Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-02-26

IA ACuEWluk hAo OhS- ofeSA RASNAOa
refusal, but this overcame me.
q "l'm really very grateful to you 70
e all your kindness"
S "All right, my lad; all right. Sc
j. and get your things here or you'll b
o late. to dinner"
!, At dinner 1 was introduced to th
4 chief clerk--or rather the manager O
!, my uncle's business. Once or twice
noticed his eyes fx themselves on M
!; in manner that gave me the idea o
a bis measuring me. l felt annoyed a
| this, and showed it little, perhaps. il
the tote Of my voice as / answered hi
i. inquiries az to the practices of Englisl
commerce,
"Oh," said my uncle, ''be know
nothing about the matter. Monsieur
Verney. Ask him to recite to you {
chorus from the 'Antigone' and bel
repeat half the book; but Of commerce
of banking-he knows nothing"
"We shall be able to teach him oul
system in few years, if he shall stay
SO long with u.s." q.
| "He'll stay longer than I shall, ]
dare say, NJ. Verney."
"het me hope not, NJ. Wardes; you
are a young man yet-quite young
man."
"That may be, but I don't mean to
spend all my life in your dear Paris,
| NJ Vernev Oh no.o
Whatever comes, we shall do our
best with the young man to make him
useful"
| l felt angry and ve1ed at this con-
versations though the hints thrown out
by my uncle were plain enough. l did
not like this contemptuous treatment
from his manager.
Moreover, I noticed that Monsieur
Vernsy paid most assiduous and grace
full attentions to Vietorine, who accep-
ted them as matter OF course, and
this made me still more inclined to dis
like him.
My work was easy enough-to6
easy. 1 copied letters, paid away
money, and did the work that belonged
to my department as junior clerk. NJ.
Vernay was careful to give me nothing
to do that was not simplicity itself, and
| was bored FOR want Of something that
might occupy my mind as well as my
fingers. In the evenings / seldom went
out, and was very content to spend
my time with Victorine, who, on her
part, seemed to think the evenings were
pleasant enough to seem short; SO
while papa dozed in his chair, Victorine
and 1 talked and sang to our hearts
content.
NJ. Vernay came about once a week
to dinner, and cohtrived then, and in
deed at all times to give my uhcle the
idea that / was in heed of much teach.
ing as regarded business matters.
"How many years do you think.
Charles" 1--WE were cousins, reader,
ait will take you to learn 10 conduct
papa's businessf"
"How many months, you mean,
Victorins. These practical men, your
father and M. Vefhsy. are greatly mis-
taken In theif estimate about me;
they fancy that becadse l never
looked into day-book, or journal, OF
ledger before l came here, that 1 shall
be years learning their use; it's mis-
take Of theirs. / have ever since l was
old enough to think. done little else
but think, and dicipline Of this kind
enables me to learn in month what
their undisciplined minds would REQUIRE
twelve for. As for NJ. Vernay and his
'Systen,s, as he calls it, it is q good one,
and workable one) but there is fifty
methods Of applying the same princi-
pies. He boasts that by bis system
fraud is rendered impossible, because
discovery Is certain; he's wrong. and
greatly wrong, and If had access to
his books I believe l could prove to
demonstration that it Is so."
Victorine somewhat incautiously de-
Tended me the next time l was attacked,
and repeated my remark that il hsi
access to his books ! could prove fraud
to be possible.
NJ. Vernay started, turned pale, and
turned on me glance that made sure
Of two things: first, that this chance bolt
had hit the mark-that there Dds fraud
and next, that il NJ. Vernay could put
me out ofhis way he would not be very
particular as to the means of doing it.
This one idea Of fraud kept forcing
itself before me constantly. M. Yer
nays jealous care Of particular books
and keys, his constant endeavors To-
make my uncle to take zone glsS
more" than was good for him, and the
strange, suspicious looking people who
came 10 him first, and then drew out
money from the bank, all compelled me
to think oft. Twas more than confirmed
in my opinions by an incident which
occurred some few months after this
idea FIRST entered my mind.
! had lost myself in one Of the
Faubourgs rather late one evening, and
entered q small, mean-looking restau-
rant to ask my way. There were a
number OF men in the room, and as |
glanced in looking glass saw a face
there was no mislaking-that of NJ. |
Vernay. He was sitting at one of the
round handicapped tables with two
companions, with his fsce to the wall,
and his side-face reflected in the glass.
I saw him clearly. but from his position
he could not see me. Instead Of asking
my way ! took q seat near the party and
fnnk nm a naner. They smoke In French |