The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-09-14
The Social
Ladder
There Is Money as Well
as Position on the
Top Round
By ETHEL HOLMES

| Billy SaxtOn and Eunice Mainwaring
/ were married at an unfortunate time.
They had been both brought up in lux
| ury and had met, loved and become en-
| gagged in the social whirl. But they
| were the last of long line of rich peo-
| pie, and neither possessed anything
wherein to live except their clothes,
| though this in Eunice's case was con-
| siderable.
! Love spurred Billy to make an effort,
| and he secured position giving him
| $50 week. The two figured out how
| they would make it do, and, Cupid
| holding the pencil, brought their re-
| quirements within it. So they were
married. But unfortunately the pan
European war came on about this time,
and prices began to soar. Billys sal
airy remained where it was. Articles
that they required rose from 80 to 100
| per cent. Therefore their income was
| really not more than from SIS to 500
| week. Cupid, after he has got couple
| off his hands by marrying them, does
| not further trouble himself about their
affairs. The SaXtons made new fig
ures, but the little god was not wag
| ging the pencil, and this time the result
| spelled ruin.
| After long conference It was agreed
| between them that Billy should go to
| Mr.. Goodwin, the head Of the firm by
which he was employed, call his atten-
| ton to the raise in prices of necessities
f10
| done to enable him to earn better in
come. The next day after business
hours when Mr.. Goodwin was about to
leave his private Office Billy opened the
| door and walked in. Billy had on
| suit he had worn at the time of his
marriage, beautiful polkadot necktie
| and yellow spats Most of his attire
was somewhat worn, but it was in
good style, and it's owner looked more
| like deposed prince Of the blood in
| curing for rich American wife than
| a mere clerk.
Billy stammered forth his case while
his employer listened, rather noting the
young mans aristocratic appearance
| than the burden Of his argument. But
| when the request came Mr.. Goodwin
| told his employee that, while he saw
| the justice Of his demand, he could not
grant It, The profits in his business,
| while prices had been rising, had fallen
| propOrtionately. True, the firm had
| been doing a larger business than be-
fore, but everything required in it had
| so risen In price that the more business
done the more money lost.
| Billy knew that this was not so, and
| the knowledge only made him feel the
more bitter at the refusal. He went
| out sorrowful. AS he made his exit
| the wife of the head Of the firm en-
tered. She was richly dressed and be-
| spangled with jewels. She had come
| to drive her husband home in his auto.
"Who is that young man?" she asked.
| "His name is Saxton. Why do you
ask?"
! "He's the most aristOcratic looking
| person I have seen in long while. Is
he in your employT
eyes; he has a minor clerkship."
"A minor clerkship! A young man
| Of his age and to the manner born Oc-
| cupying a minor clerkship!"
| "Our clerks are not appointed be-
cause they are aristocratic looking and
wear fine clothes"
Nevertheless l think see in this
| young man something more valuable
| and ornamental than one perched on
high stool turning over the leaves of
ledger"
"Well, my dear if you will tell me
how to make him thus valuable I will
see what can do about it"
"Ask him to dinner"
Mr.. Goodwin, having just refused
| Billy raise in salary, was not minded
to invite him to dinner. Such an invi-
tation would suggest that the employ
er had reconsidered the request Of the
employee and would show a favorit
ism to one Of the office force that would
have a bad effect. Mr. Goodwin said
| that he would see about it, and the
subject was dropped for the time.
| When Mrs Goodwin brought it up
again her husband told her that Billy
| had wife and it would be, out Of the
| question to give him an invitation
without including his consort. Mrs.
Goodwin, not being sure that Mrs. Sax
ton was up to Billy's aristocratic stand
ard, dropped the matter-at least foi
| the time.
One Sunday Mr.. and Mrs. Goodwin
were reading the morning papers, he
| the financial articles, his wife the So
ciety columns Mrs. Goldwin's eye
| alighted upon an announcement of the
| first appearance in the social world for
some time Of Mr. and Mrs. William
Saxton at a function given by Mrs.
Saxton's aunt Mrs. DeVersey Main
waring. Mrs. Goodwin at once called
her husbands attention to the an
nouncement and berated him soundly
for not having given the invitation she
had suggested. Mr.. Goodwin. who
knew something of social customs.
suggested that Mrs. SaXton must be
considered in the matter and raised o
] ~. e., AI,<~ @ir,or.