Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1919 — Jones Gets a Raise [ARTICLE]

Jones Gets a Raise

By IMES MACDONALD

(Copyright, ISIS. +>y MeCmre Newspaper Syndicate.) Young Mt. .Tones reached oVry nmi pure his adding machine a few tentaH tiTC jaha and again hi; 1 , rd in*—- ;< r, •\- erie. Five years out of a-raidwestern college. and David R. Jones had little to boast of in the way of acfiievehjcjit. He had been ambitious, but eager and ■wtlhttsiastir applicalh>n_V>_his Jh»bfor fix e long years"had faded to lift fr’Jir . out- of tiie clerk’s class. —= S-r When he lled taken tho Inti in rm-; swer to an advertisement he had been assured of “rapid advimeeiiieni. aud a ’ future for tin- right tnnrr." Hn+-lm-was_ still doing the same work he had been doing after his first .three-mum i.’*. a itli the company. He had stuck to Otw_ job with sincere and Ibdu-uimis purpose•/without its lulnging him any- •« «hiw» ia-the way »<f. ad-vawcoiumi: ::irl ' noWthritit was Jtnwagaift Th opr. r< - • pect*x»f anqfher long, hot- summer in that office galled him. With a thoughtful air he withdrew front his wallet u clipping which he had torn from his newspaper on the way downtown in the subway that morning. ■ ~~ ..- ...1. '. “WANTED—Athletic young man as ’ boatman on gentleman's estate, Connecticut shore. Must be expert swimmer—know motorboats, sailboats ami . canoes —make repairs and be generally useful and obliging; Sfifi monthly and hoard-. See Mrs. Agnes Turner between 10 and 12 Tuesday, Hotej Arkwright?' - And after he had read the ad —through once more yo.ung Mr. Jones arose from his desk and entered the private office of his great and. exclm sive boss, the well-known Mr. Henry I‘. Riggs. Mr. Riggs, or ‘.‘Old H. 1’.." as he was galled in the outer office, stared at the impulsive Xlr. Jones with surly surprise. The privacy of his domain had never before been so violated. “Well?" he demanded. “I’m Jones,” said Jones, “David R. Jones I’ve been with this emimany live years. I have a fair education, a certain amount of brains ami some ability. When_Lctuue here I was promtsed rapid advancement and a future, and before I die of old age at $35 a week I thought I'd go into the matter with you." “Well?" repeated Old 11. I', sourly. “I want a man's job and $3,000 a year from today or I’m through.” Old H. P. glared, and the barest crinkle of a sarcastic smile puckered up one corner of his mouth. "You’re

