Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-07-28

mothers unhappiness.
The firm TO which the poetical George
Selden condescended to give his services
consisted of two partners, Mr.. Williams and
Mr.. Webb. 1t being wholesale, as well as
retail house, the partners superintendent
separate departments. Mr.. Williams, a
plain spoken man of business, ordered all the
concerns of the retail shop, and, indeed, &C.
casionally served in it himself. lie was a
man of strict regularity and precision, and
shared the labors of the business with the
same degree of perseverance and punctuali-
ty as he expected from the persons he EN-
ployed. 1t was he, therefore, who most no.
ticed and suffered most Inconvenience from
the extreme inattentlon to his duties which
George Sclden continually showed. About
a week after the events we have narrated, he
entered his partners office to consult him
about dschareing so troublesome an assistant.
why, really said Mr.. Webb, | wish
you would try him little longer. wonder
what effect severe lecture will have upon
him 2
can tell you without trying it. have
talked to him till am tired. It has not the
least effect. In fact, believe he looks upon
what say with contempt. See, here is a
bundle of his rubbish which found hidden in
drawer. Every now and then he steals to
the desk to scrbble and add to the heap.
Mr. Williams produced several quires of
paper, every page closely covered with wri-
ting.
&c. said Mr.. Webb, taking the manu-
script, and smiling as he opened it; "a ira
gedy,I declare. In blank verse, too. Well,
though | daresay you will smile at my propo-
siton, l will take it home with me, and look
it over this evening"
But what good will that do? 1t will not
correct the mistakes he so Continually makes
in the invoices, nor make him more punctual
in his attendance at the shop
That may be- replied Mr.. Webb but
the truth is, l take a more than common in
terest in this young man. You remember
that, when used TO 60 to the western journ-
evs, l often spoke to you abou, q certain
John Cooper Of Daletonl'
To be sure !; he was one of our best GUS
TONERS; at least in the matter of punctual
payment. His money used to come up as
regularly, on quarter days, as clockwork.'
True; but, with all his honesty, he was
and died, leaving his widow and
daughter almost destitute. George Selden,
an orphan, was his apprentice, and appear
ing to be an intelligent lad. placed him IN
our shop. He Is young and inexperienced,
and | am loath TO turn him out on the wide
world of London, without trying every means
to make him suit us better. He is great
fool, l admit. Unfortunately for her, he is
in love with his late masters daughter and
Mrs. Webb has engaged her as governess to
our children. Now, if he would only re-
main steady and attentive to business, they
might very soon get married, and it would be
their own fault if they were not happy
An very pretty and romantic, dare.
say; but tell you what, Webb replied
Williams, shaking his head, though first
rate philanthropist, you are deuced bad
grocer. Well, | suppose must put up with
the lad till you reform him, or consent to my
turning him away 2
The usual summons of wanted, please
sir attracted Mr.. Williams into the shop.
George Selden had recently become &C.
quainted with a set of men of similar literary
propenslies, who had formed themselves in.
to society for the purpose of producing tc
the public their own works. All of then
had written tragedies which had precisely the
same catastrophes-they had been rejected
by the managers. BY mutual flattery, they
had impressed each other with the idea tina
they were great but ill-treated eeniuses; s.
that it was their duty to the public not to al
low it TO be longer defrauded of their tragic
sublimities. They therefore proposed t.
take theatre of their own, and to caus,
their works TO blaze upon the world, to tn
utter confusion and ruin of managers.
1t was only the night before that Selden at
tended one of their meetings. From fai
copy of his own four acts 1.-THE rough draft @
which had got into his masters hands) h
read portions of his drama. His audienc
protested to be in raptures; for it was
principle of theirs to receive the works @
their fellows with great applause, that thei
own lucubrations might, out of gratitude, b
equally well received in turn.
Consequently, the next morning, Selde
having arrived at the shop, fastened on hi
apron with more than ordinary distasle.-
That he, the author Of four acts of TRACED,
the reading of which had been received wit
such enthusiasm, should be obliged to wea
what he considered badge of servitud,
cut him. to use one of his own tragic ex
pressionS, TO the inmost SOUL He was OF
of humor with his shopmales, and treate
them with more than usual superciliousnes
Indeed this was fault which made him ma
ny enemies. His companions had no sui
lime visitations of poetry their minds di
not soar above their business, and for tn;
reason he looked down upon them as an in
ferior order of beings. To day, therefor,
he was mounted higher than ever upon s,ilt
and handled the tea, the sugar, and even III
cash, with the utmost contempt for sue
grovelling articles. The consequence wa
that he made more errors than usual. II
casts accounts falsely, he gave wrong chang
and supplied those customers with pounds
soap who had asked for pounds of sugar.
Perhaps it was lucky for his employers tn
they had granted him half holiday, whic
he had solicited, to change his private res
dence.
Although scarcely more than week ha
elapsed since he received Bessie Cooper al
!. her mothor with surh roptura ,o, ho ,y