The Red Cloud chief., 1880-03-25
THE TWO CLERKS.

-
of Merryport, was "A croCkcryware store,
over the door of which was "A black sign
bearing in Gilt letters the name of Ben
jamin Hudson. For many years this
crockery store had been there, with he
great pitcher hanging in froat for q sign;
indeed, when Mr.. Hudson first opened
the store, some iorty years previous, he
was quite a Young man, and the sign
over his door was bright and handsome:
but now his eyes had grown dim, and
the owner was called .sOld Hudson' by
all the boys and girls of the city.
Mr.. Benjamin Hudson had grown
rich in his business, for he had conduct
ed it all himself, and taken care that
nothing should bee wasted or lost by
neglect. He had made mistakes, 10 be
sure, Is every man will make some
blunders during Il lifetime, but by skill
full management he quickly recovered
from them. Sixty-iive wears had begun
TO bend over Mr.. Hudson's shoulders
and dim the brightness of has eye, and
he found business more irksome than it
formerly had been.
al must have a partner" said he n
day 10 himself, "a he sat before a cheer
ful fire. al must have some one inter-
ested in the business who is Young and
active, and will take the weight off my
shoulders, for | do not care TO do a /
used to-
Now, in Mr.. Hudson's employ were
two young men-Herbert Bond and
Charles SEYMOUR. They had been with
him an equal length of time, n had
performed their duties faithfully and
well. Charles did his work quickly, and
lad "A smart WAY about HIM that made
people think he WAS greatly superior To
! Herbert, who had 4 more quiet demeanor
and accomplished quite as much without
making "A great stir about IL.
II must have Herbert or Charles for
n partner" s~oliloquiZed Mr.. Hudson,
.son which can ] decide? They both
do well enough in the store, but ought
To know something of them out of the
. store. and / am sorry TO say that Is a
!. point | have never paid proper atten-
lion 10. My clerks come here III the
morning and 90 away N night; h
becomes Of them over night | know
not, and yet | ought TO know. Neither
OF them have parents in the city; they
live in some of the numerous boarding
houses and | hope are steady and well
behaved. | must see them in their
|, homes, and then decide which shall be
my partner"
The next day Mr.. Hudson aseertained
the boarding-places of his clerks, with
out letting them know for what purpose,
aud after supper that evening his wife
and daughters were somewhat aston
i>hed TO see him 20 10 the hall and put
on his coat and hat.
" Nh-l,.n 49,, $3.50 urs,.r a,a 9N ocla1
Lily, the youngest daughter, who could
hardly remember the evening when her
/ father had not remained III home
q" am going To make a call, LAZY, on
two Young men of my acquaintance; l
shall not be long gone" replied Mr..
Hudson, and biddingt them goodbye i'm
mediately started out.
Herhert's clearinghouse was the
nearer of the two, and here Mr.. Hudson
stopped first.
Ii was a neatlooking house. in a very
pleasant street. Mrs. Buntin, the land
lady, opened the door when Mr.. Hudson
rang.
"Does a young man named Herbert
Bond board here?"
- lie does. Walk in, sir. and l viii
cali him." replied the
90 will go to his room, if YOU will
show me where it is" answered MIR.
Hudson; - presume he is in it?"
81 think so; he Is seldom out in the
evening. You can step up there if You
like, sir; 60 up two flights, and the first
door 10 the right is the one,' replied
Mrs. Buntin.
r Mr.. Hudson puffed up the stars
and knocked with his cane at the
designated door. 1t was opened by
Herbert, who looked very much
amazed when he saw his employer, and
said:
"Why, Mr.. Hudson, is any thing the
matter in the store? Nothing happened
u of the way, l hopei"
"No- nothing nothing at ALL
said Mr.. Hudson, walking in and
taking q chair. .sItook a notion to call
around and see how you were this
evening""
Bond expressed himself very glad to
see his employer, and while he took his
hat and cane, Mr.. Hudson glanced
L around the room. 1t was an
attic room, with dormer windows; a
good fire was burning in an open
CRATE; a book-rack filed with books
adorned one side of the room, and
the center of the floor was occupied
by a table or which were writing ma
~terials.
"You look very coy here, Herbert:
but why do you have an attic rooma
Are there none you can have below
stairs?"
40, yes, sir; but this is a dollar a
week cheaper, and l have all the more
money to send to my father replied
N1erbert.
"Isn'tyour father well OFF," inquired
Mr.. Hudson.
Not very, sir; he used to be pretty
rich hut his husiness was diSaSfrouS