The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-02-03


sion and his own way; for
- Walters stubborn refusal APP
peared TO Adams just then as one of
the inexpHcable but righteous beset-
tings he must encounter III following
that way. oh, Lordy, Lordr' he
groaned, and them as resentment
moved hin-"That dang boyl Dang
idiott' Yet he knew himself for "a
greater idiot because he had not been
able 10 tell Walter the truth. He could
not bring himself TO do it, nor even
TO state his case I'm its best terms: and
that was because ne felt that even in
its best terms the case was a bad one.
OF all his regrets the greatest was
that in a moment OF vanity and ten
derness, twenty-five years ago, he had
told his young wife a business secret.
He had wanted to show how impor-
tant her husband was becoming. and
how much the head Of the universe.
J. A. Lamb, trusted TO his integrity
and ability. The great man had an
idea; he thought Of branching out a
little he told Adams cOnfidentially.
and there were possibilities of profit
in glue.
What he wanted was liquid glue
20 be put into little bottles and sold
cheaply. The kind of thing that sells
ITSELF he said; The kind of thin
that pays its own small way as it goes
along, until it has profits enough to
begin advertising it right Everybody
has to use glue, and if l make mine
convenient and cheap. eve~ybodyH
buy mine. But it's got to be glue
that'n stick; it's got to be the best
and If we find how to make it we've
got to keep it a big secret, of course,
or anybody can steal it from us. There
was a man here last month; he knew
a formula he wanted to sell me, sight
unseen but he was in such a hurry
I got suspicious, and I found he'd
managed to steal it, working for the
big packers in their gIue-works.
We've got to find a better glue than
that, anyhow. I'm going to set you
and Campbell at it. You're a prac-
teal, wide-awake young Teller and
Campbell's a mighty good chemist; I
Tuess you two boys ought to make
fomething happen"
His guess was shrewd enough
Working in a shed a little way out
side the town, where their CHEEKY EN-
ployer visited them sometimes &c
study their rnalodorous stews. the two
Young men found what Lamb had set
them to find. But Campbell was
thoughtful over the discovery. Look
here" he said. why amt this 1uat
about yours and mine2 After all. il
may be Lambs money that's paid for
tho stuff we've used, but It hasn't
cost much"
But he pays us" Adams remon
strated, Mortified by his companIon's
idea. HE paid US to do 1t. 1t belong.
absolutely to him
"Oh, I know he thinks It does.
Campbell admitted. plaintively 81
suppose we've got to let him take It
It's not patentable. and he'll have tC
do pretty well by us when he starts
his factory, because he's got to depend
on US to run ths making Of the stuff
so that the workmen can't get onto
the process. You better ask him the
same salary do, and mines going
- 20 high"
But the high salary, thus pleasantly
imagined, was never paid. Campbell
died Of typhoid fever, that summer
leaving Adams and his employer the
only possessors Of the formula. ar
unwritten oneI and Adams, pleased
to think himself more important tc
the great man than ever. told his wife
that there could be little doubt or his
being put in sole charge of the pros
pective glue-works. Unfortunately
the enterprise remained prospective.
Its protector had already become
'inveigled into another side-nne," as
he told Adams. One of his sons had
persuaded him to take up a cough
lOzenge," to be called the "Jalamb
Balm Trochee;" and the lozenge did
we'll enough to amuse Mr. Lamb and
occupy his spare time. which was
really about all he had asked of the
glue project. He had AL the money
anybody ought to want" he said
when Adams urged him; and he could
start up this little glue side-line" at
any time; the formula was safe in
their two heads.