The mountain Democrat., 1864-08-27
A COUNTING-HOUsE SCENE.

broad and well-built street occupying the
southern side of the basin Of the Alster,
which, flowing from the plains of Holstein,
spreads here into lovely garden-begirt
lake, alive with the sports of skaters in
winter, and covered with swans and swan
like yachts in SUMNER, and overlooked by
the best hotels Of the city. English ma
bobs and German princes here display al
ternately their wealth and their arrogance
amidst an humber class Of travellers who,
like myself, owe their presence more to
business than to pleasure. The tempta-
tions of so gay place as this renowned
city, had made desperate inroads into my
not over well supplied purse, which the
delay of reDittaAces had doubly affected,
and the necessity of departure manifested
itself; and it was not six o'clock, when in
this view vas already pacing MY room
with hasty and anxious strides, and ma
king myself obnoxious to my fellow-lodg-
ers by thus being the indiscreet disturber
Of their morning repose. Was ever poor
author, through unforeseen circumstances,
betrayed into more vexatious dilemma
than was at that moment, in the free
Hanse Town of Hamburg? My ex-
chequer was exhausted, and my depart.
ure yet to be effected, with not q cent left
in my pocket. Mr. Mari, my friendly
host, is good and kind hearted, and not
the man to cut an unpaid account imme.
diately from ones skin but the Prussian
ShellpoSt takes no passengers on credit,
and on the next day, without fail, | must
forth to Berlin. For the twentieth time
had | rummaged through my lettcr.case,
in the hope that some timid acceptance,
some modest letter of credit, might have
shrunk into a corncr-but in vain Stop,
what paper is thiS? 1t is a letter which
a well wishing patron has given me, and
which have negligently omitted to pre-.
sent. The address is quite simpr-"Herr
Mohrfcld, Drich. .strau>e." brcathed
aloud: Perhaps this is the man from
whom help is to reach me" rcmcm-
berrd that my patron had described him
as the head Of "A very eminent mercantile
house, whose acquaintance might he of
great advantage to me
With eager haste completed my tuI.
let, and with the stroke Of eight left the
hotel for Dcich.>trrct, where expected
/" encounter my rrsruin. angel. Stop {!
here, at the hop market, | must paus, 81
mntheitt. II l. maIkrt-lav, and IT,. lni>t
scene has many attractlouS lnndrr.
am"rg the clamornu> f>h.N'mcn, stands
short, thick set man, in blue nvercnat;
the blunt a.d taciturp expression f his
ru!dy face. is h lgiItencd bv a profuSion
Of badly contcl hair. He ppy> for n
wrl->' lectrd fish. which his at,cadnut
porter takes away. He moves with pc
cuiar decision Of manner, and with down.
cast luok. humIulug low note, his hnl,d>
b bad him, tlIn> INTO the Dcicn St,r, :.
ithunt his taking any notice Of me we
stl"de together, and both at last paused
before the sam hou>c Thre he rccov.
cred from his thoughtiul manner, and
looking steadily at me, asked in a sup
pressed tone, DO you wish to speak Ia
anv one here" NeXed that one whose
appearance was 50 ordinary, should al
dress me with - little ceremony, an.
swercd with some haughtipesS, II have
business with the house of Mohl field -
He smiled, and then said earnestly, :"
am Moh:lcld.' What is, then, nv de-
pcndence on one WHO buys his own fish,
and appears in a threadbarc coat? Is
this mean looking parsonage the last PEE
cuniary resource Of his literary gucst?-
But he was the only anchor Of hope to
which could cling With lightning
haste removed my hat. and said. with a
most respectful air, "Parlon me had
till now not the honor-I have"-here |
drew the letter from my pocket-"a com
mission to deliver, this letter" Herr
Mohrfeld interrupted me, Not now by
and by will speak with you in the count
ing'room; you must however, wait awhile.
sCome"-he stepped into the house, and
followed. In the great hail, all was activ-
ity. There was two great scales, on
which workmen were weighing coffee, Of
which az attendant clerk, with his mem
orandum book, kept account: Mr.. Mohr
field looked on silently for few moments.
and was passing on, when a laborer threw
down bag Of coffee in a manner to burst
it, scattering the berries upon the floor.
What gross carelesSness tartly ex.
claimed the merchant; STOPPING to collect
the scattered coffee, continued, leather
it all up, and put it again in the SACK
Then have it properly mended. and you,
Mr.. Moler,s that the bag is then weigh:
ed; and if there is loss, charge the
amount to this improvident man. 1t shall
be deducted from his weeks pay.
"That is hard" said the man. "Oniy
a little coffee
"Only little coffec!" answered the
merchant, quickly. "Ie who dcspises
triAes is not worthy Of great things; out
of eight and forty shillings is composed a
thaler; and to one good vintage many
warm days are necessary. So! not worth
the trouble? Negligence is great fail,
ing, ard ruinOus to ordinary business
Mr.. Moller, when this man again, even in
the smallest particular, displays his care
lessness, discharge him on the spot. l
make you answerable."
"Great God |" thought I, "for n hand.
full of coffee, will he deprive a man of his
bread? How hard how cruel how will
it 60 with me!"
At this moment, young man, dressed
with great elegance, came out of the Of
fee, bowed TO the merchant, and was about
to pass out of the door, but look from
his employer caused him to pause.
"Your appearance is fashionable" said
Mohrfeld, dIsdainfully. "Is there to be
a bail in my counting house? and where
were you yesterday eveningp If l am
not in error, you were curvetling on pal,
frey out at the Damn Door, too much oc,
cupied to observe your employer, who
passed you on foot"
II beg thousand pardons, answered
the young man, turning blood red in the
face. "T'-
ut is we'll" interrupted Mohr(eld. 81
have nothing to do with that which my
people do out of business hours. if they