The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1855-03-30


"Mr. Dickson" said he, II have friend
who has just been shipwrecked, is very des-
titute and in search Of employment. If you
have no objection Ishould like to have him
stop with me for few days. -. s. -
DO you mean that you want to take him
home to eat and lodge with you2 said Mr..
Dickson, after moments hesitation.
Yes, ,sir, if you are willing" -.
II have no objection, but shall charge
you three dollars week for his bonrd,'
'"Nery well, sir. l will pay it,"
"And he must moi occupy any Of, your
time, for tits very busy season" .....
20, no sir. : On the contrary he will be
pleased to assist me in any thing that he Gun
do about the store. If he can make himself
I,serviceable to you perhaps you will like to
hire him. 49,. -. -... .
''Ah, shall not hire any more help AT
present. Go about those books now. They
must be posted up before Saturday night. /
have business up town and shall return in an
hour" w.
Mr.. Dickson left the room, and John, who
had overheard the conversation, came into
the counting room. .. E . .~.l... "
ut is too bad, William" said he. Il viii
not stay here at all for you to pay three dol.
lars a week for my board, would sooner
beg my bread until l can help myself
You will do such thing--and l hall
insist upon your staying with me until you
can get situation that you will like"
"But it may be a long time first, and
can never pay YOU ..
Say no more about pay, John. You are
entirely welcome to all that can do for
you." ".
John expressed much gratitude for the
kindness of his friend, and very reluctantly
accepted his hospitality.
On his way up town Mr.. Dickson met
with friend, brother merchant, who WAS
in search of a clerk.
"By-the-by, Mr.. Dickson" said he, II un-
derstand that your clerk, Westmore, wants
to know where he can get higher salary.
would not hire him away from you, bnt if
you have no objection am willing to give
him something more than you can afford to-
He is a..pretty smart fellow, is he not!'
"Smart or not Mr.. Bently, you cannot
hire him., !. have no idea of parting with
| him. 80.
"Ah, if that is the case then I will not in
teffere with you, Of course thought that
you did not value him very highly"
"iie answers my purpose, and 1 shall not
let him.go Reco!lcct you cannot hire him,
| will give him a thousand dollars Il year
rather than he should leave me-"
| go, very well. | shall not interfere with
your interests" returned Mr.. Benuy, and the
merchants went their way.
Now the truth ofthe matter was, Mr. Dick
i L IL
sand dollars year, and he was giving him
less than three hundred. He was one of those
souless beings who never think that other
peoples interest have any thing to do with
theirs. He valued the services of those
whom lie employed just in proportion to the
cheapness Of their pay, and considered it a
smart thing in himself to be able to obtain
men for half price when labor was scarce,
while their families were starving at home
Still he was popular man. He gave his
hundreds to benevolent objects, and all the
world knew Of his good deeds. but they did
not know his motives-nor did they know
that his great gifts had been piItered from
the poor mans pocket by robbing him ofhis
just due. II
A few weeks afterwards William learned
through one of Mr.. Bently's employees that
he had expressed wish to hire him, and at
higher salary than received of Mr.. Dick
son. lie had found a man to fill the vacan-
cy, however, and it was too late for him to
apply for the situation, but it opened his
eyes to fact that had heretofore escaped his
attention. He began to think tha: he was
working for too low wagcs7-and making
some inquiries in the matter, he found that,
in contrasting his pay and his labor with that
Of others in the same business, he was rights
A just appreciation Of his own talents and
duty to himself prompted him to laysthe sub
ject before his employer and demand higher
wages. Mr.. Dickson appeared surprised.
and asked "why he considered his services
worth more than heretofore"
"Becahse can get more elsewhere" )" was
the reply.
"Can you Z" questioned Mr., Dickson. 81
shonld like to see you find another situation
at any price" -..>
"It is not long, since l might have gotta
chance in Mr.. Bently's store
Ard 30 you think you could walk into
Mr.. Bcpty's or Mr.. Anybody. else's store,
without references or accommodations from
any one 2" ~, .....l.,-
mo, sir. lsuppose not ~
"Well, where besides here have You serv