New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-05-13
THE MYSTERIOUS BUREAU.
CHATTER /.


the clustering month Of March, in the year
49,, that Isaac Terrett-who was, as the no.
tice owe his door intimated, a saddler and har-
ss-maker, and kept snug shop, or '' estab-
lishment," as he preferred calling it, in bust
ling little English town-received letter,which
instructed him to repair forthwith to the resi-
dence OF an old gentleman, named Grulder, for
the purpose of receiving instructions relative to
the manufacture of set of harness, to suit
a pair of ponies that he had lately purchased
for his phaeton. Without loss of time, there
fore, Isaac ordered his apprentice, hungry
looking ungainly lad, named 60 Gorby,'' to put
his chestnut cob into the tax-cart, and bring
him to the door-a commission which Gorby
executed with great alacriiy, as the saddler
kept very tight rein upon the apprentice. and
the latter had now the pleasing prospect Of few
hours relaxation from the fatigue of business.
As Isaac was on the eve of starting. however,
like John Gilpin of immortal memory, he had
to.dismount again, a SO customer" having ''come
in, and Gorby had scarcely experience enough
to discharge the duties Of shopman with proper
grace. 1t was broad vsaged, yellow haired
country lad, who had come to purchase an old
horse collar, to practice grinning through
against a forthcoming village wake. Having
dispensed this piece of business in satisfactory
way, and compiimented The youth by prophe-
syiDg that he would distance ali competitors
and bear away the palm in the approaching
contest, the saddler remounted his cart, and
again was about to drive off, when another Gus
toner, in the shape of corpulent farmer, who
wanted his mare fitted with cheap snaffle,
presented himself at the shop door. The first
detention caused Isaac some annoyance, but
the second irritated him very much, more par
ticularly as the farmers chocolate colored
hackney would not open her mouth to receive
the bit, and eventually contrived TO slip through
the fingers of Isaac altogether, and trot provok-
ingly down the street into an apothecary shop,
the door Of which happened to stand conye-
niently open. Here, fortunately, however, the
mare was secured, and Isaac Terrett having
furnished her with the bride, and received the
money for it, he jumped into the cart a third
time, and went away almost at the top of his
speed l have been particular in describing
the two detentions he met with, as, had it not
been for both of these, Isaac could never have
become the rich man he did, and certainly would
never have become the hero of the present story.
And often does mans success or fortune in
life hinge upon a circumstance as trivial.
Isaac Terrett had most refractory animal
between the shafts of his light cart, and it was
| only by dint of good deal of tugging at the
rens and fogging that the incensed saddler
could get him to proceed in the direction re-
quired. Isaac first made trial of the lash, but,
not finding that as effectual as he wished, he
took the other end Of the whip, and, leaning
| over the front of the vehicle, gave the unrul,
beast several sound thumps with it, which a
once awakened him to a sense of his duty
and obviated the necessity of further remon
STRANGE. Then Isaac pushed his whip back int
the socket, and, having nothing else to emplo,
his thoughts, he began rejecting upon the mum
Der of years he had been a slave to business
and the little comparative good he hal achieved
for himself and family.
"Here are other men, muttered Isaac, "wht
started in life with prospects even inferior t,
mine, and now drive their carriages, and taxi
| the air like gentlemen. 1t will never do grub
bing on at this rate. / must make bold hit, ;
and then the saddler began to think Of his new
ly-invented bride for runaway horses, whicl
acted with a sudden pressure upon the roofs o
their mouths, and caused them to draw up in
stantly, and scream with pain. He decided
upon having it patented without delay, AM
sending one, elaborately ornamented to Hi
Majesty, King George. Upon this continue,
Isaac, 81 shall receive instructions to repai
Immediately to court, and have to kiss the king
hand, and perhaps get knghted into the bargain
Who knows: My wife is very ambitious wha
would she say to that ;-and to be called Lad,
Terrett, too and your ladyship'' And m,
daughter Noke, would she marry the tallow
chandlers assistant, think you? Marry, com
up, will rise in the world yeti"
This gratifying string Of reflections brough
! the good saddler to his destination. He an
nounced his arrival to the house keeper; with
cred, vicious looking, elderly lady, rather redo
! lent of snuff! and Mr.. Grulder, the old gentle
man of whom mention has been made, sent wor
that Isaac was to walk up into his private room
. which was part bed chamber, part library, an
part lumber-room. Into this badly ventilate
+ apartment Isaac was ushered by the vinega
housekeeper; but it was very apparent that Nj
Grulder was not quite prepared to receive CON
pany just then, for he had his head in an ol
. worm-eaten bureau, and was busily endeavoI
ing to reclose some secret drawers, which wei
: crammed so full of bank notes and guineas, thi
they could not, without difficulty, be pushed il
to their proper place. The old gentleman, how
h ever, at length succeeded in adjusting the spring
!. d and, withdrawing his head rather testify,
L looked at the saddlcr in an inquiring way, as
w wishing to see whether he had learned anythin
- that it did not become him to know. But lsas
was shrewd man, and he Immediately put c
blank expression of countenance, admirabl
h suited to the occasion. He had often regardt
!. n this bureau with longing eyes, and his curiosit
,e was now in some measure gratfed. lie NJ
rs rs heard that Mr.. Grulder was little addicted
the propensity of boarding and hiding his none
and Mr.. Terrett now saw where the bulk Of TIL
money was boarded and hidden
Mr.. Grulder' wig was off when Isaac entere
but the old gentleman clapped it on the mome
he had removed his head from the bureau, an
turning in his chair, began to issue instruction
K respecting the pony harness, which was to
:, mounted with silver, and strike envy into Il
h. bosoms OF all the country gentlemen round abou
=, Afterwards, Mr.. Grulder went down with Il
saddler into the stables, to get the ponies mea
n. ured for the collars; and, while he was thei
~ he had n fit of coughing, that lasted upwards
u five minutes, and shook his decrepid frame
Of severely that Isaac thought, if the old gentl
he man did not take care, he would never live
see the new set of harnessappropriated. 1t W
astonishing, too, to watch the manner in viii
Mr.. Grulder battled with his asthma. Thou
- he was of great age eighty i've and upwar
,s he did not bend under the complaint with t
air of man who is being dragged to his gra
by it, but rather with that of a person who h
IS been attacked in n cowardly way, and was d
termined not to yield an inch of ground TO t
: enemy. ''Wait a bit,' cried he, holding up
70 hand, as he saw that Isaac was about to speo
and seating himself on corn bin, &c it's not 60
= yet. | believe it's the damp stones," and tn
y, he was seized with another fit, of even a mt
no violent nature than the one that preceded III
: also, having passed over, Mr. Grulder got che
a. a. fully upon his legs again, and completed the
of directions his infrmities had interrupt
n Isaac Terrett then left him. and drove aw
~ homeward.
g A stealthy old hunks" growled the saddl
- shielding his face as well as he could from
bleak March wind; :" he has as much gold 6
bank paper secreted in that mouldy bureau