Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-08-31
''CO."
" Dart, Maitland, Dart & CO..

"Dart, Maitland, Dart & Co."
So the name stood upon the great brass
plate; and in these names had the busi-
ness of the bank been prudently and
protitablY conducted for as many years
as the majority of the inhabitants of
Highborough could recall.
Trade panics had laid waste many an
other long. established firm; bankruptcy
had swooped unexpectedly upon many a
house where wealth had seemed as lin
itless as here; but the bank of Messrs.
Dart, Maitland, Dart & Co. held its head
high above all treacherous waters, and
stood unmoved and utterly secure after
the heaviest gales had passed.
The name of the firm was passport
of trust and reliance, as we'll as prompt
introduction to the first society of the
country; and the present representatives
were these: Maurice Dart, the senior
partner, handsome man of fifty years,
who imagined the wishes, the weakness.
es, and the hopes peculiar to other men
could not move him now, and Walter
Maitland, both in appearance and man
ner strong contrast to his senior part
ner. Though but ten years Younger, he
looked nearer thirty than forty, and the
frankness of his blue eyes, and the gay
words so prompt upon his lips, seemed
doubly frank and doubly gay, contrasted
with his seniors reticence and gravity.
The third partner was one in name alone.
His fathers death had left him rich
share in the bank, but his only inter-
course with it was the polite periodical
acknowledgment of its having swept
away the debts which were the worst
enemies he had to fight since he entered
the army. About the Go" there was of
course that vagueness which is insepara-
BILE from the cognomen. In the outer
world it was supposed that an unlimited
number of people had invested their saw
ings or their patrimony on purpose to be
considered of the firm"
But among the clerks only one case
was known with certainty. He was
neither the Oldest nor the most expe-
rienced, though the most cheerful, per
haps, and the most Industrious. He had
deposited in the firm the sum which his
father, through forty years. course of
valued and profitable managership, had
accumulated to bequeath to him; and so,
being enabled to draw what doubled his
salary as clerk, Tom Leslie looked upon
himself as partner of no mean order,
and built lofty castles for time when
his name should stand upon the brass
plate otherwise than as Go" Cheer
fully and constantly he erected these ed
itices; but to attempt to lay their founda-
tions on errG-fTmG, either by saving or
speculating, never entered Toms head.
With his mother-a little old lady as
hnnnfnl nj f,,I
was himself-Tom lived in pretty white
cottage beyond the town; and here he
had flowers all the year round, and birds
that sang In the gloomiest weather, and
q piano on which he was no mean per-
former. And, as regularly as Saturday
morning came around, Tom, taking his
hat would say, in the most natural man
ner: 81 think we should like couple of |
the younger fellows out to dinner to-mor-
row-shouldn't we, mother? Their sala.
ries are not like mine; and things are
dear, you say"
True, their salaries were not like his,
but then he would not have the small,
bright house, nor the small, bright
mother, denied any comfort he could
think of, and 80 there was never one
penny Of Toms salary left when the year
was up.
Once or twice Mrs. Leslie would in.
quire ruefully where her son picked up
the dinneEIess clerks whom he delighted
TO bring home to superior, as he al
ways called it, "to little music" But
her genial hospitality was, after all, as
prompt as his; and 80, though she kept
The accounts, there was, as | said, never
penny of Toms salary left when the
Vear was up. 81 He thinks that G4OO a
year OF his is Kings revenue" thought
Mrs. Leslie, one Saturday morning, watch
ng her son cross the road, drop his gift
nto the expectant hand of the crossing
sweeper, and turn at the corner to nod to
her. He soon will expect me to adopt
few young men whose salaries are less
han his own. If he had but Inherited
lis fathers saving nature" She tried to
'egret this dolefully; but after all she
,ould not help the warmth of perfect
'atlsfaction filling her eyes.
Even his practical father had rejoiced
hat his nature was his mothers from the
lime that nature began to assert itself in
title Tom" Little Tom" then to his
parents; Little Tom Leslie" afterward
lmOng his schoolfellows; Little Leslie"
low among his fellow. clerks.
On this particular Saturday morning
Is he walked TO the bank, Tom loitered a
little in one street-a quiet street of
handsome private houses, before one of (
which stood couple of cabs piled with
'oxes. Tom waited long enough to be !
ure that the cabs bore nothing but lug
age. Then he walked briskly on, and,
nterlng the bank excitedly, told his fel.
Dw-clcrks of the arrival of the ColonePs
'ouseholdi and for fully five minutes
Orgot, in his excitement, 70 add his Z
'enial invitation for the morrow. /
When the coming of the regiment had /
cen discussed, and Toms pleasant invi- I
alton accepted, he turned to his desk,
OF TO loiter again throughout the day.
N hour afterward Mr.. Dart drove up, I
nd with quiet "Good morning" '
assed through the bank to his own pri-
ate room. Here presently MIR. Maitland
oined him, and, standing before the fire,
iscussed various items of town news .
mong them, of course, the arrival of the G
,giment. h
"Col Conyngham has only one 8
aughter. We must help TO introduce
or. Young Dart having once belonged \