The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-07-11
An UnaCCOuntable
Prosperity
By ALAN HINSDALE


and had not made any success in life. |
Indeed, l was out Of position and
had nothing in the world to prevent
starvation. To add<o my melancholy
, was in love with girl who was sup
porting herself by teaching. She loved
me, but Of course marriage between us
was out Of the question. One after
noon l was sitting on a bench in
park with other homeless, worthless
men, A man sitting beside me got up,
leaving a newspaper behind him. l
took it up mechanically and tried to
read some of the items in 1t, prin-
cipally to relieve my mind from gloom
Suddenly my eye caught sight of my
own name. 1t was among few per-
| sonals. 1t said that II would send my
address to Murray & Field. agents, l
would hear something to my advan-
| tage. | would have concluded that the
| al. was for some other person of SINH
lar name, but my name is an odd one
| and my two surnames are also I'M
usual.
lost no time in calling on Murray
J & Field and found that they were
agents for a wooden mill in New Eng
land. l handed In the ad. which had
taken from the newspaper and was
shown into Mr. Fields office. Without
| saying anything to me he took down
| letter file, withdrew a letter and read
| It over. Then he put 1t back in It's
place and said to me:
"Do you want a position?"
said that most assuredly did want
a position very badly. He told me that
he had been directed by an officer Of
the mills lie represented to send me to
them. Opening a drawer in his desk,
he took out 500 and handed 1t to me.
l gasped some questions, but he said
he knew nothing about the matter ex-
cept that he had been instructed to ad-
vertise for me. l took the $50 and
spent one Of them for meal With
the rest paid my way to the mills.
When l got there l was received by
the secretary and put in room by
myself, the door standing open. After
remaining there about half an hour
was conducted to the Office Of the Sec
rotary, who told me that If I wanted
work | could have It, asked him
questions, With the same result as be-
fore.
l was given a job Oh a small salary.
but the SALARY was increased rapidly.
Within six months after being en-
plOyed was receiving 500 month,
and then my salary was doubled. did
all could to earn 1t, but l am not an
unbiased judge as to whether l sue
ceeded. However, l liked my work
and felt that l was fitted for 1t. One
day asked If might consider my sal
airy permanent and on being told that
it was wrote my sweetheart that
was ready to marry her If she was
ready to marry me. She replied that
she was. and obtained leave to go
and get married.
Before leaving l was handed a check
for $1,000. which was told was for
immediate use. was given every
thing / desired except information as
to why l was favored. To my Ques-
tons on this point l received only 81
lence. Before my return from my
honeymoon | was Informed that
house had been provided for me- and
on my arrival one Of the employees Of
the mills conducted me to 1t, and when
we were inside he handed me a deed
for the property, which was worth
about $4,000.
NV wife insisted that there was a
fairy godmother who was shOwerins
ON me all these blessings, but did not
believe any such thing.
One day the secretary OF the COM
, pany told me that l was wanted at
certain house, to which he would con
duct me- l felt it In my bones that
was to receive an explanation Of my
good luck or kind treatment. and while
being driven to my destination l was
. forming theories to account for 1t. |
: was driven up to handsome dwelling,
alighted, and when in the house was
taken upstairs to a room where an old
man lay in bed. He looked at me
steadily as l approached him, motioned
| me to take a chair close by him, and
| then said to me:
| dm your ldlHtT bTothtf. iou
| probably never heard Of my existence,
for / ran away from home when a
boy, and / have understood that my
name was never mentioned In the fam
lily. You are the only living person
sprung from that stock. l am unmar-
ried and have no children. I advertis-
ed for you, through you to make some
atonement for my desertion when a
boy. / own the controlling interest In
the mills where you are employed.
have but a short time to live, and at
my death you will inherit my stock TN
the company. 1t occurred TO me that
you should be trained to manage the
property, and / took my own way OF
training you"
have no remembrance Of what reply
made TO this announcement / was
so full of so many emotions that