Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 55, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1919 — Jones Gets a Raise [ARTICLE]

Jones Gets a Raise

By IMES MACDONALD

; IMS. by McClure Newspaper * Syndicate.) Young Mr. Jones reached ever and _4Eave Ills adding"machim* a toy tenuis, tive jabs anti again, lapsed Intd s rc\ert#. Five year's out of a midwest efn - foilfgc. atM David H. Jones- had ?t.ftTe to boast of in the way of achievement. He bad been ambitious, luit eager, ttnd enthusiastic application to his Job for five Ion? years had failed to lift hffii ertit of the clerk s class. When lie had taken the Job in answer to an advertisement be had been - "adTttttciunent arid n future for the right man." Rut he was still doing the same work he had been doing after his first three months with the company. He had stuck to due job with sincere- and Industrious pur; j pose without its bringinghim any- j tiling in the way of advancement—--and j now that it was Jiine again .the pros- j pert of another long, hot summer in j that office galled him. j With a thoughtful air, lie withdrew j from his wallet a clipping which lie had torn from bis newspaper on 'the way downtown in the subway that morning. “WANTED —Athletic young man as nectiout shore. Must be expert swim- j mer—know motorboats, sailboats and canoes —make repairs and be generally, useful and obliging; SCO monthly and board. See Mrs. Agnes Tnmer between 10 and 12 Tuesday, Hotel Arkwright." And after he had rend the ad through once more young Mr. Jones arose from his desk and entered the private otlice of his great and exclusive boss, the well-known Mr. Henry I*. Riggs. Mr. Riggs, or "Old H. P.,’’ as he was called in the outer office, stared at the. Impulsive Mr. 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 company live years. I have a fair education, a certain amount of hniins and some ability. When I came here 1 was promised rapid advancement and a future, and before I die of old age at $35 a week 1 thought l*d go Into the matter with you." "Well?" repeated Old H. P. sourly. “I want a man’s job and $3,000 a year from today or I’m through." Old IL I*. glared, and the barest crinkle of a sarcastic smile puckered . up one corner of liismouUi—“You're through, all right I” he agreed, “and you won’t find three-thousand-doliar jobs hanging on trees around this town, youug man.” “Anyway," grinned Jones affably, “I don’t intend to hang on this tree till I'm rotten. There are pigmy of other trees growing in the. orchard of Mauh«n«n" •' ■ ... ——— • ' q “Very well." growled Old 11. I*., turning back to his desk. "But if you, don't get your fancy job you can have your old one here any time before the first of September." he thing fryer his shoulder.

"Iluii !’’ {lO 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 at .that Aery li. Jones, clad in a sleeveless jersey and au old pair of (funnel trousers, was tuning up the engine of a high-powered motorSoat up on the Connecticut shore. "Hello.' boatman !” shop let! a voice above the din. and Jones* looked up to see a smiling face peering at him over the edge of the dock! She swung her legs over the side aud turned around with the intention of sliding down backwards to the deck of. the boat, some six feet below, lief skirt caught on a bolt, but she kept right on sliding till the modest Mr. Joues was compelled to turn his face away. "Unhook me." she finally wailed indignantly. And'Modes, wiping his dirty hands on a piece of waste, reached up obediently and unhooked her. setting her safely on her feet with a grin. M “My—my coining was quite a revelation. wasn't it ?" site said demurely. the color deepening, in her cheeks. But Jones had pretended not to no* tice; although the nice ineu who pretend never to notice are the very ones who never miss anything. "Who might yon Ik??” he asked pleasantly.— r a ’Tiu Lotta, the youngest,” she laughed. "Carlotta Biggs, you know. We only got here just a little while ago— Louise and Nina and Aunt v 4gnes. Aunty says you impressed her very favorably at your interview in town, and she thinks you're going -to be a very nice boatman- What's your name?” And froth that day forth David R. Jones was Lorta’s very own. She appropriated him as something sent to her by the gods for her own especial pleasure and amusement. Together they painted the boats —mendes the flock —rebuilt the float. Sturdily she __ worked at bis side, and in between times they swifin together. If the rest of the family noticed it at ail they merely passed it off with a shrug—for pfter nil Lotta was only a kid, but— The day H. P. Riggs was expected up to spend a .week with bis family. J-otta and Jones went across the bay k> tin- ludtorboajtomeethim. and he was introduced to the bare-shouldered, brawny young boatman by dfis daughter. “ At first he did not recognize Jones,, bat the way Lotta hovered over

that young man -drew her father’s undivided attention and disapproval —and while he glowered over his daughter’s so apparent affection for his erstwhile clerk. Jhr.es 4 Identity registered itseif on W»~hririßv • ~ "Davy isn’t really a boatjftani" explained Lotta to her father that night at the dinner table. "HoY' jm-t a ve+yniCe young man who’ worked his bead <TfT five whole years for a grouetiy old man who wouhlh’t give him :i e!t;in«e. S<. Davy made tip his mind to haver a nice vtu aiioj] this siiimuer and' find- a better Job next fall." - *SWT nstmt Lotta framed thhnigh her d nnfrr and slit>ned down to the beach anti Davy Jones. = “Vi-hy, dillU It all!“ .-wid.l»:rvy. a few minutes hiter. "You shouldn’t have told him tfia’t. *'Your father was tlie oh] gity" who wouldn’t give me a chance!- , *• ' And I .oft a sat hack against tin upturned boat in’amazement. “Mean old filing!" she said, ’disrespectfully, with visions in her young mind of putting it over on her father. .Then si it* leanid her slim length 'against Davy Jones, with one nund curled behind, his neck -.-and if yoy.' v o over had anyone you - fovfrd standing as Lotta wiia, hi-ggimt to lle kissed. y<m probably know j tist Wffiut Jdpw did about it. "Since the very first day; Davy dear, Pve been wtmtitvg—you- to kiss- -me,” she was saying, ns the glow of Old H. P.’.s cigar came around the corner of .the boathouse. For a moment he stormed and watched the two 'who stood so close together there, his daughter and Davy Jones —then he walked over and faced them grimly. ‘‘l sunno.se vou'D he wanting ymtr. old job back again,” saiTl 11. P. Riggs to the startled Mr. Jom**. “When a Tnnn's married he rather needs~a Job. doesn’t lie? Rut the two of you ctin’t live on thirty-five a week.” "Lotta says we can,” grinned Jones, hugging fflH willing young'woman Just n hit closer —fend tlien lie bluffed a little. ‘‘However, we vyon't have to. I’m starting with Rogers. Wyman & Co., tiie first of September at $3,500 a year.” Whereupon Lotta squeezed his arm and eyed her father hostileiy. Foe a moment H. P. Riggs withstood that glance and then he extended his hand with a grin. “On tlie contrary, Dave," he said almost genially, “you're starting with H. P. Riggs & On. at $5.000 —and eventually a —a partnership.” And then Lotta graciously transferred one of Davy Jones’ kisses to her father and back again.