Litchfield enquirer., 1880-12-30
MY MEMORANDUM BOOK
PART l.


them in a bundle into. your breast. pocket.
Now. daresay you think it looks very Gne to
shove away lot of bank notes into your peck
ct as il you were accust 1med to carry about
large sums. But listen to me [ az an old
man, and daresay have had as much to
do with the handling of money as you are
likely ever to have; and l strongly recon-
meed You never 10 put away amy note, check,
draft, or in fact any paper equivalent for
cash, without entering the number in your
pocketbO0k, with the date of its reception and
the name of the person from whom you took
il. Ever since | began business l made it a
fixed rule always 10 ,io SD aud coui,i now,
by referring To a ledger. tell you what notes
passed through my hands. and the exact dates
they dii ST. 1t gives very little fouhlc and
you never can tell when the record may be OF
use tn Yourself or ii, others"
Mr.. Renshaw Was an old and esteemed
friend of my fathers. He had come into
B"sanquet's Bank as | was4casling a small
cheque: and as we walked down Lombard
street, he administered this little rcproot not,
iowepcr. with the least sharpness or sarcasm,
but with a kind fatherly manner which could
not offend the must l0uchy, especially as pro
ceeding from an old to young man. | had
known him as long as could remember, he
having been connected with my father in
many business transactions. and thus enter
tanning for each other a feeling of mutual es-
TEEN. He was man of good standing in
The city" and had been always remarkable
for bis great punctuality and correctness in
business matters. For fifty years he had
worked in the firm, from which he had lately
retired, having been chief partner for more
than half that period. His motto 10 business
had always been Method; and he certainly
carried out his principle in every action not
however, like some ulethodcal people, who
think that every one else should go out of the
way that their. regulated routine may not be
interrupted. On the contrary, in his ordi.
nary life-although every hour of the day had
self 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. His mind was large enough to see that
it would be impossible. indeed not desirable.
that all men should think like him and that
sound intellect and good moral worth are
to be found among the apparently light and
careless, as well as among the methodical and
steady. AT the same time, 10 his own i'm.
mediate business concerns, he insisted on q
methodical system being strictly adhered to-
'Gentlemen," he was wont to say to lis
clerks, ''out of the Office you may be sky.
rockets if you please; in the office, chronome
ters-" -...s, -........rs
II daresay, John,"i he continued to me,
''you think that l am a sort of old moral par
alel-ruler, and that never can get beyond
making one line run straight alongside of an.
o her; but believe me, your fathers old friend,
and yours too, my boy, that there is nothing
like method. From the smallest to the great
est transaction do everything as if yos were
casting up accounts-for you know how soon
little error multiplies and beware of trust
put down in black and white. There now;
have given you lecture, and hope yon are
not vexed p" ..,.., -
''Not bit, sir,"I replied. Il daresay-
Pm sure you are right; and indeed l never
looked on you in the light of a parallel-ruier
though should not object bearing little re.
semblance myself TO that respectable instru-
ment. And yet l fear should never be able
to bring myself to keep account of the num-
bers of every note received
''And yet, my companion replied, sthey
think it worth while to do so at the bank you
get them the, from from. How about Il you lost
s'That's true" said I; ssbut it's not very
likely. l always keep my wits about me-
'Just like you-just like you young men ;
you're all so sharp. Never mind, INV dear
boy. Come up this EVENING" dine at six
and I'll tell you story in which the honor
and credit OF a young man--all that he was
worth to society and himself, depended on the
number of bank uote" 1.....-.... .,,s F.
Six O'Clock with Mr.. Renshaw meant six
O'clock; and am sure, by his hearty well
co.ie, he felt little hattered at my remem.
brance OF his hobby as | entered the drawing
Incl fIxyo hr,fO a.
dinner party was quite family one. COM
prising besides ourselves Mrs. Renshaw and
their two daughters. l could not help OBJ
serving during dinner how quietly regular
every Thing was conducted, yet without the
slightest stiffness. Everything that was need
ed was at hand; and the courccs were noise
lessly removed or replaced without any ring.
ing OF bells or other interruption to the Cheer
full conversation which was being carried
on. ..- f.r ~. -. e...,.-.. +
Snow, john" said my host, when the ladies
had left the roo.r, and we had drawn up our
chairs.near the fire and had placed the ocean
ters within reach, ''fill your glass; and don't
mind mc-old method, you see-while / tell
you my story, But / must first fetch the doc
from my study" -.-.,.-e ..-.
Following my friends advice, filed nv
glass ami cracked few flberts; and in a few
minutes MIR. Renshaw returned, bringing with
him three newspapers, which he laid beside
him on the table. He then drew from his coat
u pocketbook of the usual shape that ..city"
men carry about with them, but differing
from those in ordinary use in being OF a bright
blue color. Another of my whins. John.
had my memorandum book made of an nm.
usual color, that it might be more easily traced
if lost and now, he continued, placing the
book beside the papers, "my memoranda are
all in order. and only ask, yonr attention.
II daresay You have heard your father sneak
Of Mr. Brierly-though perhaps not. as I
now remember he must have died when Won
were quite child However, your father
knew him well, a:d i also knew him, but not
very intimately, although have at different
times transacted business for him. He knew
little about such matters himself, and ALWAYS
left everything connected withlhis property in
the hands OF an agent-not that ever acted
rs such. my connection with him being casual.
He was possessed of a little landed property
but the bulk of his money was invested in
stock of different kinds. He dabbled. how
ever. very little in the share market; for
though his man of business was willing enough
% speculate, yet old. Mr. Briefly said that he
had enough and to spare; and whenever he
knew his money was safely invested, then he
let 1t stay so that his agent had little to do,
and his pickings were proportionately small
"Little or nothing was known of Mr.. Bri
erly before he came To settle near Hanwell.
where he bought himself pretty place, and
lived in strict retirement with his only .dangh-
er and sole companion. q child about ten or
eleven years old Different stories were of
course IN circulation as to who he was and
where he came from. Some limited at de-
serted wife; Others, that he was a widower
The latter 1 havereason 10 believe was correct.
But as far as he was concerned, he never sat
SIZED the curiosity of his neighbors. but lived
quietly on, having apparently no thought or
pleasure ieyond his child. AS told YOU. he
was moth n /, of business man; and like
many SUCH, he placed entire trust in his
agent, or more correctly agents; for the
of his estate was confided to The
hands Of Dibden,, sKnollys & Dibden, solic-
tors and conveyancers Of Bellyard, Doctors
Commons. The frm~used to be Dibden &
knollys, untilg Dibtiensz only sod STEPHEN
ioinediits when his Name was added shortly
after which event Il nollysdied but the name
vas retained by the firm; 90 that at tile time
speak OF the whole business belonged to the
swo DibdenS, father and SON. VIM Mr.