The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-06-02
ringing the. bell. ho showed me TO the door,
and bowed me out.

L
and bowed me out. i'''''l'-.
It was q long time before I recovered iron
my surprise at the mysterious interview
with tho :" Man over the Way" That h
should know all about me and my af,irs
was only less extraordinary than THAI shoul'
have. always felt 80 strange curiosity re
gardins him. .t -.
" There nre more strange things !, heaven ant
earth, H0raiio, h.H 4i''' 4"
Than are dreainpt OF in yuor philosophy" s'si
said |. quoting Hamlet; hut I gm no salts
factory explanation of the matter by sucl
quotation. The most reasonable suppo
aition seemed to be that no mus, have
heen incessantly watching me. and thi,
('hpuSh | scarcely knew it) made me watcl
him, and feel attracted II, him in return
But the gre point nav. was-should I fol
low hi, advice! and II so, what did th'
advice mean /! ysm sI los. .a s6T 81.
Work what did know about work. anS
how was my working to get me Julia for |
wife Certainly. had dim suspicion 'ha
the old gentleman might mem, that II
worked l should improve INV income. ant
.bus bc entitled to ask Tor her hand with /,
better chance Of success than as an idle man
with c 900 year. Rather slow process
/ feared hut what s,rt Of work was | Il
perform d | had no profession | was unac
quainted with any art; | could neither trac
tice law nor medicine nor could paint ol
teach music. could write poetry. certain
ly; at least,. Julia and l thinkaso but
doubt whether +" The Man over the Way
could cali that uOrk. ...-, s....' .I..u1
Al'er three days Of reflection, | dctermin
ed tn pay the Man another visit. .'E
"Wl'at do y"u want 7" he began, in just
the same tone as before.
Ito work" replied I. briefly.
F" Good" said he "go and do It," p
Z" Bu' dun't knnw what to work at
have no profession" -...... lisa. =.
"Go and break stones" he replied; the
warehouses; arr empty just now Tho roads
want laborers - t1
| turned away in disgust. -- lW
"Can you write ! +" he asked. OF course
YOU can, though love letters. tits not the
best hand in the world, but it may bc i'm
proved. You had better get u situation as
junior clerk in merchants offce - no sal
AIRY the first year, sixty pounds the second,
eighty the third. and 50 on" IL
Thank ,ou," said |, very angry. " Even
if | were disposed to do 50, know no mcr'
camille houses IN London" .,...
"I'll get you the situations" was the re-
ply. lily you regret it, don't come near me
again."
Who shall describe my feelings u, this
moment tn fancy myselfa common clerk
me the best dressed man Of NY means
in town, ihe INST refined in taste, the great
est hater Of everything " business like" or
common 10 be clerk, u snob, a quill
driver! On the other hand, to lose the
strange friend if | could so call him) before
me, or be unable to apply for his advice, Ia
lose the chance also of gainini Julia for
| did think that this would follow my rejec.
lion Of the offer what should do!
"If accept" said |, after II pause, will
you guarantee me ="
"Noihimg!" WAS the reply that cut me
short. Z" tell you to owoIk, and | offer you
the means of doing 50 - that's all"
al accept cried in desperation.
The Man took pen aud wrote short
note, which he handed me to read. 1t WAS
simply letter Recommendation of me, the
bearer, for employment in the house Of the
firm to whom i was II idressed.
handed It back with thanks. Ho wrote
The direction, and gave me the letter. II
was addressed, e" Messrs: Snigg'es & Co.
"Why" exclaimed "it is 10 the father
Of t.a -....
Exactly-so much the better; he will
ask you no questions, but give you the stu
alion."
lie showed me ont Of his room /; and when
reached the street. stood still for few
minutes in perfect bcwilderment. Could hi;
:" Man over the Way" have dealings with
the devil. that he exercised so strange un
influence over me, and seemed to guide me
as he Pleased And, then, what could be
his connection with lIlc Singles family that
made him So confident Of my procuring the
situation through hint determined to de-
liver the letter ut nll events. '''.o -'7s75
made my wny 10 Tbalnes street. where
am sure had never sol foot before.
found the house of Sniggles & Co. Eugh
how the pl ,ce smelt OF leather. / asked for
Mr.. Singles, aud Twas shown into his Of
fee. fl a..
Good day, sir" said Singles, glad to
see you here"
handed him the letter, which he just
glanced over, and then said, "Follow me. y
lie led me tO the next room, where three
fellows welc driving their quilts with all their
might. '' " h - 80
"Mr. JACKSON cried old Sniygles TO ono
of them +" Mr.. Plastic, here, CHATS my.
selD bas come 10 join you be g,,od enough
TO set him to work" und, SO saying, he left
the rom. '.'fihp -i.''f7i 1850 '' '''''
Mr.. Jackson did rs he was told. IIe gave
me quantity Of things to copy, every line
of which puzzled me by The extraordinary
te,ms il contained words which never
heard before, and which, | am confident,
are not 70 bo found in J,hnson's Dictionary,
did as ] was told. though ifyou had asked
me rhai had dune ut the end OF the day,
| certainly could MT have told you, cxcep,
that | was elernally writing something OF
other. ttf' q .lsaffpl i'.s'.'taaHn -,
NV fellow clerks were good natured fel
lows, though their coats were evidently
built by third rate ttlors, and their neck
ties were moro striking than tasteful. They
were not very ignorant either; and though
they knew nothing about the matters was
most cup "in-such. us the private history
of Madame Spinnini, the rreat danseusr,
and tho real story about the Duke Of Dumps
and Signora Salonica, OF the Italian Opera.
&c., &C., still they were no, badly informed