a job within i've minutes.
Walter Brisbane had come to Sykes
& Co. as bookkeeper and cashier with
splendid references. Mr.. Sykes person
ally engaged or discharged all the
help. He did it because he alone I'M
derstood human nature, or flattered
himself that he did. When he had
read the references, he said:
Young man. there was no need TO
bring this trash here!"
But l supposed that"
mo matter what you supposed You
didn't steal anything from these peo-
pie. and so they certify that you are
strictly honest. What fools!"
IL don't understand, sir"
you might not have had tho chance
to steal"
/ Good morning, sir,r said the young
man as he arose to go.
sit down, young man" shouted Mr..
Sykes. Il am going to give you the
place-not because of these refer
ences. not because | think you are
honest, but because shall watch you
like hawk"
Very we'll; will take the place
II was a month to a day when GUS
toner came into the store to pay a
debt of $3.50. He brought currency
instead of check. 1t being the noon
hour, the cashier was out for lunch,
and the only one in the Office was Mr..
Sykes.
/ The next afternoon as he returned
from lunch Mr.. Sykes smilingly said to
him: And now for little jaunt to
Sing Sing!"
You have caught me, have your"
Ibid you deposit that $3.50 yester-
day? Did you enter it on the cash
book?"
What particular $3.50 do you
mean?" was asked la all seriousness.
The payment made by Adams, sir
But he didn't make payment to
me-
But he did to me. and left the
money with a slip on your desk.
But found nothing of the sort, and
you said nothing to me about II"
The indignant young man demanded
arrest and trial, but this was refused
and when he threatened Mr.. Sykes
with suit for defamation of charac
ter he was laughed at.
In answer to an advertisement mex
day Miss Hattie Somers called. She
was fumbling in her reticule for hel
references when Mr.. Sykes exclaimed:
Don't want to see thern!"
But they are references" she pro
tested
@Ain't worth cent pound! Just
discharged a young fellow with gilt
edged references who stole $3.50 be
fore my face and eyes and then threat
ened me with suit for damages"
HE must have been bad man.
Every one that handles your money
is thief"
IF you think that, Mr.. Sykes"
Il do, but you can take the place
have read and heard that women are
more honest that men. expect you'll
last about four weeks and then go the
way of the others. Don't forget thai
you'll be under my watchful eye"
Miss Somers had held the place fol-
two weeks when she had an evening
caller at her boarding place. The
card read: "Mr. Walter Brisbane" She
had heard the name at the office Even
the junior partner had told her that
he had grave doubts about the young
mans guilt.
The discharged cashier had made nc
effort to get another place, but had
spent much time in thinking. Mr.
Sykes was certainly mean man
but that he was a deliberate liar was
much to be doubted
All of sudden one night as he lay
turning the problem over in his mind
for the hundredth time, bright
thought came to him, and it was that
thought that had esnt him to Miss
Somers. One day after Mr.. Sykes had
spent half an hour in looking for a
certain paper it was found in catch
air drawer in his desk, and the re
mark was made that the drawer hadn't
been opened before for a month Had
the man in a moment of absent-mind-
edness placed money and slip in that
receptacle? Would Miss Hattie take
advantage of an occasion and make a
search?
The girl would be only too glad to
do SO and help him solve the mystery
and clear his name.
What happened next morning In the
office of Sykes & Davis interested sew
eral people.
At ten o'clock Mr.. Sykes rose up and
remarked that he might be out for
half an hour.
Miss Hattie was at the .'catch-all'