The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-05
EVENING STORY
Upside Down.
BY RAY FISHER.

u
Mr.. Horace Seymour. rising to indi-
cate that the minute interview was
at an end; but your quest is futile.
cannot allow my daughter to marry
man with no more alluring future
| than the one that confronts you"
But Weldon Miller did not move to-
ward the door of the bankers office.
Disappointment showed on his clear
cut countenance. but thru it cleaned
hint of a smile. a. somewhat deter
mined smile. He creased his felt hat
carefully and asked:
Then there's no hope, Mr.. Sey-
| mourn You know I love Ruth sin
| cerely. and It's not because of your
her want. not your money
Mr.. Seymour. unused in his march
\ across the room.
I'm really inclined to believe you
are sincere about that" he conceded.
not the question. 1t is not SO much
that you are not wealthy, but that you
| evidently have not the resourceful-
ness, the acumen to accumulate mon
ey. My daughter must become the
wife of a successful man. and he must
have the goods to show that he is sue
cessful. But you are a mail carrier,
| and while 1t is an honest occupation
and very necessary one in the run
] ming of the world. 1t is so prosaic. so
| devoid Of thrills, so lacking in oppOr-
tunity for Achievement that-well, no.
| cannot see much hope for you. You
need not tell me that Ruth loves you.
1 believe she does, or thinks she does,
but she will forget you. I'm sorry I
ize that her activities in entertaining
service men would lead to any such
serious affair"
Still the young man held the fort at
the desk, while Mr.. Seymour fidgeted
and blew smoke and began to feel
vexed at-1nis persistent visitor. 1t was
past time for lunch.
I'm concrete terms, Mr. Seymour"
said weldon. Just what would you re-
quire OF me to make me eligible as
| son-in-laW? I'm determined to meet
your requirements. Just tell me how
to go about 1t and I'll leave you"
This was fair proposition, the
banker conceded.
sit down." he said abruptly, and
dropped into his own swivel chair.
| I'm wasting time, but 1 want to be
square. Here's the crux of the thing.
You're not on your feet, figuratively
speaking. You're upside down. Get
on your feet and make things hum.
Nine young men out of ten are upside
down; they're like turtles Topped on
1 their backs, unable to make progress.
| Sometimes a fellow will get on his
feet overnight and then he can speed
to the heights of success. You're
| honest or you wouldn't be CARRYING
to succeed. My advice may sound
hard, but it's the only recipe for sue
cess. Go after the coin and get 1t, no
matter how, so long as you don't run
afoul of the law. Use your brains;
put II over the other fellow, grab his
coin and you'n win everybody's adj
niration. especially your victims, to
use a harsh but applicable term.
! You'll find such a course profitable
and also thrilling; not humdrum like
carrying mail. .-
You ask for a plain b1siness
proposition. Well, here it is. It
sounds impossible. and for you it
probably is. If you can come to me
inside OF two weeks with a ten-thou-
sand dollar hank account you can have
Ruth and therell be no questions
asked 1t will prove your resourceful-
ness Good day
weldon Miller went to his boarding
house and spent the rest OF the day
shut in his room, smoking and think
ing. Early in the evening he appeared
to come to decision, for he flung on
his coat and hat and took a street car
to the Second National bank. His
card brought quick action, for in a few
moments he was shaking hands with
the president of the institution, who
appeared to have seen no more than
thirty years.
CIV George! I'm glad to see you.
o.,
visitors hand warmly. What can l
do for you? Ever since I inherited
this soft Job I've been trying to start
you in business. but you've always re-
fused"
"You can do something. all right,
Ferd," said Weldon, accepting a long,
brown cigar and light. You can
help turn me rightside up. You know
old man Seymour, of the First State,
don't you? Wen. lfsten- .
II there was one subject on which
Mr.. Horace Seymour was touchy it
was his courage. During his rather
adventurous career. before settling
down to become rich and rotund, he
had hunted in the jungles OF both
Wall street and Africa.
He had engaged In hot struggles
against brokers, with the money as
the object and against wild beasts,
! with life as the stakes. He had never
been afraid and he was proud of it
He was in his prime. even II he did tip
the scales at 214. II eat danger" was
his boast.
Consequently. when the question Of
| courage in aeronautics came up at the
club one night he took a prominent
part in the debate. He had read up
on the subject more or less and as
sumed the role of an authority.
TT takes nerve to fly" he admitted,
but not so much as 1 have been
forced to display at times on terra
firma."
. He then related some instances to
prove his statement.
} sit may be true" observed George
: Hollister, the young president OF the
Second National bank. that going UP
in an airship does not require an extra
amount of courage, but when It comes
to looping and going thru all
! those fancy maneuvers- reckon
you wouldn't care to try II yourself.
I "Wouldn't, hey? How much do you
want to bet on that?"
! ''IH wager ten thousand" replied
! the challenger, that # you will go UP
} in an airplane and let the aviator put
you thru a program OF stunts you will
Z be crying quits inside of an hour after
leaving the ground"
IT'S a CO." said Mr.. Seymour. Put
up the cash"
III rnp7D,fffaa n ar.