Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-02-12
The Two Clerks.
BY WILLIAM l.. WILLIAMS.

BY Will IAN L., WILLIAMS.
In Market Square, ir the pleasant
city Of Merryport, was n crockery-
ware store, over the door of which
was block sign bearing, In gilt let
ters, the name of Benjamin Hudson.
For many years this crockery- ware
store had been there, with the great
pitcher hanging I'm front for sign;
indeed, when Mr.. Hudson first
opened the store, some forty years
previous, he was quite young man,
and the sign over his door was very
bright and handsome: but now HE
eyes had grown dim, and the owner
was called "Old Hudson" by all the
boys and girls i'm the city.
The windows of this store had
great attractions for all the children
that passed that way. There were
beautiful vases, handsome China
mugs with ELLEN, Fanny, ,""Wil-
liam," aud lots of other names in
scribed upon them; there were also
plates, with pictures on them repre-
senting Franklin's maxims and
funny clocks. shaped like dogs, that
would roll their eyehalls to and for
every time they licked, and many
other things curious and ornamental.
Mr.. Benjamin Hudson had grown
rich i'm his business. for he had con
Quoted it all himself, and taken care
that nothing should bc wasted or lost
by neglect He had made some mis-
takes, to be sure, as every man will
make some blunders during a life.
time, but by skilful management he
quickly recovered from them, Six
~. five years had begun 10 bend over
Mr., Hudson's shoulders, and dim
the brightness of his eyes, aud he
found business more irksome than 1t
formally had been.
81 must have u partner" said lie
one day to himself rs he sat before u
cheerful fire. 81 must have one in-
terested In the business who Is young
and active, and will take the weight
Off my shoulders, for cannot do AS l
used to do"
Now, In Mr.. Hudson's employ
were two young men-Hcrbert Bond
and Charles Seymour. They had
been with him All equal length Of
Time, and had performed their duties
faithfully and well. Charles did his
work quickly, and had n smart way
about him that made people think
Him greatly superior to- Herbert, who
had more quiet demeahor, and ac-
cOmplished quite as much without
making AZ great q stir about IL. III
must have either Herhert or Charles
for u partner, soliloquised Mr.. Hud.
son, (which che / cannot decide.
They both do very we'll in the store,
but ought To Know something oi
them o1H of the store. and am sorry
To say tliat that is u poil ti have new
er paid proper attention To. My
clerks come here i'm the morning and
go away at night; what becOm,s OF
them over night, / know not, and
yet l ought to know. Neither OF
them have patents in the city; they
live In some Of the numerous board
ing houses, and | hope are steady
and well behaved. must see them
in their homes, and then decide
which shall be my partner
The next day Mr.. Hudson ascer'
tained the boarding places of his two
clerks, without letting them know
for what purpose aud after supper
that evening his wife and daughters
were somewha astoDished to see him
10 TO the hall, and put on his coat
and hat.
"Where are you going, papa?'
asked Lilly, the youngest daughter
who could hardly remember the
evening when her father had not re,
manned at home.
81 ani going TO make a call. Lilly
on two young men Of my acquaint.
ance; shall not be gone long" repli
ed Mr.. Hudson. And bidding them
good night, he went out. '-'
Herberts boarding house was tn.
nearer Of the two. and here Mr.. Hud
SOD stopped first. IL was neat look
lug house, i'm a pleasant street. Mrs
Buntin, the iandIady. opened th,
door, when Mr.. Hudson rang.
"Does a young man named Her
bert Bond board here?"
"He does. Walk In and I will cal
him." replied tire woman"
II will go to his room, If you vii
show me where it is" answered Mr.
Hudson. - presume lie Is in it,"
IL think so he is seldom out II
, the evening. You can step up ther,
If you like, sir; go up two flights
and the first one OF the right Is til,
one, "replied Mrs. Buntin.
Mr.. Hudson puffed up the stairs
and knocked with his cane ut tn,
designated door. 1t was opened b,
Herbert, who looked very mucl
amazed when he saw his empIoye
and said:
why, Mr.. Hudson, lie anythin,
the matter at the store? Nothin;
happened out Of the way hope p
notwithstanding at all,
said Mr.. Hudson. walking In an,
taking clair. II took notion {.
call around and see how you wer
this evening""
Bond expressed himself as bein,
very glad TO see his employer; an,
while he took his hat and cane Mr.
II udsnn Uluu ooAd a r~s, ., "A yl.o al . -. A. :