through, all right!" he agreed, "and you won’t find tliree-tliousaud-dollar jobs mr trees around this town," young man.” “Apyway,” grinned Jones affably, "I don’t intend to hang on this tree till I’m rotten. There are plenty of other trees growing in the orchard of Manhattan." “Very well.” growled Old H. I’., turning back to his desk. “But if you don't -get your fancy job you earn httvt- > mir old one here any time before die first of September," he flung over his shout’ der. "Hull!" he grunted a few days later when the incident recurred to him. "The young squirt_! And 1 was proud' of fifteen a week at his age!" But kt that very moment David It. Jones, clad in a sleeveless jersey and I an old pair of flannel trousers, was tuning up the engine of a high-powered motorboat up on the Connecticut shore. “Hello, boatman!" shouted a voice above the dm, and Jones looked up to see a smiling face peering at him over the edge of the doek. She swung her logs over the side and turned around with the, intention ,of sliding down'backwards- to the deck: of the boat, spine slx. feet Her skirt caught on a bolt, but she kept right cm sliding till the modest Mr.! Jones was c«vmpeHed :;to turn his face | 2 — a : —- —rrw* r---—-l",- , I - away. . r ~ "Unhook me.” she finally, wafted in-j dignantly. And Jones, wiping his dirty hands or. a piece of waste, reached up obediently and unhooked her, 'setting ,her safely on her feet With ;; grin. . *.‘My«—pi\- coming was jjui-te a rev elation,.wasn't it?” she said deiiiureiy, the color deepening in her.cheeks. But Jones had pretended not tff" no< tice. although tlie- nice men who pretend never to notice are the Very ones who never miss anything. “Who might you be?” he asked pleasantly. "I’m Lotta. the youngest.” she laughed. "Carlotta KiggsT you know. W oniy got here just a. little while ago—Louise and Nina and Aunt Agnes. Aunty says you impressed her very favorably at your interview- in town, and she thinkic_vouTe going, to lie 4 verynice boatman. What’s your name?"" • And froin thar day forth 'David It. ■ Jones was Lot tit’s very own. She appropriated him as |Sohiethiiig sent to her by the gods for her own especial pleasure and amusement. Together they painted the boats —mended, the dock —rebuilt the float. Sturdily she worked irr ’his side, and in between rimes they swam together. If the rest of the family noticed it at all they mere)y qinssed i-t otlwith k shrug— for after ail Lotta was only a kid, but—The’day H. fV-Riggs was expected up to spend a week with his family. Lotto and Jones went across the" bayin’ the motorboat to. meet him, and he m a H j.tiintiy young boatihan by his daughter. At first he did npt .recognize Joaos, but the way Lotta hovered over

that young man drew her father’s findivided attention and disapproval—and while he glowered over his (laughter’s so apparent afT<‘Ction for his er>twhile clerk. .1 or. es’ident itv regi siered 1 tsel f on hTstTnain. - ■ “Davy isn’t really a 1 .boatman." explained L«>tta to her father that night a t the diniier f a ble, “tie's Ju s t II ve tv nice young nu|n who worked his head off five whole years for .a grouchy obi ma n woiTldnTygrve him a -chanae. made tip hi* mind to have a nice vtu'iiiinii this summer ami Imd a better'job fiill " —*~'«nd as Usual Lotta hurried through her dinner ami, slipped down_jo the |»eiwh ami Duty Jones. ■ "Why, darn it all said Davy, a few tuuiules later? "You shouldn't have told him that. Your father was the old guy who wouldn't; give me a --idmner” 1 . And Lot insntback —against — .furnmi iwwr W H»w>*o»Aent "XjFafi thing.:" sbd said. disrespectfully, with ; visions in her young .mind of putting it *over on iter, father? Then she, leaned tier slim length ticuinst Davy J<hits? with one hail'd curled behind his neck ‘- - and if yo'u'x e novciT st-audhig as Lotta wiis, begging to ho kissed, you probably know just wlmt Jolies <ll<l. gbou.t It, “Siuee. Uie v>my- first jirLvy ih'ar. I’ve been wanting you to kiss me," J she was stiyinc. aS the glow of < lid , 11. I’.'s. cigar came around t'ae.corner .of the boathouse. For a moment he stopped and watched the two who stood so close together there, Iris daughter find Davy Jones—then he ■walked over and faced them grimly. old job back again.” said 11. I’. Riggs to the startled Mr; Jone*. '‘When a man's married he rather needs a Job. doesn’t he? But the two of you can’t live on thirty-live a week." “Lotta says we can,” grinned Jones,, hugging that willing .voting w oman, just a bit closer—and then he bluffed a little? “However.we Won’t have to. I'm starting with Rogers. Wyman & Co., the first of September at $3,500 a year." —s ~ Whereupon ' Tmt t a "squeezed fits arm and eyed her father hostilely. For a moment IL P. Riggs withstood that glance and then he extended his hand with a grin. , - "On: the contrary, Dave." fie said almost genially, “you're starting with H. P. Riggs & Co. at415.1)00 —and eventually pfiHnefship.” ~ Abd then Lotta graciously transferred one of Davy Jones’ kisses to her father and back again. ,