The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1878-12-05
The Merchants Test.

"Dick, am afraid the old man has
taken il into his head la send ynu
| adrift."
why, what can you mean, Philip
/ "Only that he was talking very ear
nestly with Mr.. OglethOrp, as / went
! into his room just now, and they
ceased very discreetly on my entrance.
! | took the liberty of waiting outside
/ the door until the conversation was
resumed, and heard enough tOsatiSfy
me that OglethOrp has nephew who
is about to take your place"
what did yOu Overhear%
Merely a sentence from each
OglethOTp said: 80 you think my
nephew will have no difficulty i'm fill
| ing the place of your head clerk; and
Beale replied: None whatever, ana the
other clerk, Philip Warden, has been
in my establishment a long time, and
he can give him a little insight into
our business affairs, if need be- | did
not wait to hear more, hut that is
enough, L should think"
so il would seem" was the reply, i'm
a tone of deep deSpOndency.
1T is mean in the old man TO dis
charge you, and equally strange; If il
was me, now, should not think il so
odd, but he has all along seemed to
| think so much Of you. But it is Just
like him, always doing something out
of the way"
Richard wilkins was too sick at
heart to reply. He turned TO the desk
and endeayOred TO concentrate his
wandering thoughts upon his work,
but in vain. The pen dropped from
his fingers, and leaning his head on his
hand he gave full scope to his sOrrOw
ful and indignant feelings. When the
two gentlemen emerged from Mr..
Beale's private room he startled like
one guilty of a secret crime, and
snatching the pen he pretended to be
all absorbed in his duties. His tlUrried
manner, so different from his usual
quiet cOmpOsure, was noticed by his
employer, who drew his own cOnclu-
siOns therefrOm. Mr.. 0glethrOp was
returning to his home in Baltimore.
His friends accompanied him to the
steamboat, and on returning closely
observed his two clerks as he Saunter-
ed back and forth through the store.
Philips appearance indicated nothing
unusual; but Richard, though he had
partially regained his customary COM
pOSure, could not prevent a slight
heSitancy and cOnStraint when reply
ing to Mr.. Beale's casual remarks.
Several days after, Mr.. Beale brought
Richard a letter to seal and deposit in
the pOstoffice as he went to dinner.
At the same time he sent Philip TO 4
neighbOring store on business, which
would detain him some little time-he
then returned to his private room.
Left 10 himself, Richard gaZed on the
superscriptiOn of the letter, long and
earnestly. I'D. 0glethrOpe, ESD, Balti-
mOre"-the words seemed burned into
his brain. What would he not give to
know the contents of that letter.
Doubtless it related to the nephew
that was to supplant him him. Rich
ard heSitated, turned the letter over
and over. Why could he not glance
into il? 1t was not sealed-he would
betray no confidence by doing SO-mOSt
of the business letters were given him
TO answer, and certainly to no one liY-I
ing would he reveal the contents,
whatever they might he. Those re-
hectiOns OVercame his strong repug-
nance to the act, and with trembling
hand he opened the letter and read:
DEAR SIR: | wish your nephew to
arrive, if possible, by Tuesday, the
3Oth, as on that day young wilkins
year will expire, and it is desirable
that his successor should he on the
spot tn enter Immediately on his
dntiPs.
Truly yours,
J. BEALE'
The hlOOd rushed to Richards brow
as he read. For an instant he forgot
flna 70 hfnapa1f Of ha
threatening blow of indignation at his
employers duplicity.
-Four years age" he murmured bit
terly, "aye, four years next Tuesday,
i entered this store. Not once since
that day has he had occasion TO re-
prove me for the slightest neglect or
oversight, stern and eXacting as he is.
L have given no cause for complaint, |
and that is the end-thiS is my reward.
am to be discharged to make room
for one of his friends connections.
am thankful | opened the letter-nOW
| can prepare for his treachery,"
With Il calmneSS that surprised him
self, the clerk sealed the letter and
dropped il into the pOStOffice as direct
ed. On his way back TO his employ
ment he called at the counting room
a l.
Beale'S acquaintances, he well knew.
Richard wished to make inquiries, in
an indirect way, for a situation, but
while he was trying to form some
question to this end, the gentleman
came TO his relief, by asking if he
knew any young man in need of a Situ-
atlOn whom he could recommend 10 /
hlm, as he had vacancy for a clerk.
Richard eagerly offered himself. Mr.
Curtis was surprised that he sbouId
wish to leave his old place, hut gladly
accepted him, having long admired the
integrity and strict application Of The
young man, whose praise he had fire.
Guently heard from Mr. Beale. The
yearly salary was named; il was one
hundred dollars more than Richard
was now receiving, and having engag-
ed to enter ON the duties of his new
place on the following Tuesday, he
went with light heart to his old EN-
plOyment. He did not mention
his intention To Mr.. Beale, so the
week passed without Mr. Curtis Vis-
iting the store. He hoped he had not
met his employer, for Richard had a
wish that the latter should not hear
how his treacherOus scheme had been
defeated till the last mOmeUt.
On Monday evening Richard knock
ed az the door of Mr.. Beale's room. and
in as few words as possible requested
the wages due him, as he was engaged
TO 60 TO another house on the morrow.