Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1925-08-19
Made Good on
His Nerve
(0. 1925. Western Newspaper Union.)
By ROBERT E. HEWES

reported for work. He had not yet IN
locked his desk and glanced at his mail
when Carney, the auditor accosted him.
Heard the latest" breathlessly in
CURED Carney.
NO" Mason shuffled his mall as If
more interested in it than In any news
current in the office Of Moody & Co.
1.-THE old mans going to open
branch in KOkomo"
Mason pricked up his ears.
"Kokomo, eh?" He lit cigarette.
well, good territory
"Yet bet and good job for somebody.
Wonder who'll be manager?" There
was the slightest suggestion In Car
ney's voice.
"Well," Mason tilted his cigarette
and ripped open an envelope. II
should know who'll get TT"
Carney shrugged expressively as he
turned back to his books. The others,
after a commonplace word or two and
noncommittal answers from Mason,
also turned.
Left alone, Mason showed aside his
mail and became absorbed In his
thoughts Kokomo, Ell? Not 80 bad.
Small enough Job In itself, but 1t meant
opportunity. If a man made good, pos
sibly Chicago some day, and who
knew, maybe in time even New York?
Starting as an office boy Mason, on
sheer nerve, had persuaded the old
man to put him on the road AS a
o1re, do
1t was a classic around the Office that
an Iowa merchant had once dumped
stock of Moody & Co. goods in dis
gust. The next week Mason casually
sauntered In and tried to sell the
speeches. merchant new stock Of
the same goods.
Marcus p. Moody was usually in an
Ill humor He was In all Of that to-
day. AS Mason stepped into his office
after perfunctory knock, the old man
glared over his spectacles, pen poised
over a sheet of paper.
"Well, WE'LL" he ignored his assistant
sales managers ''good-morning."
Mason knew his boss well enough to
come to the point quickly and without
unnecessary circumlocution.
IT hear, Mr.. Moody, you're intending
to open branch in Kokomo."
"Not only intending to open 1t, but
going to open it,
"Have you decided upon manager
YETI" -''1't.-.-.v.-ios~,> so,''e-
IF have, I'm not announcing it."
"I'd like to speak for the place, sir"
Deliberately, with dangerous pre-
cision, the old man first laid down his
pen, then removed his spectacles He
looked at his stenographer, arrested
in her tipping, as If seeking to cor
roborate his hearing right Before the
old gentleman could explode, Mason
held up his hand. -..-~4-'>=r.'r-ae"4
"Now, now, Mr.. Moody" he hurried,
II know what you're going to say, but
unheard Of thing for man to ask for
a promotion to a managership in this
organization. But l know l can make
good on the job if given a chance. In
addition, l have what l believe to be
the most necessary Of all qualifications
for the position-nerve!"
Old Moody was by now slumped
down in his chair, staring at the thor
oughly -at-ease young man before him.
For full minute there was silence,
then Moody turned to his stenographer.
Miss Harris" he spoke crisply,
"will you ask Mr.. Reynolds to step
in?'
Mason tried to conceal his trium-
plant feeling. For he did feel trium-
plant. Reynolds was the sales manager,
who ranked practically equally with
Mason. Whenever the old man called
the two of them in his office together
it meant some important matter.
As Reynolds entered the office, the
old man sat up with snap. Reynolds
looked from the boss to the poncha-
liant Mason a little nervously, al
most alphabetically. The stenographer
slipped in behind the sales manager
and to her desk. Mason smiled APP
provingly. In an hour, he reflected,
she would be informing the whole
office how he had bearded the lion in
his den and walked off with the bacon.
Reynolds" the old man barked
crisply, las you know, we are to open
a branch in Kokomo Also, as you,
and Mr.. Mason here, probably do not
know, Mr.. Palmer, the manager of the
New York branch has resigned"
The old man paused. Reynolds and
Mason exchanged glances The latter
was trifle less nonchalant.
"Reynolds." the old man took up
his spectacles and adjusted them on
his nose with great precision. Il had
decided to send you to kokomo. In
stead, you go to New York"
A dead silence fell over the office as
the old man turned his gaze to Mason.
MASON! AS you say, it takes nerve
to get what you want, whether anyone
else thinks you should have 1t or not.