The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-03
THE DAILY STAR
BARLOW BROTHERS. BOOKS.

Between twenty and thirty years agt
Reuben and Samuel Barlow commenced
TO trade together as grocers under th,
style and title of Barlow Brothers. Vi
to the present day brass plate may b,
seen-by those who know where to lool
for it--bearing the inscription BARLOW
Brothers, Grocers."
They began small, but after fifteen o.
sixteen years Barlow Brothers went sc
far toward Kicking down the ladder by
which they had risen, that they declined
for the future to enter into transactions
of limited nature, and having taken
counsel together, turned their shop into q
warehouse, the floor above into offices
sent out a circular of thanks to the more
important of their retail customers, be.
ginning with Respected friend" and
ending with Chime truly" and came
boldly before the world as wholesale
grocers. s., r|tf
Samuel, dying unmarried, left all that
he had to leave to his surviving brother,
who continued the business without al
teration in the name of the firm.
The principal business of the concern,
Aowever, is transacted with a very extern
sive country connection. which necessi-
tates the employment of large staff of
travellers, clerks, apprentices, warehouse
men and so on. But when the firm first
came into being, the sole assistant of the
brothers with the exception of the por-
ter) was certain Isaac Jackson, who
discharged the double duties of shop
man and clerk, and who had progressed
with the business until at last he became
cash and bookkeeper, as we'll as confden-
tial clerk and general adviser to Reuben
Barlow. Isaac was one of the shyest and
meekest of men; small and shriveled,
and always clad in sober-colored raiment
OF unchanging fashion; silent aud re-
served, he had no tastes, no amusements,
no hopes, no fears, no cares, no enjoy
ments, but such as arose from and had
reference to Barlow Brothers, their bust
ness, Independently and superla-
tivelv-their books.
Reuben Barlow, who was fond of a
joke, sometimes used to say that if Isaac
were going to be married, he was sure
that the cash-box would manage some
how to stop the ceremony; and at other
times was accustomed to speak of the
ledger as Mrs Jackson. 1t was often
said that Isaac might have been a part
ner long ago, had he wished; and it was
supposed that a strong reason in his mind
for declining that position was feeling
that in such case it would be mira dig.
to keep his own books, and an un-
willingness to resign such duty into other
hands. gt. ..- H.. ...' ., ID.
From what had been stated, Isaac's
feelings may perhaps be imagined when it
is told that Reuben Barlow entered his
sanctum one morning and thus addressed
him:
"When thou hast the time, Isaac,
want thee to look at Black & Briggs ac-
count, and see what amounts we have
paid them lately" a, ..a .ut .. .. .
F"What's the matter with Black &
Briggs~ quoth Isaac.
"Nay, that is what thou hast to help to
discover" returned Reuben. "John
Black tells me they find their cashier has
heen robbing them, and asks me to give
him particulars of their account with
us, without noising the matter abroad;
Isaac, name it not to any one
at present"
"Been robbing themp' echoed Isaac,
lifting up his hands solemnly. "Dear
me. All, / fearad that man
greatly; too fighty, too unsteady. Not
six months ago he was in this very place
receiving payment, and when he came
to write receipt he pushed that ledger
out of the way as if it had been stone,
and well nigh upset the inkstand over
it. Well, well; dear me-" Isaac smoothed
the leather cover of the insulted volume,
and turned up Black & Briggs folio.
'tAy, just so;" he murmured, "two-ffty
On the 9th March, one-twenty on-how
far shall I go back; has he been long en-
gagged IN this robbery"
al fear So" replied Reuben. "But do
.hou make out the account, and will
give it to John Black myself"
During the remainder of the day Isaac
was brooding over the mornings COM
munication and trying to imagine by
what steps any one could arrive at the
horrible wickedness of laying sacrilegious
hands on such sacred articles as books;
and next day when Reuben informed
him that he would have to attend at the
Police Court on the morrow to prove
certain payments, he became quite sepul-
ckral in his gloom. ~
He did duly attend the Police Court,
but the case was not gone into fully, the
accused being remanded for week.
AT the proper time Isaac attended and
duly approved the payments as per ac-
count rendered. He retired to bed wor-
ried, anxious and out of sorts. He rose
70 much better the next morning that he
felt disposed to laugh at his melancholy
musings Of the previous evening; and
when II became time to repair to the
counting-house, he had almost got over
his fancies and felt better than he had for
some days.
ut was having to appear against that
fellow" said he, to- himself, as he rever-
emily removed the books from the safe.
Now that's over, hope l shall forget it
and him. l almost wish could think it
4 mistake on my part as that man wanted
- xoolxa o,,t. I,,A - o.,.Ilx3A l.