the efficiency expert-第2节

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o　peelings；　dish…water；　and　a　raisin。〃

〃Go　on；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃I　am　not　interested；〃　and　the　boys　left　him　to　his　〃beloved〃　books。

Jimmy　Torrance　worked　hard；　and　by　dint　of　long　hours　and　hard…working　tutors　he　finished　his　college　course　and　won　his　diploma。　Nor　did　he　have　to　forego　the　crowning　honors　of　his　last　baseball　season；　although；　like　Ulysses　S。　Grant；　he　would　have　graduated　at　the　head　of　his　class　had　the　list　been　turned　upside　down。




CHAPTER　II。

JIMMY　WILL　ACCEPT　A　POSITION。

Following　his　graduation　he　went　to　New　York　to　visit　with　one　of　his　classmates　for　a　short　time　before　returning　home。　He　was　a　very　self…satisfied　Jimmy；　nor　who　can　wonder；　since　almost　from　his　matriculation　there　had　been　constantly　dinned　into　his　ears　the　plaudits　of　his　fellow　students。　Jimmy　Torrance　had　been　the　one　big　outstanding　feature　of　each　succeeding　class　from　his　freshman　to　his　senior　year；　and　as　a　junior　and　senior　he　had　been　the　acknowledged　leader　of　the　student　body　and　as　popular　a　man　as　the　university　had　ever　known。

To　his　fellows；　as　well　as　to　himself；　he　had　been　a　great　successthe　success　of　the　universityand　he　and　they　saw　in　the　future　only　continued　success　in　whatever　vocation　he　decided　to　honor　with　his　presence。　It　was　in　a　mental　attitude　that　had　become　almost　habitual　with　him；　and　which　was　superinduced　by　these　influences；　that　Jimmy　approached　the　new　life　that　was　opening　before　him。　For　a　while　he　would　play；　but　in　the　fall　it　was　his　firm　intention　to　settle　down　to　some　serious　occupation；　and　it　was　in　this　attitude　that　he　opened　a　letter　from　his　fatherthe　first　that　he　had　received　since　his　graduation。

The　letter　was　written　on　the　letterhead　of　the　Beatrice　Corn　Mills；　Incorporated；　Beatrice；　Nebraska；　and　in　the　upper　left…hand　corner；　in　small　type；　appeared　〃James　Torrance；　Sr。；　President　and　General　Manager；〃　and　this　is　what　he　read：


　　　　　Dear　Jim

　　　　You　have　graduatedI　didn't　think　you　wouldwith　honors　in　　　　　football；　baseball；　prize…fighting；　and　five　thousand　　　　　dollars　in　debt。　How　you　got　your　diploma　is　beyond　mein　　　　　my　day　you　would　have　got　the　sack。　Well；　son；　I　am　not　　　　　surprised　nor　disappointedit　is　what　I　expected。　I　know　　　　　you　are　clean；　though；　and　that　some　day　you　will　awaken　to　　　　　the　sterner　side　of　life　and　an　appreciation　of　your　　　　　responsibilities。

　　　　To　be　an　entirely　orthodox　father　I　should　raise　merry　hell　　　　　about　your　debts　and　utter　inutility；　at　the　same　time　　　　　disinheriting　you；　but　instead　I　am　going　to　urge　you　to　　　　　come　home　and　run　in　debt　here　where　the　cost　of　living　is　　　　　not　so　high　as　in　the　Eastmeanwhile　praying　that　your　　　　　awakening　may　come　while　I　am　on　earth　to　rejoice。

　　　　　　　　　　Your　affectionate　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FATHER；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Am　enclosing　check　to　cover　your　debts　and　present　needs。


For　a　long　time　the　boy　sat　looking　at　the　letter　before　him。　　He　reread　it　once；　twice；　three　times；　and　with　each　reading　the　film　of　unconscious　egotism　that　had　blinded　him　to　his　own　shortcomings　gradually　became　less　opaque；　until　finally　he　saw　himself　as　his　father　must　see　him。　He　had　come　to　college　for　the　purpose　of　fitting　himself　to　succeed　in　some　particular　way　in　the　stern　battle　of　life　which　must　follow　his　graduation；　for；　though　his　father　had　ample　means　to　support　him　in　insolence；　Jimmy　had　never　even　momentarily　considered　such　an　eventuality。

In　weighing　his　assets　now　he　discovered　that　he　had　probably　as　excellent　a　conception　of　gridiron　strategy　and　tactics　as　any　man　in　America；　that　as　a　boxer　he　occupied　a　position　in　the　forefront　of　amateur　ranks；　and　he　was　quite　positive　that　out…side　of　the　major　leagues　there　was　not　a　better　first　baseman。

But　in　the　last　few　minutes　there　had　dawned　upon　him　the　realization　that　none　of　these　accomplishments　was　greatly　in　demand　in　the　business　world。　Jimmy　spent　a　very　blue　and　unhappy　hour；　and　then　slowly　his　natural　optimism　reasserted　itself；　and　with　it　came　the　realization　of　his　youth　and　strength　and　inherent　ability；　which；　without　egotism；　he　might　claim。

〃And　then；　too；〃　he　mused；　〃I　have　my　diploma。　　I　am　a　college　graduate；　and　that　must　mean　something。　If　dad　had　only　reproached　me　or　threatened　some　condign　punishment　I　don't　believe　I　should　feel　half　as　badly　as　I　do。　But　every　line　of　that　letter　breathes　disappointment　in　me；　and　yet；　God　bless　him；　he　tells　me　to　come　home　and　spend　his　money　there。　Not　on　your　life！　If　he　won't　disinherit　me；　I　am　going　to　disinherit　myself。　I　am　going　to　make　him　proud　of　me。　He's　the　best　dad　a　fellow　ever　had；　and　I　am　going　to　show　him　that　I　appreciate　him。〃

