The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-01-12
Job warner. Christmas.


| gay throngs crowded the thoroughtares. The
shop windows were brillian, with articles o
every conceivable variety adapted for Christ
mas gifts. So the human tide ebbej anC
| flowed, surging into shops, taxing to the ut
| most the attention of o-erworked clerks, anC
receded with pleasant surprises destined or
the following morning 10 make many
households happy.
In front of large window. brilliantly
illuminated, stood an elderly man, somewhat
under the middle stature. Job was scarcely
fifty; but sedentarv habits and long stoop-
ing over desk had bowed his form, and
given him the appearance of bsiag several
years older than he actually was. For
twenty years he had been assistant book.
keeper in the counting,room of Bently g. Co.,
importers ofdry goods and wholesale jobbers
His excellent business capacity would have
secured Kim promotion TO the position of
chief ok-ketper; .but his own humility
"pd absence Of preteGsion had uncoasciously
lnlluenccu hto st..ri-ys.S ur~epV nIru at
his own valuation. So while the Grin had
prospered and made money by hundreds of
thousands, job Warner still continued to be
assistant book k-keeper on modest salary of
seveu hundred dollars, With a family be-
coming daily more expensive, the little book
meet. lie was compelled 10 live in very
poor aud ircommoIious lodgings. aud prac-
tice humble acts Of self,deuia!. al which he
bore with meek and accomplishing spirit,
with which be was doubtless crc,iitsd in that
better world, where. We trust, all the insqu1'-
ties of this life i'll be made up.
tn, last year had been rzthcr = Trying one
to job Warner. The enhanced price OF
nearly every article which IS included under
the head OF uccessarics lad made rigid
economy needtI. Months a-o th, family
had given up using sugar. and butter was
Only used on Sundays. Frugaiity had be-
come rule, and vas mcek'y submitted to
as necessary condition of life. Bat in spite
of his haoiiua! self-.enial, the worthy book
keeper was stirred with an impulse TO ex-
trava gance on this day. la the window be-
fore him bloomed large doll-lui;a 4
queen she must have been in the realm OF
doiis-royalty attireI ia q purple silk dress
aud q bonnet Of the latest style. The eyes
Of the book keeper we're dXed IN admiration
upon his beautiful dol vision. There was
u household pet "a; hous-little Aeie-whom
the possess.eu of that doll would exa.t TO The
seventh heaven G. happiness. IrTa, such i
royal iGdy 10 night spurn the idea o. entering
so humble a home. and her silks might seem
out Of place in contrast with the callcoeS AID
ginghams wit, which Eiiie aud her mother
were cCnIcn;el. But when J,scse c0nslde.a~
tious suggested themselves /" Jcb Warner,
be trulnphautlr answered., is there anyo
thing TOO good Tor Lille
Yes we have foanl cat the lii..> box
keepers weakness. lie no sooner thought
OF little Ef;e's bright ewes dancing with le>
liEA; than h;s hab'tuatsI pra.ieace iorsooA
him. With an air OF desperate resolution
he entered JEe brilliant shop, and iilniiiy
pushed his wsy among the well dressed
crowds surrounding tie countc-, asked, with
az roiO-ecJic cough, tic price ot her Royal
higiIuess ia the window.
Tie clerk looked li,tlc surprised at such
question from All al Of 50 humble ap-
pearaacs. and answered. ~ IL short, qF'cN
. tone, "Fi~e dollars, sir. wiz you ;a&e ~
Five Go-.--s job WAS slar,lad At the
prloc, and answered, ia an ashamed to"e
that he wocld NJ; decide just yet.
Oat>iae he again looked longing'y nj the
doll Ltis w0ulI lie 50 delighted with It
bu; ;Ieu Eve arLlars, lie recsuael ~ .ac
number OF art.o.cs that might he purchased
log five ig..ars, aui shook his head re!ac
taL,lr Mrs Warner would think he had
qaG:c taken leave or lis Senses. OF course
1 he must eve ap ali thought Of It. But no
( y dayin- su-esjioa occurred 10 HIN. Nigh
. b. no, apply 10 Mc Beuilv i.g az increase @
salary? Iaere had been general rising o
( salaries every alere That he kncN. HI.
/ old f.icnd. Timothy Fog, had lis raised twC
I month: ago. hat somehow job had never
/ succeeded ia sLu4mouiuE Up ccara Eeto make
such q request OF his employer. lie was Eo
sure. in has hGmi.i,y, vhe her he was ~oril
anv more tIal ssl-n hundred do!lari q year
| Bat LIS love for ir;le Ellie gave him ,Iunwon'
ted bo.Jncss With an increase Of salary
/ he couil bug this magni.icea; doll for her
: and Afford lis oldest boy course of lessons
/ in drawing. tCr which he had n str1tg taste
/ iss, lie would ask to have his salarE raised
/ that very night. y little matter Of busineS:
/ lal detained Mr. John Bentley. the head o
/ the firm IN the Office, 50 that he would b
! sure 10 find him on returning thither
/ Mr. 3 -rtley ~as seated in his office, CLAN
/ cling over come papers. He was large
/ rortly man, ? little pompous in manner, anC
= glance from h, gray eyes aiways confused
! lie worlhy LooL keeper, whu, long a. he hac
! known Liu', had never got TO E cl quite a
ease in bis company. Job had an indistine
, .iee that his employer was immomsely sGPe'
/ ri or to him in every war, and looked W /;
/ him with distant reverence.
John Bentley lifted his eyebrows in sur
I rr:sa, and job shufled in t the door, his ha
under has arm, with an air Of rervous trepid
/ alton whiea the consciousness of his erranc
, inspired.
Have you iorgo't9n anything, Warner 2
demanded Mr.. Bentley, in q clear, comma"d
lrs tone. :.
saw. yes" stammered the b tx keeper -
! There is little matter which wished tc
speak to yoa about. But | s,.ou4d not wish
to take up your time, if you are busy, SIR
aud | will wait until scme other ofcasiou'
"If you can say what you have to say il
five minutes, Warner, go or" {turned his
employer.
"lt was about an increase Of alary, Dir
Bentley said he, plunglng into Ais subject
and talking fast to keep up his sOuraga. =
/ "Prices have been. rising OF laso mucl
that find it very difficult to II ihtain a wifc
and four children on seven hundH led dollars q
year. do, indeed, sir. If yol would be
| kiud enonzh TO add a hundred, OF even fifty,
| would thank you gratefully, sir
"An increase ofsalary, eh, Watner? Sever
| hundred dollars Esed to be considered very
/ fair salary. Of course sOme get more, bat
| you know, Warner, that you ar not q first
/ class man Cf business. on dd your worB
very satisfactory, but"
al know what you would say, Mr. Bentley,
interrupted Job, humbly. 81 kn ow my abil,
tiles are small, but try to be faithful.
hope hare always been faithful 20 the bcs
Of my abilities"
'.Yes, Warner, yoa haze. ID DPnt think
have any complaint to make; ut as to ar
increaee cf salary, that requiref considera'
| ticu. Probably the high prices viii not al
ways last, ard in the meantime you can be
| more economical"
| More economical: And this to job, who
| had been close economis; all hss life. How,
ever, he did not venture to reply, but, bows
ing humbly, withdrew. a minHte later, his
employer, who had got through with the bus
mess which detained him, put on his over
coat and followed. On his way back, Job
paused again before the window which had
so much attraction for him. Again he