“Oh, why can’t I drive like other men do? 
   How on earth can you drive if you don’t follow through?”

   CHORUS

   “Hallelulia; watch that shoulder
   Hallelulia, my men;
   Hallelulia; get your wrists in! 
   Must I tell you again?”

“Everybody come in strong on the second verse,” ordered Chilvers, and we obeyed as best we could, also on the third.  They run like this: 

   “I can’t understand; understand it at all,
   Why I can’t keep my eye on that little white ball.”

   CHORUS

   “Hallelulia; keep a-looking;
   Hallelulia, my men;
   Hallelulia; keep a-watching! 
   Must I tell you again?”

   “Oh, why can’t I hole out on each green in two? 
   Because we all find that a hard thing to do.”

   CHORUS

   “Hallelulia; grasp your putter
   Hallelulia, again,
   Hallelulia; hit it harder! 
   Never up, never in!”

It was a great occasion, but I have things to narrate which are of much more import.  The board of directors of the N.O. & G. railroad met on Friday!

Mr. Harding and I went to the city together.  He was very busy looking over papers, and noticing his preoccupation I did not attempt to engage in conversation with him.

I had plenty to think of.  This was the day big with my future.  This was the day when the conspirators proposed to pass the dividend on the stock of the N.O. & G. Would they dare to do it?  What would result if they did?

Knowing as I did that the earnings of the property had increased and that its prospects never were more favourable, I could not believe it possible that responsible officials would dare take so unwarranted a step for the purpose of influencing stock quotations.  But while I kept my head and appeared outwardly calm, I was nervous, and I frankly confess it.

I was weighing the situation in its various lights when Mr. Harding spoke to me.

“Are you good at figures, Smith?” he asked.

“I can add, subtract, multiply and divide,” I said with some confidence.

“Good!” he growled.  “You’ve got nothing else to do, so you may as well help me on multiplication and addition.  Multiply these by those and add ’em up—­right quick, won’t you?”

He passed to me a piece of paper containing the following memorandum: 

500................................68-1/2

1100................................67-3/4

4000................................67-1/2

300................................66-7/8

600................................66-1/2

1700................................65-1/2

200................................64

2300................................63-1/2

1000................................62-3/4

500................................61-1/4

3000................................60-1/2