The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-10-04
MISCELLANY.
A STORY FOR YOUNG CLERKS.
SNAG SBY.

ncn Inc willow empleIOn OOlalnPu
a situation Tor her son George in the of
flee of Messrs Longhurst, Laimer & Co..
she thought herself peculiarly favored,
and felt sure that her boy would he sue
cessful. AS for George himself. he was
confident of rising to be partner, and
: saw lin imagination) his own name in the
firm. George was fourteen years DID,
His mother had done all she could to pre-
pare him for situation in a respectable
offico he could write good hand, was
quick at accounts and an intelligent, civil,
oblging boy, willing TO learn, willing to
work, AMI perfect; trustworthy, SO every
body thought. ....... lbs.
The firm of Longhurst, Latimer & Co,
was al old established concern the sort
of place in which it is difficult to obtain
a situation without first-rate recommend
atious. But Mr.. Latimer attended the
same chapel as Georges mother, and he
was kind-hearte1 man and took fan
cy to her bov; and so it came to pass
that, when George was old enough, he
OncIeu W ttkc Illlil iiIio MS o'hpiOyihSh',
and to give him one pound four shIlings
per month. One pound four shillings
per month was "A great sum, so thought
George, and so thought Georges mother.
six shillngs per wcek-well nigh Il shil-
ling day-surely it WAS a very fortune
to begin with And then the duties were
not heavy. George had to 60 at nine in
the morning, and left at six in the even
ing, and he had one hour in the middle
of the day for his dinner-time and what
he had to do in the Office was to sit on a
high stool, and look through little trap
in wainscotted partition, and answer
people who made inquiries, sometimes
having to write messages, address envel-
opes, and always to keep charge of the
postage stamps. For this purpose a
quantity of postage stamps was given in
to his care, and he had to keep account
how many were used. All this was very
easy. Anybody" as Snagsby said,
''could do it." And so they might.
Who was Snagsby Snagsby was
another lad in the office, aged sixteen,
who wore tail coat and stick-up collar,
and tried to look like man in which he
never very well succeeded. Snagsby
soon became Georges oracle, that is tc
say, his chief counsellor George be.
lieved in Snagsby Snagsby patronzed
George. Snagsby treated George as ar
inferior, as "A small boy, as one who knew
nothing, but one whom he-Snagsby the
great--coudescenled to notice, and fol
which act OF Kindness the gratitude ant
fidelity Of George were but poor repay
men. Snagsby. why Snag~by had beer
to the races; he had the honor of ben.
acquainted with somebody who knew
somebody who was a great fighting man
and who kept "A public house in III,
Strand besides he was often going tt
the theatre, and knew a heap OF thing
al unknown to George. OF course h,
did not tell the firm of Longhurst, Lati
mer & Co., what remarkable man h,
CNnagsby) was. and how proud they ough
he to have him in their office but h,
told George so, an he believed him.
Neither did he in any communicative
with the firm, address them rs the Gov
crnors,' nor describe his salary as "a meal
screw neither did he inform them tha
'Snngshy had his eyes OPEN All thi
strt of thing was reserved for George, aLC
he believed in Snag-by.
mentioned that it was part 0
Georges duIy to look after the postag
stamps. Nothing surprised hIm mora il
attending TO this part of bis work THAI
the number of letters which Snag5by hat
to write. That gentleman was continue
ally demanding stamps, with the order
''Stick it up TO miscellaneous, and tt
his dismay, George by-anlby ascertain
ed that tn number of letters actually sen
out was less than the number of stamp
consumed He told Snagsby, and tha
young gentleman laughed and made ful
Of him, finally setting his book right TO
him, that is, making the account of le:
ters and stamps correspond. George wa
very unhappy about it, scarcely KNOWN:
whether he was doing right or wrong
but he had a shrewd suspicson that Snag
hy was not altogether honest. But ther
he was 20 kind and so great man
And how could he say anything to hin
or about him ! Snagsby was not to b
resisted except by strong effort. an'
that effort George did not make. Hi
mother noticed the alteration in him
and tried to find out the rause; but sh,
cobld not. She saw that he had les
care for chapel, less care about his schoo
friends, less care for herself than he hat
before he went out into the world, AM
she spoke to him seriously and prayed 70
him.
And now Snagsby began to tax
George out with him. At first George
declined. He could not 60 without let
ting his mother know of il, which seem
ed to Snagsby highly absurd idea bu
it was easy to let his mother know thut
friend at the office had asked him home
and to obtain her leave to 60. Well, the
did not go home to Snagsby's, but up tn
river TO Cew, and back by rail at tei
o'clock. No har... in that. Georg
told his mother all about it, and she wa
pleased that he had found friend An,
Snagsby came home to see George, an
made himself very agreeable, and playe'
on the flute from the Union tune-bool
some very plaintive music that George
father used 70 play, and that set the wild
ou,'e taar, N Anu,;n1 Cnanshv Isn III