HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
The First Assistant Cashier
By Kenneth Carlyle Beatson, in L. A. Times
J ONES' daughter cupped her chin
in the palm of her hand and
turned her clear gray eyes full
upon her father.
"Please tell me just what it will
mean if I refuse hira," she said.
Jones wanted to lie to her. He want
ed to assure her that it would mean no
more if she rofused to marry Quigley
than if she should refuse to marry any.
One else. But he found that with those
clear eyes upon him he somehow could
not do so. A lie exposed to those eyes
wouia perisn as certainly and as quick
ly as filth exposed to the sun.
"I'm afraid," he told her, "it will
jliean that bv this time nav waalr ih
beardstown National Bank will hjive a
new nrst assistant cashier."
Then he slowly wet his lips. Those
fips seemed utterly bloodless. His en
tire face seemed bloodless, for that
piatter; and one somehow suspected
that his whole body was, too. A friend
lad once laughingly remarked that his
blood had all been absorbed by the
tirm for which he had worked the last
?5 years. That friend never guessed
how near he had come to the truth.
A light flamed up in the girl's eyes.
Jones saw it and forestalled what he
know she was about to say,
"No, Gertie, I don't mean ihat," he
said. Quigley wouldn't have me let out
because you refused to marry him. He
n't that kind I'm sure he would
want you to come to him absolutely of
your own accord or not at all."
"Then what do you mean?"
Jones raised a shaky right hand to
Lis chin. That hand did not shake
merely because of any momentary ox
citement. It had started shaking 15
years before, and it had grown more
and more shaky every year since.
' "Gertie," he said quietly, "I am
66 years old. Now, the first assistant
Ja a bank is required to do a great deal
pf work. Ho is required to do all of
his own work, part of the work of those
below him and most of the work of
those above him. To do all this and to
do it well is a task that is difficult
of performance for even a young man.
For a man of my age it is absolutely
impossible of performance. So, you
fee "
"But surely, father, they won't for
get that you've slaved for the bank
half of your life; that you've "
"My dear," Jones smiled, "there is
not much sentiment in any business.
There eannot be. And there is probably
less sentiment in the banking business
than in any other. When' a first assist
ant remains a first assistant until he
Is no longer able to do all the work
that is given him, he is practically al
ways replaced by a younger man. This
is not right, possibly, but it is inevit
able, and no one is to be censored for
It. The life or the health, at least
of the bank requires that it be done."
"Have you any reason for thinking
that they intend to let you out just
nowf"
"Yes. Sanders, who is under me, is
a son-in-law of Lakers, the president of
the board of directors. It has come to
me that Sanders has been telling about
that he expects to be at my desk by
the middle of next week. This means,
of course, that Lakers will try to have
me let out at the next meeting of the
board and the next meeting is tomor
row morning."
A frown settled on Gertie's face.
"I know what's bothering you,"said
Jones. "You're wondering where Quig
ley comes in. I'll tell you. No one is
ever let out without the vote of the
board being unanimous no one above
the position of clerk, that is. Now,
Lakers is president of the board and
a man of much influence, and few of
the directors would care to hold out
against him. Quigley is one that might.
He would be certain to do so if he
know that I was to be hiB father-in-law.
Do you seef"
Nobody but Jones himself could ever
realize what it was costing him to talk
like this to Gertie. But he could not
help it. When a little child, Gertie had
turned those clear gray eyes upon him
and asked him the truth about Santa
Claus, and he had told it to her, and
never since had he been able to tell
her anything but the truth, no felt
jww. that as long as the facta had to
come ont it was best to get them out
as quickly as possible.
For several moments Gertie silently
studied the carpet; then she sullonly
looKea up with a bright smile.
"I see, father," she said; "and 111
marry Mr. Qnigloy, of course. That's
a little enough thing to do for a father
who b done so much for me."
"YouH marry him if you love him,
and not otherwise," he said decisively.
"I haven't told you this to influence
yon. I've told it to you because I've
never been able to lie to you. If
thought you had married a man for my
sake whom you did not love, I could
not live." And the manner in which
he said this last would have convinced
any jury in the world that he was tell
ing the truth.
Just then, the maid came into the
room, a tray in her hand. Gertie took
up the card on the tray and glanced
at it.
