Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-06-21


mark that Harry Thomas was the best
salesman in the small country village Of
l. nton.
Many offers Of easier employment
d better wages were held out 10
thomas, with view to induce him to
change his then situation, but all in
vain. 81 am satisfied a. il is,' was his
lie reply. And so the months rolled
into years: yet he kept podding on,
with some apparent object in view that
/ e alone knew OF.
| Yet in all these years the confidence
his employer had of this upright and
steady attention to business was never
mentioned to any one. Closely had he
watched the ways Of his clerk, and
while he saw many things that did not
suit the fastidious tastes Of an elderly
man, he would quietly declare in his
mind that "boys will he boys" and 50
seldom intrudcd advice to the one who
sorcly needed it. However, there was
one thing he did that showed in more
than words the business opinion he en-
tertained of Harry's tact in being the
best salesman in town-he gradually in
creased his wages until they were suif-
cient for every needful want, leaving a
margin for savings.
-Four years had passed since the two
friends, Harry and Mat, had agreed to
compare notes at the end of the fifth
and all this time Harry had not lost
S 'ght of his desire to outrival his friend.
TIE years had not accumulated much,
although there was balance in his fa-
vor i'll the hands of his employer. So,
sitting upon the counter one stormy
day, when but few customers called, he
| be anne absorbed in column of figures
that he had penciled upon some wrap
ping-paper. So intent was he, that he
d d not notice the entrance of. his en-
ployer, who stood with his back to the
s,ove, closely watching Harry; but he
soon advanced to Harry, saying, "Thom-
as, how long have you been in my en-
plov?"
"About FIVE years SIR" was the quiet
answer, as he looked up from his calcu-
lations.
give years is about as long as
would like to keep one clerk"
''Sir?" querried Harry, while shad
ow passed over his face as though a
dread communication had been given
him.
81 said five years was long enough for
one person to clerk in this house,. cold
ly nswered Binning, the merchant.
"Ihen you do not wish my services
logger, | unde:st nd y,u to say?" quer-
led Harre, with tremo in his voice.
On, did not ex tly say that. l
wish t know you have saved more
o your wages then are now in my
hanus."
81 have just been casting up to see
how | stand, sir. had vague idea
not yet fully formed, that-perhaps-I
might do something with my small cap
ital that might increase it somewhat
and more, l have an engagement with a
friend to meet him in a few month now,
to see which is the better business for II
man to follow-to show the difference
! between the accumulations of a mer-
chants salesman and farm laborer-
and | wish to out-balance him." replied
Harry, with smile.
"Well, Thomas, too have been fig
uring, and | see have paid You trife
oNcl twenty -ChIec hunufeu uOllaGS Sllcc
you came here"
eyes, sir; and out of that l have saw
ed about nine hundred"
'"rhat is fairly done; still | cannot
help thinking it might have been more, -
replied Binning.
"Just what am trying to get at, and
cannot yet see how can do much bet
ter than | have. If You can show me
i'll what way | can save a greater aver
age than have already DONE L shall feel
greatly thankful for the information."
81 do not know but that you have
done well enough upon your wages; but
| have thought that you might so III
vest it as to bring in little-I mean
make your money earn something for it
self" was the merchants answer
"Place it at interest, or how" asked
Harry.
"Invest in some business, and go il
on your own responsibility"
"Nine hundred will not go far after
paying the necessary expense of fitting
up" modestly replied Harry.
"Exactly so; and yet | think can Sc,
an easy way for you. There is a small
| country Slolc dt Ilc Il o!nt, scchlnS :
purchaser, and | believe your nine hun
dred will enable you to effect purchase
If you can do SO, l am willing to aiC
you somewhat in getting started"
81 will consider the subject, sir, wa
Harry's quiet answer, as the merchan
turned away.
Consider it, he did, and the result wat
he purchased the stock and good will o.
the establishment his employer had re
ferred to; and with the assistance of Bin
ming he was enabled to replenish hi
stock so thoroughly that he had no jus
reason to complain about his setting up
although being some encumbered witt
liabilities.
Thus far, all had been pleasant sailing
with Harry Thomas. His cup of plent.
seemed not to cease flowing.
PART m--MATTHEw BEBNARD's FIVE YEARS.
"Who is that at the gate, father
some gentleman, see" said Bertha t.
her father, as she was clearing the din
: table.
The old man arose, and going to th
door observed genteely dressed young
man ascending the steps, who inquired
"Does Walter Rowland live here?"
81 am he; walk in, sir"
Entering the spacious dining-room
: and bein0 seated, he said: 81 am Mat