Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-04
MY MEMORANDUM BOOK.

I" Look here my dear boy: am going to give
you piece OF advice. When you cashed tnat
check In the bank just now, you scarcely looked
at the notes before thrusting them In bundle
Tito yQnr breast pocket. Now, dareSay you
think 1t looks very fine to shove away lot of
bank notes into your pocket as II yo1 were
accustomed to carry about large sums. But
listen to me. j am an old man, and L daresay
| have had as much TO do with the handling of
money as you are likely ever to have; and
strongly recommend you never to put away any
note. check, draft, or In TACT any paper euuiva.
lent LOT cash, without entering the number in
your pocketoook, with the date OF its reception
ana the name OF the person from whom you
LOOK IL Ever since began business made 1t
liked rule always TO do so; and could now,
oy referring TO ledger, tell you what notes
passed through my hands, and the exact dates
they did SO. IL gives very little trouble; and you
never can tell when the record may be OF use to
yourself or to Others"
Mr.. Renshaw was an old and esteemed friend
OF my fathers. He had come into Bosanquet's
Eank as was cashiDg small chelue; and as
we walked down Lombard street he admins.
tered this little reproof not, however, with the
leaSt sharpness Or sarcasm. but with a kind,
fatherly manner which could not offeEd the
most tOuchy, especially as proceeding from an
Old to young man. had known hin as long
as could remember, he having been connected
with my father In many business transactions.
and thus entertaining for each other a feeling
OF mutual esteem. de was a man OF good
standing In the city" and had been always re-
markable for his great punctuality and correct
ness In business matters. For fifty years he
lad worked In the firm, from which he had lately
!et req, having been chief partner for more
IMAM half that period. His motto In business
had always been Method; and he certainly car
rfed out his principle in every action; not,
however, like some methodiaal people, who
MINK that every one else should go out Of the
way that their regulated routine may not be
interrupted. On the contrary, in his ordinary
n1e-althOugh every hour OF the day hal Its
appointed purpose-he readily lent himself to
aid in the pleasures or business OF his friends:
nor did he look harshly on those whose habits
were not just so exact as his own. Hts mind
was large enough to see that 1t would be I'm
possible, indeed not desirable, that all men
should think like him; and that a sound intel
iect and good moral worth are TO be found
among the apparently light and careless as
well as among the methodlcal and steady. At
the same time, In his own immediate business
concerns, he insisted on a methodical system
being strictly adhered to. "Gentlemen" he was
won't TO say TO his clerks, 'out OF the Office YOU
chrOnometerS.-
II daresay, John" he continued to me. "you
mink that am sort or old moral parallel
ruler and that never car get beyond making
one line run straight alongside of another; bat
believe me, as your fathers Old friend, and
yours, too, my boy, that there Is nothing like
method. From the smallest to the greatest
transaction do everything as If you were casting
up accounts-for you know how soon little
error multtplies-and beware OF trusting to
your memory anything that should be put down
in black and white. There now; l have given
you lecture, and hope you are not vexed?"
:" Not bit, sir, replied. 81 daresay-pm
sure you are right; and indeed never looked on
you In the light OF a parallel ruler; though
should not object bearing a little resemblance
myself to that respectable instrument. And
yet, fear should never be able to bring my
sell to keep account OF the numbers of every
And yet my companion replied, "they
think it worth while to do so at the bank YOU
get them from. How about If you lost them?"
That's true, said /; "but It's not very likely.
always keep nv wits abOnt mp-
Just like yOu-Just like you young men;
you're yl an SO sharp. Never mind. my dear boy.
tell you story ia which the honor and credit
OF young man-all that be was worth to So
elety and himself, depended on the number of a
SIX O'Clock with Mr.. Renshaw meant ak
oclock; and am sure, by his hearty welcome
he felt little fiattered at my remembrance of
DIS hobby as entered the drawing room Just
hye minutes before the hour. The dinner party
was quite family one, comprising beside our
selves Mrs. Renshaw and their two daughters
l could not help observing during dinner how
a tits regular everything was conducted yet
That was needed was at hand and the courses
were no1selessly removed or replaced without
any ringing Of bells or other interruption to
rfed on.
Vow. john said my host, when the ladies'
mad left the room, and we had drawn I'D our
chairs ed near the fire and had placed the ocean
terS Within reach I'LL your glass; and don't
mind me-old method, you see-while tell you
my story. But must first fetch the documents
from my study"
Following my friends advice, filled nv glass
and cracked a few fllbertS; and in few MIN
uteS Mi. RenshaW returned, bringing with MIN
1hree newspapers, which he laid beside him on
ne table. He then drew from his coat pocket
DOCK OF the usual shape that "ctty' men
carry about with them, but differing from these
n !. ,orolnary use IN being OF bright blue color.
Another OF my Whlme, John. had my mem.
m ~
might De more easily traced II lost; and no W.
ne continued. placing the book beside the
papers. my memoranda are all In color. and
only ask your attention.
IL daressy you nave heard your father speak
CT Dit. Brleriy-thOugh perhaps not, as |
now remember he must have died when you
We're quite gu ga a child However, your father
very Intimately. although / have at different
times transacted business for him. He knew
nIlie ABOUT such matters himself, and always
lett everything connected with his property ia
The hands Of an agent-not that | ever acted
as Such. my connection with him being casual.
he was possessed OF a little landed property:
t,, inc bulk OF his money was invested In
otccK OF dlnerent kinds. He dabbled, how.
ever, very little in the share MARKET for though
MS man OF business was willing ensugh to
speculate, yet old Mr.. Brierly said that he had
enough and TO spare; and whenever he knew
bis money was safely invested then he LET II
stay: so that his agent had little to do and his
pIeek71n il were proportionately small.
VI Was hUOWQ OF DIT. Briefly
oefore ne came to settle near Hanwell. where
ne bought himself pretty place. and lived I'm
s SUI retirement with his only daughter ana
sole companion, child about ten or eleven
years old. Different stories were of coursa IN
clrculatlon as to who he was and where he
caLhe from. some limited at q deserted wife.
oCners, mat he was widower The Iattar
nave reason 10 peleye was correct. But a. far
as ne was concerned, he never satisfied the
curiosity or his nefghbors, but lived quietly on
having apparently 10 thought or pleasure
fnl
nothing OF business man: and like many
such. he placed entire trust in his agent
or more correctly agents; for the man
agement Oh his estate was con{ided
to the HANDS OF Dioden. Knollys & Dlbien, So
DcitorS and conyeyancerS of Bellyard Doctors
commons. The firm used to be DiOien Il
knoiiys. until Dibden's only son Stephen Joined
IL, when his name was added; shortly alter
which event knollys died; but the name was re-
tanned Oy the nrm; SO that at the time speak
OF The whole business belonged to the two DID.
dens, father and son. Why Mr.. Brierly should
ever have selected such agents. or how he met
the most implicit confidence and used CONSTANT
~ to send for the elder Dibden to his house.
especially during the last two years before his
death, when his health was failing and he dis
liked the trouble and fatigue Of going up to
town. ~ w
Whether 1t was Dibden's cleverness as a
man or business that he was taken with or
whether he was managed by cunning, know
not, put he certainly let him obtain great deal
OF influence over him; and at his death, which
look place when his child was only fifteen
years OF age, bis will directed that she should
oe under the guardianship Of Dlbden; who, dur
ifyy