"It's Tommy Travis," she said, look
ing up and Jones saw a little path of
red come into the cheek that was
turned toward him. "Tell him we'll be
right in, Mary."
A moment later they went into the
parlor to greet the visitor. Travis was
tall, tanned, and 22; a college athlete
by his looks, but actually a book-keeper.
He came of a very aristocratic,
very mgnly respected, verv poor fam
ily. Kugenically, he was an ideal son-in-law
for anyone; financially, he was
not.
Jones did not stay long in the parlor,
but quickly took himself off to his
club. He did not stay long at the club,
for he found cards, companions and
billiards all equally depressing. Leav
ing the club, he walked slowly up the
street, not knowing or caring where
he was going. And presently he found
himself in front of the Beardstown Na
tional Bank.
Ho stood there on the sidewalk a
moment, gassing at the heavy plate-glass
windows. An automobile whirled around
the corner, and its headlight fell full
upon the window just before him,
lichting up plainly the interior of the
bank. Jones enneht a glimpse of his
own desk; and then, giving way to an
odd fancy, he walked around to the
roar entrance and rapped sharply three
times. After a moment the night watch
man opened the door, no let Jones in
without question; it was not unnsual
for Jones to cftme back to his office at
night. Few first assistants can do all
tho work they are required to do in
their regular working hours.
Straight to his desk went Jones,
There, still guided merely by fancy, he
got up on his high stool and sat look
ing out through his window, just as he
did when a line of people stood there.
He remembered tho first time he had
seen the inside of the bank. Then he
had stood in that line of people, wait
ing to have his first salary check
cashed. What a wonderful thing that
bit of paper had seemed! In imagina
tion he pictured his life from that day
on. Now he was standing tremblingly
before Major Black, then president of
the bank, asking for a position. Now
he was working as a clerk working
furiously that he might gain notice and
advancement. Now he was again
standing before Major Black, blushing
at the other's words of commendation
and hearing that he was to be made
an assistant teller. Now he was on
the bank steps, facing a surging, sullen
mob of men and women, pleading with
them, begging them not to bring ruin
on themselves and the bank by de
manding their deposits. At first it was
like trying to beat down a fortross
with pebbles, and his words brought
forth only sneers and cat-calls. Gradu
ally, though, the sneers disappeared and
the cat calls grew less frequent. His
enthusiasm swelled. He talked on furi
ously and desperately. Presently a few
began to turn shamefacedly away, and
the rest, sheep-like, began to follow.
Now Major Black was sobbing out his
thankfulness; telling him that be had
saved tho bank, and that the bank
would know how to reward him. Now
he was sitting at the first assistant
cashier's window for the first time.
How bright the world had seemed that
morning! There had not been a sign
of a cloud in the sky. He was to be.
married in a week to the most won
derful girl in the world, and the
cashier's desk, with its salary of $5000
a year, had seemed but a step away,
Just a step away yet za years were
to bring it not one inch elosorl It
might have been different in Major
Black had lived. But one morning the
Major's heart had gone back on him
and he had died without having time
to even make a will. And directly
thereafter things began to break badly
for Jones.
mac k b aeatn naa lett room for a
step up all along the line. What actual
ly happened was that everybody step
ped up oxeept Jones, the second assist
ant being pushed over his head to the
cashier's desk. Again Jones lived over
the disappointment he had felt then.
One day, some three months later, a
messenger boy bad come into the bank
with word that he was wanted at home
at once.- When he had arrived there
Dr. Anson had opened the door for him.
He remembered how grave the expres
sion on the physician's face had been.
"You '4 better come right upstairs, "
the other had said. "She's beon ask
ing for you."
Upstairs he had found his wife lying
in bed, a pink little object beside her.
She had smiled weakly at him, closed
her eyes, and sighed deeply; and then
Drv Anson had laid a band across his
shoulders.
"She'B gone, Jones," he had said
simply.
The next time someone had been
shoved over Jones' head he hadn't
cared so much. It hadn't seemed to
matter, somehow. - For a long time
nothing had seemed to matter very
much. When he had finally begun to
take a new interest in life, he had real
ized that an advancement was out of
the question. A fixture he was and
a fixtnre he would stay. When the
others moved, it was taken for grant
ed and as a matter of course that he
should stand still.
