The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-07-19
THREE FINE YOUNG MEN.

A proud man was Mr.: Abel Leonard
proud of his house, and everything
in it; proud of his long established
and profitable business as merchant:
Able Leonard had been heard to boast
that he had in his counting house the
three finest young men in the city.
There was his own son, Charley-he
was certainly fine young man, and
his father was more than a little proud
of him.
Then, there was Evan Jones, the
head book-keeper. Certainly Mr.. Evan
Jones was fine young nialr. 6
Thirdly, sort of head clerk and
general manager, who made himself
felt everywhere, and of whom even his
employer was half inclined to stand in
awe-there was Walter Sterne, with
an expression of self-contained firm
ness about his full, solid looking lips
that forbade any one denying that
Walter Sterne was a very fine young
man.
Walter had many peculiar ways of
his own. He owned the pretty subur-
ban villa he lived in, and, nevcrthe-
less, he was accustomed to make the
fact that he supported his mother, who
was also his housekeeper, an excuse
for all sorts of unnecessary economics !;
though not only Abel Leonard, but his
fellow clerks, were all aware that Wal
! ter's bank account had been steadily
climbing upward from every hour, ten
years ago, that he had entered the
merchants establishment. And yet,
Walter Sterne was q welcome visitor
at the house of his employer; for not
only could he converse in most mod
ern languages, but he could be enter
tanning in many ways, and his knowl-
edge of music was by no means con-
temptible.
Three very fine young men were
these, and undoubtedly Abel Leonard
was justified in being proud of them
but the time had come, in the natural
course of human events, when the OLD
gentleman must necessarily be puz.
zled. For forty years he had had nc
partner in business, and for half thai
time he had accustomed himself to
look upon his daughter Belle as a girl
but now two important facts were
slowly dawning upon him. One was
that he must speedily assign the charge
of his business to younger and more
active management; and the Other
| was, that two of his very fine young
men were rivaling each other in wei
directed efforts to establish even near
or connection with himself than that o
partner in business.
i Abel Leonard had always pretended
to keep sharp eye after his books
and balances; but of late years thi
had been little more than pretence
until now that he seriously contempla
ted a change in his arrangements, h
once more made practical reality 0
his formal examinations. No one bu
himself knew this, however, for Abe
, Leonard was not talkative man.
| Perhaps the old gentleman was no
as quick at figures as he had once been
and there were some accounts tina
: puzzled him sadly. At all events, h
went over them again and again.
: Still he called no one to his assistance
though, as Charley was cashier, Eva
f Jones head book-keeper, and it wa
Walter Sterne's duty to so over thing
after them, he could have very easil
: had everything explained. To be sure
Walter had been absent for two Q
, three days, just before the worst of tn
], puzzle came. That night Abel Leon
ard went home with a clouded brow
land good deal less Of pride than usu;