And　so　he　sat　down　and　wrote　his　father　this　reply：


　　　　DEAR　DAD：

　　　　I　have　your　letter　and　check。　　You　may　not　believe　it；　but　　　　　the　former　is　worth　more　to　me　than　the　latter。　Not；　　　　　however；　that　I　spurn　the　check；　which　it　was　just　like　you　　　　　to　send　without　a　lot　of　grumbling　and　reproaches；　even　if　I　　　　　do　deserve　them。

　　　　Your　letter　shows　me　what　a　rotten　mess　I　have　made　of　　　　　myself。　I'm　not　going　to　hand　you　a　lot　of　mush；　dad；　but　I　　　　　want　to　try　to　do　something　that　will　give　you　reason　to　at　　　　　least　have　hopes　of　rejoicing　before　I　come　home　again。　If　I　　　　　fail　I'll　come　home　anyway；　and　then　neither　one　of　us　will　　　　　have　any　doubt　but　what　you　will　have　to　support　me　for　the　　　　　rest　of　my　life。　However；　I　don't　intend　to　fail；　and　one　of　　　　　these　days　I　will　bob　up　all　serene　as　president　of　a　bank　　　　　or　a　glue　factory。　In　the　mean　time　I'll　keep　you　posted　as　　　　　to　my　whereabouts；　but　don't　send　me　another　cent　until　I　　　　　ask　for　it；　and　when　I　do　you　will　know　that　I　have　failed。

　　　　Tell　mother　that　I　will　write　her　in　a　day　or　two；　probably　　　　　from　Chicago；　as　I　have　always　had　an　idea　that　that　was　one　　　　　burg　where　I　could　make　good。

　　　　With　lots　of　love　to　you　all；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　affectionate　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SON。

It　was　a　hot　July　day　that　James　Torrance；　Jr。；　alighted　from　the　Twentieth　Century　Limited　at　the　La　Salle　Street　Station；　and；　entering　a　cab；　directed　that　he　be　driven　to　a　small　hotel；　〃for；〃　he　soliloquized；　〃I　might　as　well　start　economizing　at　once；　as　it　might　be　several　days　before　I　land　a　job　such　as　I　want；〃　in　voicing　which　sentiments　he　spoke　with　the　tongues　of　the　prophets。

Jimmy　had　many　friends　in　Chicago　with　whom；　upon　the　occasion　of　numerous　previous　visits　to　the　Western　metropolis；　he　had　spent　many　hilarious　and　expensive　hours；　but　now　he　had　come　upon　the　serious　business　of　life；　and　there　moved　within　him　a　strong　determination　to　win　financial　success　without　recourse　to　the　influence　of　rich　and　powerful　acquaintances。

Since　the　first　crushing　blow　that　his　father's　letter　had　dealt　his　egotism；　Jimmy's　self…esteem　had　been　gradually　returning；　though　along　new　and　more　practical　lines。　His　self…assurance　was　formed　in　a　similar　mold　to　those　of　all　his　other　salient　characteristics；　and　these　conformed　to　his　physical　proportions；　for　physically；　mentally　and　morally　Jimmy　Torrance　was　big；　not　that　he　was　noticeably　taller　than　other　men　or　his　features　more　than　ordinarily　attractive；　but　there　was　something　so　well　balanced　and　harmonious　in　all　the　proportions　of　his　frame　and　features　as　to　almost　invariably　compel　a　second　glance　from　even　a　casual　observer；　especially　if　the　casual　observer　happened　to　be　in　the　nonessential　creation　class。

And　so　Jimmy；　having　had　plenty　of　opportunity　to　commune　with　himself　during　the　journey　from　New　York；　was　confident　that　there　were　many　opportunities　awaiting　him　in　Chicago。　He　remembered　distinctly　of　having　read　somewhere　that　the　growing　need　of　big　business　concerns　was　competent　executive　materialthat　there　were　fewer　big　men　than　there　were　big　jobsand　that　if　such　was　the　case　all　that　remained　to　be　done　was　to　connect　himself　with　the　particular　big　job　that　suited　him。

In　the　lobby　of　the　hotel　he　bought　several　of　the　daily　papers；　and　after　reaching　his　room　he　started　perusing　the　〃Help　Wanted〃　columns。　Immediately　he　was　impressed　and　elated　by　the　discovery　that　there　were　plenty　of　jobs；　and　that　a　satisfactory　percentage　of　them　appeared　to　be　big　jobs。　There　were　so　many；　however；　that　appealed　to　him　as　excellent　possibilities　that　he　saw　it　would　be　impossible　to　apply　for　each　and　every　one；　and　then　it　occurred　to　him　that　he　might　occupy　a　more　strategic　position　in　the　negotiations　preceding　his　acceptance　of　a　position　if　his　future　employer　came　to　him　first；　rather　than　should　he　be　the　one　to　apply　for　the　position。

And　so　he　decided　the　wisest　plan　would　be　to　insert　an　ad　in　the　〃Situations　Wanted〃　column；　and　then　from　the　replies　select　those　which　most　appealed　to　him；　in　other　words；　he　would　choose　from　the　cream　of　those　who　desired　the　services　of　such　a　man　as　himself　rather　than　risk　the　chance　of　obtaining　a　less　profitable　position　through　undue　haste　in　seizing　upon　the　first　opening　advertised。

Having　reached　this　decision；　and　following　his　habitual　custom；　he　permitted　no　grass　to　grow　beneath　his　feet。　Writing