The Washington herald., 1922-10-11
The Beautiful
And Damned
Contsnued FROM Yesterday.
By r. Scott Fitzgerald

Of moral energy on Gioris's part to
intimidats him into returning. and
when he reported next day. some
what depressed from his perusal of
the senile bromidss skittishly set
forth IN Heart Talks on Ambition"
he found only nifty of the original
three hundred awaiting the appear
ancs Of the vital and compelling
sammy Carleton. Mr.. Carleton's
powers of vitality and compulsion
were this time exercised in elucidat-
ing that magnificent pi.ce of spec
ulation-how to sell. 1t seemed that
the approved method was to state
ones proposition and then to say
not ''And now. will you buy?"-this
was not the way-oh. no,-the way
was 10 state ones proposition and
then. having reduced ones ad-
versary to a state of exhaustion. to
deliver oneself of the categorical
Imperative: Now see here. You've
taken up my time explaining this
matter to you. You've admitted my
many do you want?"
As Mr.. Carleton piled assertion
upon assertion Anthony began to
feel a sort Of disguised confidence
in him The man appeared to know
what he was talking about. Obvi-
ousIy prosperous. he had risen to
the position of instructins others.
II did not occur to Anthony that
the type Of man who attains COM
merciaI success seldom knows how
or why, and. as in his grandfather's
case. when he ascribes reasons. the
reasons are generally inaccurate
and absurd.
Anthony noted that of tn. numer-
Gus cd men who had answered the
original advertisement, only two
had returned. and that among the
thirty odd who assembled on the
third day to get actual selling In
structions from Mr.. Carleton. only
one gray head was In evidence.
These thirty wer- eager converts;
with their mouths they followed the
working of Mr.. Cartoons mouth;
they swayed in their seats with en-
thusiasm, and in the intervals OF
his talk they spoke to each other
IN tense approving whispers. Yet
OF the chosen few who, in the
words of Mr.. Carleton, were deter
mined to get those deserts that rignt-
ly and truly belonged to them, less
than half a dozen combined even
rnodicum Of personal appearance with
that great gift of being "pusher.
But they were told that they were
all natural pushers-it was merely
necessary that they should oehe'e
with a sort OF savage passion in what
they were selling. He even urged
each one to buy some stock himsef.
il possible. in order to increase MS
own sincerity.
On the fifth day then. Anthony
sailed into the street with all the
sensations Of a man wanted by the
police. Acting according to instrue-
tions he selected a tall office building
in order that he might ride to the top
story and work downward. stopping
in every office that had a name on
the door. But at the last minute he
hesitated. Perhaps It would be more
practicable to acclimate himself to the
chilly atmosphere which he felt was
awaiting him by trying a few Offices
on, say. Madison Avenue. He went
into an arcade that seemed only semi
prosperous. and seeing a sign which
read Percy B. weatherbee Architect.
he opened the door heroically and en-
tered A starchy young woman look
ed up duestioningly.
Can I see Mr.. weatherbee- He
wondered if his voice sounded tremu-
lous.
She laid her hand tentatively on
the teIephone-receiver.
What's the name. please7'
-. IL
wouldn't know my name"
What's your business with him?
You an insurance agent"
Oh no. nothing like that" denied
Anthony hurriedly. "Oh. no. It's a
IFS personal matter" He won
Gcrcd IL he should have said this. 1t
rad al sounded so simple when Mr.,
carleton had enjoined his flock
Don't allow yourself to be kept out!
Show them you've made up your
rriHd 70 talk to them. and they'll
l.e'sa"
The ~irl succumbed to Anthony's
;.e7soIt. melancholy face. and in
rlo-1srt the DOOR to the inner room
opened and admitted tall. splay-
SccJsd man with slicked hair. He
approached Anthony with ill-conceaI-
q impatience-
You wanted to see me on a per-
soraI natter
anthony quailed.
L wanted to talk to you" he said
S~fantly
About what"
I'm take some time to explain"
We'll, what's it about?" Mr.. Wealth
e: bees voice indicated rising irritation.
Then Anthony. straining at each
word. each syllable. began:
II don't know whether or not
you We ever heard Of a series of
- 7-1phlets called Heart Talks"
GOOD grief" cried Percy B. Wealth
erbee. Architect. ARE you trying to
touch my heart?''
No. it's business Heart Talks
have been Incorporated and we're
putting some shares on the market
His voice faded slowly of. harassed
p" a fixed and contemptuous stare
ron his unwilling prey. For another
r'i-ute he struggled on. increasingly
s-Sitivc. entangled in his own words
~ confidence oozed from him in great
"-e!:iHS emanations that seemed to
be sections II his own body. Almost
me~cifully Percy r. Weatherbee,
Architect. terminated the interview:
Good grief" he exploded in dis
'-uSt. and you call that a personal
natter He whipped about and
strCde into his private office. banging
TIE door behind him. Not daring
20 look at the stenographer. Anthony
IN some shameful and mysterious way
got himself from the room. Perspir-
in- profusely he stood in the hall
wondering why they didn't come and