The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-08-21 00:00:00

CHAPTER I.

Early in the afternoonof the 24th of December, 1846,
a neat pair-horse carriage drove off from a house, in one
of the leading mercantile streets of the flourishing com-
mercial town of ; and proceeded at an easy pace
towards a fashionable portion of its outskirts. There was
nothing in the style of the vehicle, or its appointments
generally, of a pretentious character. No crest, or armo-
rial bearings, ornamented its panels ; and the livery of
the servant who drove it was almost studiously plain.
The whole equipage, indeed, spoke of moderate wealth,
enjoyed without ostentation. There was one person in.
side, a gentleman somewhat beyond the middle age, in
dress and personal appearance perfectly in keeping with
the carriage itself, which we shall request our reader to
follow with us for a distance of four or five miles, along
the smooth macadamised road leading to the ou`skirt in
question, lined with villas and cottages ornees, until at
length it turned up a winding gravel path, and stopped at
the door of a neat and substantial stone mansion. Upon
•its steps the visitor—or we may as well say the owner of
this mansion—was received with a glad welcome by a lady
of nearly his own age, from her matronly
i appearance evi-
dently his wife, with, by her side, a fine intelligent-look-
ing youth of about fourteen years. He was also saluted
from one of the windows by two young ladies, who ap-
peared to have risen from the useful or elegant occupa-
tions, in which they had been engaged, at the sound of
his approach. The mansion at which we have thus ar-
rived, is that of Mr. Mansel (we use a fictitious name,
for obvious reasons); and, whilst he is exchanging the
usual daily greetings with his amiable family, we shall

take the opportunity of making the reader acquainted
with a little of his past history, and his present position in
'life. _ _ _

Mr. Mansel was a ydunger sm of a tradesman, moving
in the subordinate ranks of co coerce, but who had ac-
quired, by persevering industry and, integrity, a moderate
competency. He had received a liberal education, for his
class, which he had seized every hour of leisure, after his
withdrawal from school, to improve. He was destined
for commercial pursuits ; and early in life was placed, as
an apprentice, in an eminent commercial house, in the
important town in which we now find him occupying the
position of a merchant of high standing and acknowledged
substance. We shall not attempt to trace his career up-
wards. Suffice it to say that his elevation was attributa-
ble to none of those extraordinary incidents upon which
novelists delight to found the fortunes of their heroes.

He neither married the only daughter of his wealthy em-
ployers, nor was taken into their firm. On the contrary,
having assiduously and satisfactorily served the latter for
some years after the expiration of his apprenticeship, he
commenced business on his own account, conducting it
cautiously, keeping within his means, and avoiding all
extra risks, in order to enable him to marry the object of
an early affection, not blest with fortune; and, step by
step, he had proceeded, encouraged by the rewards of a
happy home and a good conscience, until he had already
begun to rank with those of his competitors in the race
of life, who, at his humble outset, had looked down upon
him with contempt, and almost pity. During no part of
this struggle, however, had Mr. Mansel displayed the
sordid characteristics of the mere seeker of wealth for its
own sake. His heart had rather expanded than con-
tracted during the progress of his acquisitions. Year by
year, as he advanced in worldly position, were the com-
forts, though not the superfluities, the elegancies, not the
mere glitter and show, of his family and domestic ar-
rangements, increased. Taking care that none of the
additions made, either to his style of living, to the educa-
tion which he gave to his children, to his unostentatious
charities, or to any other branch of expenditure, should
be less than he felt that his improved circnmstances
would fairly justify, he equally avoided such large in-
creases as would draw down observation upon him, or
attract envious or ill-natured remark. Theresult of such a
course, added to great kindliness of manner toward all with
whom he came in contact, or with whom he had dealings,
produced the gratifying result, that, whilst he was recog-
nised as the possessor of ample resources, if not of great
wealth, his success in life was set down by the world as
well deserved.

We have mentioned, as composing the family group
who welcomed Mr. Mansel to his home, two young la-
dies, and a youth about fourteen years of age. We have
another son, however—his eldest—to introduce to our
readers. William Mansel, whose ege was at this time
little above three-and-twenty, had from early boyhood
been placed in his father's counting-house; and, for the
preceding two or three years, had been able to take, as
junior partner, not only what may be called the drudgery
of mercantile life, but a great portion of its every-day re-
sponsibility, from off his father's shoulders. Although
still consulting him upon all important mat ers, and con-
ceding the most implicit deference to his superior experi-
ence, William had become to be regarded by the mercan-
tile community of the town of
head of his father's house; and Mr. Mansel so justly
confided in his prudence and ability, that he no longer
denied himself altogether the relaxations of home, and
the health-inspiring enjoyments, which he had earned by
a life of honest enterprise and painstaking. Hence we
find him returning early from the city on the evening to
which we have referred, leaving his son to come, by om-
nibus or other conveyance, after the close of business.
The disposition of such a young man, possessing, in his
capacity as a merchant, the prudence and forethought of
mature years, may at first sight be set down as one of a
cold and calculating character. But this was not the
disposition, naturally, of William Manse'. His mind
had been carefully disciplined to fill the sphere in which
it was the wish of his father that he should move; yet
that discipline had only restrained, not extinguished, the
buoyant spirits and affections of his youth. In his own
home, or when mingling amongst those of his own age
and temperament, few could throw off more readily the
mere man of discounts and per centages, profit and loss,
imports and exports, and become the light-hearted and
joyous companion. He was inceed the life of that quiet
hone-, which was never regarded as entirely itself until
his wticorne step had :ntered its threshold.
Such were the members of the family, whose fortunes
we shall have to trace in the succeeding chapters. The
reader, we think, will acknowledge that it is not one upon
whose history any author would fix to found a romance.
Hundreds of such families, whose characteristic is honest
and unobtrusive worth, enjoying peacefully and grace-
fully—and. we may add, gratefully—the reward of well-
directed enterprise, are to be found in our commercial
tol;ns; and there are few who will not at once acknow-
ledge that, within their own circle of acquaintance, there
is one at least who might have sat. for the picture.