National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-04-26
The Merchants Test.


- Olt W / ii n AOkAI4.
Dick, am afraid the old man
has taken it into his head to send
you adrltt.'
Nv ny, What can you mean, Phil.
lips
Only that he was talking very
earnestly with Mr. Ogicthropc as /
went mo his room Iust now, amt
they ceased Nc.N diScrcetiy on my
entrance. | took the liberty of wait
my outside the door, till the comveI-
! oatlOn WAS reSUmcd, and heard
/ enough to satisfy me that OgiethrOpe
mas a nephew WiIO Is about to take
Nour place.
w nat cid you oycrhcar z
Merely d sentence from eaCh.--
OS 'ethrope SAID: 80 You think my
nephew viii have no difficulty N
llhns the place OF your head clerk !
ana Dcale replied, None, whatever;
and the othtrcltrN, Pmllip Nardeu,
! has been III my establishment Il long
tine, and II can give Am Il little
insight into vur business affairs, II
Ietd be- | aid not wait to hcar
any more; but that is enough, 1
should think.
so 1t would SEEM was the reply,
III Il tone OF deep dcSpoudeucy.
1T Is mean III the o,d man to dis
charge YOU, aud equally strange II
1t was Inc HOW, shouldn't think it
50 odd-Dut he has all along seemed
to think much OF you. But lsjust
like him, always doing something
out OF the way
Richard Wilkins wdS too sick ut
heart to reply. He turned to the
desk and cndeaVored to concentrate
his wandering thoughts upon his
work, butln VAN. 1hcpen cropped
from his fingers, and leaning his
mead upon his hand he gave lull
scope to his sorrOwiul and Indignant
irclnes. When the two gentlemen
emerged from Mr.. BcaIc's private
room lie started like one guilty OF Il
secret crime and snatclung the pen,
pretended To be all absorbed III his
duties. His hurried manner, SO DIN
ercnt from his quiet coInposurc, was
noticed by his employ en-, who drew
his own conclusions thcICilom. Nj.
Ogiethr0pe VAS returning to his
home n Baltimore. Ills illend ac-
Companled him to the steamboat, f,
anG, on returning, closely observed
/ the two clerks, as he Sauitertd back
ana forth through the store. Phil'
| lips appearance Indicated nothlu Z
UNUSUAL; but Ricnard, though hc
had partially legalneu his Il Stom.
AIRY composnre, could not prevent Il
Snght hcSitancy aud restraint when
replying to MI. Bcalbs casual re
narhs.
Several days after, MI. Bcalc
brought Richard a letter TO seal aud
deposit III the post Office as he went
10 dinner. AT the same time II,
sent Phillip 10 Il neighbollnS store
on business which would dctdln Inn
. some httlc time. lie then returned
To his private room. Left To HIM
self, klchard gazcd on the supcr
scliptiou OF the letter long and ear
ne>lIy. -. Oglethropc, baltimore,
tho words seemed burned INTO hl'
brain. What would he not give I,
know the contents vi the letter
Doubtless it related 10 the nephew
that was TO supplant him. Kicnaro
hcsltatcd, tuned the letter over ano
over. Why could he not glance mt,
it, Ii Was not scaleu--iic Woul,
betraN no confidence III SO doing
most OF the business letters McI'
given to him To anSM or, und certain
: ~ 10 no Que living would he Ie\ea
: the contents, whatever they mlgh
be. These reflections overcalnc III!
strong iepugnanCc to the act, an'
with tlemDlIng hand he opened th'
letter and read -
r 'DEAN SIR IL wish your nephew
, to arrive, If possible, by Tuesday th'
| thirteenth, as ON that day young
, Wilkins year will have expired, an,
it is desirable that his siccessol
!. should be on the spot to enter III
e mcdiately on his duties. Truly yours
|. j. BEALE!
!. The blood rushed to RlcliafI'
brow as he read. For an instant ~