Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-07-10

father ana mother lett me entirely to
myself during that week, though have
since been told that my mothers heart
beat anxiously for fear was beginning
downward path. My father restrained
her fears, saying:
''Give him his time, week, wife;
let him run to the end OF his rope.
think he viii begin to pull in then"
even deserted the family pew on
Sunday, thing unheard of before, and
looked in at the different faiths around
but no comment was made. Until the
appointed time, had actually taken no
serious thought of the future. Pune
tually then, but with sigh, Tpresented
myself to Mr. Lee. Ny father was also
there. MIR. Lee smiled as I came IN.
and said:
"Wiell, Louis, what do you call your
last weeks work."
"Relaxation," promptly replied.
"Does it pay?" he asked.
"It has so far" was my response.
'But suppose you expect to go to
work sometime ?" said he.
The satisfaction of returning to my
everyday work came suddenly to me
then, and l said with animation:
81 do, indeed, and here hoping you
have work to offer me.
He looked pleased and gratifed. So
did my father Dir. Lee said pre-
sently:
81 have to offer you my office work.
Hyou will engage with me for another
three years, I will give you $500 per
year, and at the end of that time an
additional 500, making it $1,000 for
the three yearss work. What think
you?" =
My father then spoke:
"Louis the declension is your own ;;
but the offer is fair. If you choose to
take it, your beard at home is just to
pay mother for extra care, say So per
week; and if you do well, I will cover
Mr.. Lees 800 with another 500, the
day you are twenty one. Can you do
better?"
/ knew I could not. I said SO. So
again / was back in the familiar place,
with three years before me, but they
proved uneventful, save as the first
links which connected me with the
firm of Colman & Co.
The first duty assigned me in my now
position wss the opening OF some letters
and the first letter l opened Haunted
with the bill head Of Goldman 6 Co."
My own name! Just So, some day
should send out large sheets and bits
with just such g heading! So / raised
90 air castle. But this letter contained
besides the order, some reference to
superior casket," and 4 slip from
paper making public announcement
that the decease Of Colman, of the FIRM
Of Colman & Co. would not alter the
business arrangements of the firm. It
would still be carried on at the old stand
with the same name. Signed, Colman
& Co., "per c.
! handed the letter to Mr.. Lee, who
said:
"see to your order Immediately, and
make note of the reference to casket,
and file the letter on hook G."
He rose, took down a package of
letters, saying to me:
'Iook at these curious signatures;
Colman always signed like that, with a
long coil. The son has, 1 suppose, in
herited or acquired the same curious
coil to his signature"
I returned answer to the latter, and
when finished a sudden fancy possessed
me to make OF my "per c." the same
fanciful coil After few endeavors,
l succeeded in doing this, and signed
Wm.R. Lee, "per c." making of my
&C. an excellent imitation of the long
cooled G appended to Colman & Co.
For the three succeeding years, not
month elapsed that we did not receive
an order Of some kind, large or small,
with the same Colman & Co. per &C."
and then the long coil; which l as in
variably answered with Lee, "per c.
and a flourish of the same round my G.
found myself at my majority in
what thought then, and think now,
an enviable state, / had at twenty-o one
fair address, good health, good habits
good trade, an average education,
moderate ambition and willingness to
work, and three hundred dollars a year
in ready money. When my time ex-
PRED with Mr.. Lee, he again asked me
my plans for the future, Though this
time had many and many a, one, they
were very indefinite, and none of them
practicable. Mr.. Lee, as before, gave
advice and opportunity. He sent me
upon business of his own through dit
terent parts Of the State, saying:
I sI oolv Ant for x,o,,rsn}fas Won e,o and