The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-01-10

a Quick and clever Young man, who would
some day find the kinl OF work that suited
him. anl then he would show everybody Of
what stuff he was cumNoset A. Tor US. We
have only to iii .e of him by his actions
"PerhaIs. Mr.. JOSEPH said Mr. James,
.'p,rhars Mis-. Iris won't hay all beqneathed
10 her
"Do YOU know anythine| Joe asked
ouicsIy 'Hp- he ,nndc n new viii lat 'lyf'
"Not that kuoN Of But Mr. Chalker
has been here of and on good hl' nov"
"Ah, Challers close one, too. Else he d
tell me. his old friend Look here Foxy
he turned "A beaming ami smiling lace upon
the assistant. IN You should see anything
or fin ANYTHING out, tell M. mind And,
remember. IN make il worth your while.
Mr. james looked as il he wa, asking him.
self how Joseph could make il worth his
while, seeing that he got nothing more from
his grand father and 10y his own showing
never would have anything more
ats only his will Pm anxious 70 know
about; thai. and where he's put way all his
| money. Think what dreadful thing II
would be for his heirs ii he were TO 90 and
die suddenly, and none Of US 10 know where
| his Investments are As for the shop, that
il already dis posed Of, as ! dare say you
know
"Dsp ,sed Of! The shop disposed Of! Oh,
Iordn The assstan; turned pale, 'Oh
Mr. JOSEPH y he asked earnestly, what will
become Of the shor. And who is TO have
| itn
81 am 10 have it,, Mr.. joseph replied
calmly. This was the lie absolute, and he
invented il very cleverlY and at the right
moment-a thing which gives strength and
life TO lie, because he already suspected
the truth and guessed the secret hope and
ambition which possesses every ambitious
| assistant in this trade-namely, 70 get the
succession Mr. James looked upon himself
a. the lawful and ri.htlul beir TO the bust
ness But sometimes he entertained griev-
Gus doubts, and now indeed his heart sank
into his boo's 81 am TO have it, Joe re-
peated.
ooh, didn't know You are to have it,
| then! On
II Mr. James had been ten years younger
| | think he would have burst into tears But
| at the age Of forty weeping no longer pre-
sents itself a. a form Of relief II is more
usual 10 seek consolation in a swear, He
stammered however, while he turned pale,
and then red and then pale again.
Eyes, quite proper, Mr. Joseph, I'm sure,
and most beautiful business may lie made
again here by one who understands the way.
Oh YOU are lucky man, Mr.. Joseph You
are indeed, sir, TO get such a noble chance.
"The shop Joe went ON, was settled
settled upon NE long ago The verb ''to
settle" i, capable OF conveying large and
vague impressions But after all, what's
the good Of this place 70 It saiIorf'
"The good the good OF this placer Mr. |
James's cheek flushed why, 10 make
money, 10 be sure-to coin money IN. II !
had this place TO myself-Nhy why, in two ,
years ] would lie making as much AS goo
year / would indeed W
you want to make money. Bah That's
all YOU fellows think o. To sit IN the back |
shop all day long and to sell mouldy books
We jolly sailor boys kn ON better than that;
my lad
There really was something nautical about
the look of the man He wore "A black silk
tie, in a sailors running knot, the ends loose;
his waistcoat was nnbuttoned, AMI ms coat
was kind Of jacket, not to speak OF his
swinging walk and careless pose In fact,
he had been a sailor; he had made two
voyages TO Ind a and back, as assistant pur
ser, or purser's clerk, on board r and o
boat, tui some iisa reement with his com
mandiug officer concerning negligence, or
impulence, or drink, or lazness-he had
been charged in different situations and at
different times with all these vices, either
together or separately caused him 10 lose
his rating on the ships books However,
he brought away from his short nautical ex.
perience, and pres rived, a certain nautical
swagger, which accorded well with his ap:
pearance, and gave him a swashbuckler air,
which made those who knew him well la
ment that he had not graced the Eliza
bethan era. when he might have become a
gallant buccaneer, and SO got himself shot
through the head, or that he had not -four
ished under the reign Of good Queen Anne.
when he would probably have turned pirate
and been hanged or that, being born in
the Victorian age, he had MT gone TO the
Far West where no would, al least, have
had tho chance Of getting SHOT in a gam
bling saloon
As for me- when ! get the business, he
continued, 81 shnll look about for Sc me one
to carry il on until ! am able 10 sell it for
what il will fetch. Books at a penny apiece
all round ! suppose'-,Iames gasped-"sho
furniture thrown n"--James panted-''and
tho goodwill for a small, lump sum James
wondered how FAR his own savings, and
what he could borrow, might go towards
that lump sum, and how muchl might re
main" MY grandfather, as you know, OF
course is soon going TO retire from business
altogether This was another lie abso.
Lutte, as Mr. Emblem had no intention that
ever OF retiring.
'Soon, Mr. Josephl He has never said a
word to me about it." :
Every soon, now-sooner than You expect /
Al seventy five, and with all his money, why
should he so on Shaving any longer' Very {
soon, indeed Any day" Il
"Mr Joseph the assistant positively 1
tremhled with eagerness and apprehension
What is it, Jamesi Did You really think
that n man like me was going to sit in a back ,
shop among these mouldy volumes all day,
Come, that's too good. You might have ,
given mo credit for being one cut above ,
counter, too. am a gentleman. James, if
You please; am an officer and gentle
man.
He then proceeded to explain, i'll language
that smacked something OF the sea, that his
ideas scared far above trade, which was, al
best, a contemplate occupation, and quite
un worthy of gentleman, particularly OF
an officer and a gentleman; and that his
frierIs wnull mayer cnnlasCan1 !