The daily Alaskan., 1917-02-07
HowaDebtW Was
 Collected
By WILLIAM CHANDLER

world the strangest to me are those who consider it their duty to give largely, but who in transactions of business nature are inordinately mean.
 Such characters are common among rich men, whose motive usually is to make something, even ost of their do- nations-men who don't hide their light under a bushel. But Miss Euphemia Baxter was not at all such person. Few knew of her charities. She sup ported an old woman for years who had been an intimate friend of her mothers. At the same time she beat her laundress down to starvation prices. She lived in a hall bedroom herself and spent lot of money fix ing up home for an invalid aunt. It was the furniture to go into this home that sold Miss Baxter.
 Failing in sending out my regular collector, thought would try wo- man. She came away after a tongue skirmish that decided her never to un- dertake such a task again.
 l had a salesman, Frank Emery, in my employ, a good looking young fel- low with one of the pleRsantest smiles ever saw on a mans face. Where other persons would scowl he would smile. He was invaluable as sales- man, especially since most of my cus- toners were women. One of the oth- CT clerks used to say of him, "One of Franks smiles sells q washstand, an- other sells a bureau, and when he shows his side grinders 1t means whole bedroom set"
 One day Frank said to me, MT. Rug gles, what'u you give me If collect your debt from Miss Baxter?"
 q don't think any one can collect 1t, Frank" I replied q fancy the lady went in debt for 1t and has never been able to stop giving long enough to ac- cumulate the amount of the bill. You can't squeeze blood out of turnip."
 "Pn tell you what I'll do, MT. Rug gles. l didn't have any vacation last summer. The dull season is on now, and you can best spare me. Give me few weeks vacation and I'll see if can get your money"
 I acceded to his terms and, giving him a statement of the account-$142- sent him off to collect the debt in any way he might be able. The boys said that he'd get it in installments, giving a smile for each installment.
 Three weeks passed before heard a word from my collector. Then one day he came into the store, smiled and handed me the amount of Miss Bax- ter's indebtedness. 1 asked him how be had managed 1t, but he did not seem inclined to tell me. Indeed, he looked rather serious about 1t. This surprised me, for had never known him to look serious about anything. But l got the story out of him piece meal
 He had gone to Miss Baxter and told her he had heard that she was a tender hearted person. Would she hllull 1ulCltoL ACAoClA " bCb AAA44 NA@ ployment? He was hungry and shab- by Che wore a castoff suiD, and he was not very strong. He could not do man. ual labor.
 Quite likely it was the smile that did the business. Miss Baxter gave him the wherewithal to get something to eat while she was hunting a job for him. He put away the money, and she found plenty of jobs. But either they required too much strength or Frank was especially unfitted for them. He kept accepting donations from day to day, the lady having hard work to tn- duce him to do so and only under promise that he should be permitted to return them as soon as she found a position for him. He very soon clean ed her out of all the ready money she possessed, after which she began to sac rifice what few valuables she owned, finally pawning her winter coat, which she greatly needed.
 l declined to take money achieved in this way, which appeared to be great relief to Frank. Having started out to collect the debt in his own peculiar way, he was bound to follow the mat ter to the bitter end. He managed to preserve his equanimity till the lady gave up her winter coat for his bene- fit. That broke him up. 1 told him to return the money to Miss Baxter. He said that could only be done in some roundabout manner, but it would be done.
 Before the next season opened one of my competitors offered Frank better pay than I was giving him, and was obliged to double his salary. Instead of giving me a single smile when l told him of the raise, smiles seemed to bubble out all over him.
 'It's not on my own account alone, Mr. Ruggles," he said, that re- joice. I am engaged, and this raise enables me to marry"
 "Who is the lady, Frank?" l asked.
 Miss Euphemia Baxter"
 Great Scottp exclaimed. You don't mean itp