And now he was to be let ouA. This
was the end, then. After 35 years of
slavery, he was to be
A clock struek off the hour of ten.
Jones started and climbed down from
his stool, He realized, all at once, that
the place was very cold. He tried to
speak a cheerful word to the watch-1
man as he went out, but somehow what
ho said did not Bound cheerful.
Beaching home, Jones went straight
to his room. He had been there but a
few minutes when he heard the door
open. Glancing up, he saw Gertie com
ing towards him. ner cheeks were un
naturally flushed and her eyes were
unnaturally bright She sat down on
the arm of his chair and put her arm
around him, and then suddenly Bhe
buried her face in his vest front
"F father," she sobbed, "I I e
couldn't. He he asked me to to
marry him, and I C couldn't refuse
h him. ne only gets b seventy-five
dollars a month, b but I I 1 love
him."
"Why, what in the world I" ex
claimed Jones, raising her lace. 7
"Oh, I I know I'm ungrateful and
and 8 selfish, b but when T Tom
my asked me I e couldn't say no. 1
I j just c couldn't. I "
Suddenly Jones saw light He saw
what she had done and why Bhe was
crying about it, and he saw, too, what
his course must be. He forced a smile
to his face.
"Well, Gertie, what are you erying
about f" he asked. "You're not sorry
you accepted him already, are yonl"
Gertie brightened a little behind her
tears.
"But but Mr. Quigley won't"
"Oh, bother Quigley!" Jones ex
claimed lightly he made it come light
ly. "I wouldn't think of allowing you
to marry him unless you loved him,
and you know it. Anyhow, what if I
am let out of the Beardstown National f
I can get ' ' He paused a moment and
swallowed. Ho had meant to say that
he could get plenty of other poBitions,
but those clear gray eyes would not
let him, "There's other banks in
town," he finished. "I guess there's
no danger of me starving to doath. I
was unstrung when I talked to you
this evening, and things seomod worse
than they were. Now, brighten up, my
dear, and tell me more about Tommy."
An hour later Gertie, reassurri'. and
happy, left the room. As the door
closed after her, Jones relaxed in his
chair and sighed deeply. Just then he
felt a very, very old man.
.When Quigley, called eaily tho next.
morning to take Gertie auto riding, ha
received her answer to the question ha.
had asked her two days before.
At 11 the next morning, a' boy,
brought Jones word that the president
of the board wanted to see him. Jones
had beon expecting that He calmly
put everything in perfect order, hung
up a "Please call at next window"
sign, got down from his stool, took a
last look at his desk and window, sighed
slightly, and then went to Lakers' ofc
fice.
Lakers glanced up as he entered. '
"Sit down, Jones," he said.
Jones sat down. Lakers thoughtfully
rubbed his chin for a moment
"Jones," he said, "do yon realite
that yon are getting to be a pretty old
man!"
Jones nodded. He couldn't trust him
self to speak just then.
"Yes, you must be somewhere around
65," the other went on. "A man that
old can't do the work a first assistant
eashlcr must do, Jones, It's a physical
impossibility. The first assistant is the
pack-mule of a bank, and everybody
takes a turn at riding on him. I've
thought for a long time that we ought
to have a younger man as our pack
mule, and I brought the matter op be
fore the other directors at the meeting
this morning. They all agreed with me,
and we decided to make young Sanders
first assistant"
Lakers paused and coughed. Jones
glanced at the window at his right and
saw that a shadow had fallen across it
Evidently a cloud had passed before
the sun. The words of a song he had
known as a child came back to him,
"Somewhere behind the clouds the sun
is shining." He smiled grimly to him
self and wondered if somewhere behind
the clouds his sun could be shining.
"Yes Jones," Lakers went on, "we
decided that you'd been our pack-mulo
long enough. A man who has served
his firm as long and as faithfully as
you have deserves a bettor reward than
that Now, Winston hasn't been well
for a long time, and his physicians fear
that his lungs are affected. He's
bought a place out in Arizona, and he
is going out there next weok. We de
cided at the meeting that no one was
better fitted or more entitled to fill
his place than you. So I take pleasure
in informing you, Jones, that from to
morrow on your position will be that
of head cashier."
When Jones looked again at that
window he saw that the cloud had
gone by and that the sunlight was
streaming in brightly.
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