The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-11
EDening Story
Wall Street to South Ferry.
BY r. IRVING KING.

BY r. IRVING KING.
Charley Fosdick was a clerk down
in the financial district and his board
ing house was well over on the west
side in the Twenties. He was a frugal
chap with a savings bank account and
a determination to get ahead. Charley
was from Oakdale, Mass, a small
town, but he +sas not a bit afraid of
New York, which was a strong point
in favor of his succeeding. Don't
think that. he was fresh" or unheed-
ing OF the fierce competition he was
up against
The firm of Catberwood & Robbins,
by which Charley was employed, was
run by Old Man Jameson, whit side
whiskered autocrat- Robbins had died
years and years ago; Catherwood had
died about two years before Charley
came to the firm and the business
was continued by his heirs, two sons
and a daughter, whom no one seemed
to, know much about and who were
never seen at the office. Now, every
day at a certain hour, punctually to
the minute by Trinity Church clock,
for he was a methodical person, Char
street, turned down Broadway and
proceeded to South Ferry, where he
took the Ninth Avenue Il"
He enjoyed this healthful little walk
after the confinement of the office,
and besides by taking the train at
South Ferry he stood better chance
of getting a seat. And every day as
he passed a large office building on
Broadway there emerged therefrom a
young woman of about his own age,
soberly clad and to Charley's eyes ex-
ceedingly beautiful. There was an air
of efficiency about her, too, which
to7a person constituted as Charley
Fosdick was added greatly to her at
Effectiveness.
The fair and efficient unknown was
always accompanied by an older
woman less plainly dressed, but the
young New Yorker from Oakdale, who
was a close observer and good judge
of values, was willing to bet that the
fine clothes of the older woman cost
less than the palmer ones of the
younger. The couple followed the
same route as Charley-Broadway
Bowling Green, Whitehall street. He
watched to see what then became of
them and found that they entered the
Staten Island ferry house This con-
junction of time, place, routes and
persons had been going on for some
time before either of the persons con-
cerned noticed it, but as soon as they
did it became the usual and expected
Charley always watched the entrance
of the officebuilding as he approached
to see if the plainly dressed young
lady was emerging and the plainly
dressed young lady always gave Il
swift glance up the street to see if the
young man was on time.
They neither bowed nor spoke, of
course But they became quite like
old friends after q while At last the
barrier fell; it fell with a little hand
bag which the young lady carelessly
let fall and which Fosdick picked up
and restored to her with his best bow
rewarded with a bow and smile.
After that the young lady bowed when
they met; then it became a how do
you do and after long while, the
youth negotiating his approaches
slowly but skillfully, he was permitted
to join the young lady and her COM
panion in the daily descent to the
ferry.
The ice having been broken both
the young people plunged in head over
heels. Charley used to think it quite
a little walk, but now, no sooner had
he turned into Broadway from Wall
street than he found himself at the
ferry.
Susan Knox and introduced her COM
panion as Miss Stetson. She talked
freely enough-but when Charley came
to think it over, the fact that she was
employed in the office of the Smithson
estate was about all the information
regarding her that he had acquired
Whereas he realized that by skillful
questions and leading remarks, she
had extracted from him the most
minute details of his private affairs
as we'll as all the information he could
afford with regard to the business of
his firm. Regarding the latter she
seemed strangely .curious-and Char
Ieywas as wax in her hands. He asked
permission to call; but had to be
contented with 'fWeu, not just now
later, perhaps"
They were getting perilously near
the Susan" and Charley stage when
something happened. whats been
the matter with you all the week."
said Miss Knox suddenly one day as
they were passing the Standard Oil
building. Things going wrong at the
officer
Charley glanced at Miss Stetson.
Susan said something to that guar
dian dragon under her breath and she
dropped behind The fact is" said
Charley, IT think I'll throw up my
job" And then he told her that from
things which had come under his cog
nizance in the course of his office
duties, he believed that Old Man jane
son had been using the firms money
to speculate with and was about due
for smashup that might wreck or
cripple the concern. He had bought
heavily of T. P. & O., which had gone
down five points and gave signs of
going still lower.
"And you think" said Miss Knox at
the end of the recital, that if T. P.
& O. went up SO that Jameson could
break even with the market he would
draw out and replace the money he
has-er-er-borrowed? ?"
Eyes, for this DEAL" replied Charley,
''but Lord knows how soon he would
be in On another"
''well, you'd better keep your job
a while" said she. Here we are at
the ferry. Good day."
The next day T. P. & O. began to
go up. 1t rose steadily all the next
week until it was two points above
where Jameson had bought it On the
day the stock reached that point
Charles Fosdick had the shock of his
life. Miss Knox and Miss Stetson ap-
peared at the office of Catherwood &
Robbins and were shown in to Old Man
Jameson's private sanctum, and Mr..
Catlin chief # the office staff, a