The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-08
Eoening Story
Shed Diagnosed His Case.

into a eha1r-the chair. He was tired
1t had been a hard day for him at
Miller 81 haberdasr cry; the boss had
come thru and jumped at him for sit
ting down a minute, and on top of
that he had limited pretty broadly that
Tom needed some cleaning and press
ing done. AS his thoughts ran on he
glanced down at his clothes. They
were shabby. but cleaning and press
ing would do little good. Why didn't
the boss give the-plen decent salary
SO they could dress properly? 1t was
all his fault, anyway.
Tom gripped the arms of his chair
and stared hard at the worn place in
the carpet: some day he'd tell that
smirking fashion plate something. but
for the present he'd better bear it.
he was not meant for salesman-he
should be q. manger, he'd succeed that
way and he knew it.
AS if it weren't bad enough to have
everything going wrong at the store
Flo Williams, the pretty little stenog-
rapher at Monroe's printing house,
had also begun to drop hints. In fact,
she as good as told him that he ought
to have enough ambition at thirty to
be something more than a. mere sales
man, and that their future relations
depended upon his future actions.
his hand that he had found awaiting
him on the hall table downstairs.
Dear Sir: Git began)
LAS attorneys for the late Mr.
Harold Carpenter we wish to notify
| you that you are named as one of
the beneficiaries in his will and that
your share in the property after the
estate will have been settled will
amount to some $25, 900
You will hear from us again within
the next few days giving further par
ticulars and Instructions
Very truly,
BURNETT & BURNETT"
In daze of unbelief Tom stared at
the letter. 1t came from Milwaukee,
he saw, but who on earth was Harold
Carpenter? Then he remembered
| that Carpenter was his mothers name
! before she married; some relative of
hers, no doubt. Slowly the situation
| began to grip him.
He, Tom Halton, was about to in
herit a fortune! Now he'd show those
people down at the store. He jumped
| up and paced around the room, two
strides forward, then two back, then
forward again. His head was whirl-
| ing with plans as he muttered vim
dictively to himself. At first he
thought he'd phone Flo, then changed
his mind and decided to keep it quiet
until he'd won her.
Late in the night he began prepar-
ing for bed. With toss he pitched
his old suit into corner of the room;
the janitor could have it. Tomorrow
he'd wear his best and buy a new one
to take its place. Accordingly, he ap-
the owner of AdIer's than one of the
statesmen. He greeted his fellow
workers with a patronizing wave of
the hand and Jauntily started to ar
range his stock.
Hey. Tom,' called one of the men,
the mana gers out of town for two
days. We've got to run things our
selves
"Out of town, is he?" asked Tom.
rs the boss in his office now?"
Sure; what're you going to do?"
Don't know yet" he answered,
starting toward the elevator.
Whats struck him?" they muir
INJURED among themselves.
Morning, Mr.. Adler said Tom
| rather breezily a moment later.
Good morning, Halton, what can
do for you?''
''I came up to say that since the
managers out of town for couple O.
days I wish you'd let me take his place
for that long. 1 have some selling
plans in my head to try OUT
''It isn't customary, you know"
| stammered the boss. totally taken
aback by the nerve of the man.
Customary or not, you're in a rut
| down there and you need some pep
and new blood. Pm tired of having
my hands tied, and if you don't care
| to give me this chance I guess I'd bet
ter resign and try my luck somewhere
| else"
| The boss played with his letter
opener for a while and then answered:
| You can't do much harm in that
time; go ahead"
With elation Tom almost skipped
back to the elevator and down to his
| department.
''What'd you do?" the salesman ask
| ed as he returned.
| I'm manager while Rollins is away,
and we're going to make a whooping
| success of it, he announced. Come
here, Turner, 1 want to dress you up
and put you in that window Two
| rig-you can smoke and read your
paper then-and two hours evening
| clothes. That's all pretty easy, but
wait until you have to wear an over
coat. Now, get busy and put on that
| hundred and twenty-five tweed. I'll
| choose the tie. We're going to make
Rome howl all right"
He was so enthusiastic and not a
| bit patroniZing or condescending, so
| all the statesmen fell in with his plans
ana cheef1ully ODeyedf the orders he
gave without murmur.
Turner had splendid figure and
always wore his clothes well. Con-
sequently the window was surrounded
from morning to night and many of
| the spectators came in to buy
| When the manager returned Halton
went back to his old post without a
murmur. but he was a changed man,
and he waited on his customers with
| little song of triumph in his breast,
! for he knew that he had made a sue
cess
| The following Saturday Adler sent
for him and started right into the
| business on hand.
How'd you like to be manager of
the store we're opening at Akron the
| first of the year,"
Fine, if the salary's enough" he
answered nencon1mittally.