sure would
not succeed. But at first there seemed nothing to do about it. He had
it on his mind for some days. It evidently troubled him. Finally he
came to me and said:

"That little baker man knows more about baking than oil refining, but
I'd feel better if we invited him to join us--I've got him on my
conscience."

I of course agreed. He talked to his friend, who said he would gladly
sell if we would send an appraiser to value his plant, which we did,
and then there arose an unexpected difficulty. The price at which the
plant was to be purchased was satisfactory, but the ex-baker insisted
that Mr. Flagler should advise him whether he should take his pay in
cash or Standard Oil certificates at par. He told Mr. Flagler that if
he took it in cash it would pay all his debts, and he would be glad to
have his mind free of many anxieties; but if Mr. Flagler said the
certificates were going to pay good dividends, he wanted to get into
and keep up with a good thing. It was rather a hard proposition to put
up to Mr. Flagler, and at first he declined to advise or express any
opinion, but the German stuck to him and wouldn't let him shirk a
responsibility which in no way belonged to him. Finally Mr. Flagler
suggested that he take half the amount in cash and pay 50 per cent. on
account of his debts, and put the other half in certificates, and see
what happened. This he did, and as time went on he bought more
certificates, and Mr. Flagler never had to apologize for the advice he
gave him. I am confident that my old partner gave this affair as much
time and thought as he did to any of his own large problems, and the
incident may be taken as a measure of the man.

THE VALUE OF FRIENDSHIPS

But these old men's tales can hardly be interesting to the present
generation, though perhaps they will not be useless if even tiresome
stories make young people realize how, above all other possessions, is
the value of a friend in every department of life without any
exception whatsoever.

How many different kinds of friends there are! They should all be held
close at any cost; for, although some are better than others, perhaps,
a friend of whatever kind is important; and this one learns as one
grows older. There is the kind that when you need help has a good
reason just at the moment, of course, why it is impossible to extend
it.

"I can't indorse your note," he says, "because I have an agreement
with my partners not to."

"I'd like