Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-14

elerkly figure. That clerkly mino. he
vas among those I met during my hrst
|, years In New York. Like 80 many OF
tha millions seeking to make their way,
be was busy about his affairs, and, tor-
tunately, with the limitations OF the
average man he had the ambitions OF
the average man. He was connected
with one Of those commercial agencies
which inquire into the standing or ousi-
r.ss men and report their findings, Tor
= price, to other business men, lie was
irtercsted in his work and seemed sat
isAed that in time he was certain W
achieve what was perhaps n fair enough
ambition. managership Of some oranch
Of the great concern he was connec'eu
,v,th and which might have paid MN
M much as FIVE or six thousand sehF.
The thinf about him that Interested
me. apart from a genial and pleasing
d;snosition. was that with all 'h'S
-.e,,b Of opportunity before him lor
studying tho human mind its resources
and resourcefulncss, its inhlbit'onS anu
limitations. It's humor, tragedy ana gen.
ava, sbiftincss and chang"tuIncss, ne
concerned himself chiefly with the pare
facts of the different enterprises ""oSe
character he was supposed to invesu ,
rate. Were they solvent: Coulu anu
d,d thew pay their bills? What was
their capital stock? How mnch casn
ala they have on hand? 80 such was
~. nature OF the data he needed. ano
10 this. largely, he confined himself.
Nevertheless, he was at times amused
A. ostonishcd or made angry or SEX .
yiphteous by the tricks, the secre''''-
< no,s the errors and downright mean :
ness Of spirit Of so many he came III
contact with. As for himself he hoo
the feeling that he was person "l NJ
little character, that he was hoNeS''
straightforward, not as Hnlte" VI
,,ortbIess ms some of these others. vi
<b,s score. as on some others, ne wa
.onvinced that he would succeed l.
. man did rs he should do, II he were
Industrious and honest and courteous
and n few more of those many 'h'hE'
no all know we ought 70 be, ne wa
bound to get along better than 'Nos'
.bo did not. What, an honest IN
dus,z!ous, careful, courteous man no
do better than those who was none 0
these things? What nonsense. II mus
he so. OF course there were accIdeht'
and sickness. and men here and ther'
stole from one another. as he saw wei
illustrated in his own labors; and bank
4 failed. And there were trusts an
combinations being formed even the!
vhich did not seem'to be entirely /!
tune with the interests OF the averag
man. But even so. All things consiq
cred. II the average man ip!tu"cu IL
above rules he was sure to iare De'le
than the other fellow. Th"re wAs sue
a thing as apprONiluat" justice. "No
did prevail, III the main, anu III
wicked were punished, as tAey shou1'
be.
on that score, Tor he liked TO argue @h'
speculate as to the lives of his fellow
NEIL ana " AtAEI ~ '''-'4
peccadilloes. 80 long as thy GIu no
sway too far - the left Of what h'
looked upon as the l.ue Of honor AZ,
fair dealing.
As for love and marriage, he hc,'
definite views about these u.-O, NJ
that he was unGu,y narrow Ur tArl!"
to- censurc thOse WhUsc lives had l."
worked out as weI a he hoped HI. '"'
would, but there wi a pne III" 1 l;'
toI.cv tcre in tbs matter "t Murr' :
which led 10 success also, quite As u
GJ,l,ltlcs outlined aLUve lca. or U"'.
lead. to success in matters mo-! I?a
teriul or practica,. One Ind 10 uLyor
ftaGG little SOvIrthing about w"Een
Ono had 70 tr. sure that when Oh
went accounting. one selected a WOMB
of sense as we'll as charm, one wh
came Of good stock and hence would b
rossesscd of good taste and good pr!n
ciples. She need not lie rich she Nlgr
even be poor. So many women M"r
designing, or at least light and Mighty
they could not E"Ip a scriou- man
succeed if thcy would. Ev"ry"h"r'
of course. was til" worthy cir. w""l
IL was an honor to marry, ana il wa
one of these he was going to cho">'
But even wiz. one such it was nccrs
sary TO exercise care; she might h
too narrow and conventional, wOul
n,,t understand the world, perhaps b
full of prcjulices.
In the course of time, har.ng becom
secretary 10 Il certain souobody, Il
encountered in his own Office gi
who seemed 70 c!nboly nearly all ,
tbe virtues and qualities which Il
thought necessary. She was III
daughter of very molrst'y clrrum
stanced parents. Who dwrlt in tie near
by snhurh ~ 80, and II very rapuJI