The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-07
prssta b. Special Arrangement 9Th the AatsOr.
A BUSINESS MAN.
A
BY SARAH ORNE JEWETT.
copyrighted 1885, by the Author-An Rights
Reserved.l

copyrighted 1885, by the Autlior-An Rights
Reserved.l
If a man chooses a profession it is, or ought to
be, with other desires than that of growing rich.
lie may wish to be useful, or powerful, or emf
nent IS a means Of helping his fellow men, and.
if he is successful, nobody has a right to sheer at
him because he does not make a fortune. But
when most men enter a mercantile life it is with
the acknowledged purpose of making money.
The world has a right, too, to look on with in
terest tofnd what they do with their money
attervard. Dollars have a primary considera-
ton to 8 business man, and are only secondary
to a clergyman or a doctor-that is,
when one judges by public rather than private
conditions and indications of success. The
money getter may win great wealth, and yet fail
completely of reaching his highest value, and
reward, and satisfaction as a human being.
People often said that there was something in
the blood of the Cravens their true name shall
be a secretl which hungered for possession, and
was always seeking to crafty its love of acouis-
i~tiyeness. John Craven, the proud inheritor Of
a name already we'll known in business circles,
certainly loved the thought Of his thousands
and hundred thousands. He felt a vast pleasure
in letting his eyes glance down the columns Of
figures in his private account-book-a gratifed
sense of security and abundance which none of
the fruits of his wealth had power to
bestow. The fine house in which he
lived, his handsome young children, all
failed to be so completely rewarding
to his eye and heart as the special page or two
-Nnnok A. oL.of sI-,oc &c -. rroparty woro
represented by straight stemmed tours and ones
and d~elicatcly curved threes and SKIES and mines.
He was a man who never directly wronged any
one, but who was determined to succeed and to
make money. He thought little of his personal
relation to society, and still less of his relation
to the next world. All his mind was bent upon
making a splendid financial success, and, though
early in life this end was gained, he still went
on planning great gains and glories, and looked
upon himself as one of the younger business men
of his city, until long after he was a grandfather.
Then the tide of satisfaction seemed at last to
turn. One thing after another forced him to waver
and TO hesitate in these great manipulations OF
his capital Mr.. Craven was keen and quick to
: grasp his business opportunities, but little things
annoyed him, and he became sensitive where
once he had been Indifferent. He was just trans
ferring his chief office and warehouse to a noble
new building. when, for the first time in his life,
he became seriously i'll and, from necessity,
his eldest son was promoted temporarily to
the head of the business.
1t was a strange surprise when the family
physician told him that he could not bear what
b< could once; a man of his years must favor
himself; and finally advised that a few months
In GAfope could do him the much needed good.
&hn Craven was startled and angry at first: he
had always looked forward to such a holiday.
and had enjoyed foreign sights by proxy since
his family had crossed the ocean repeatedly,
like other families of their social station. But
this seemed to mean only that the girls wished
to go again, and at first he emphatically refuseN
to be made the victim of such a conspiracy.
When he visited his place of business, how
ever, after his illness, he was made somewhat
low-spirited. The new warehouse was now oc-
cupied and it was fatiguingly large and noisy.
Young John was getting or very well; he might
be all the more use by and by if he had the
chance of trying his hand now. He could not
do much mischief, the elder man thought, as he
sank into his great cushioned chair with a little
sigh. He had meant to give orders that his
familiar desk and wooden armchair should
be brought from the old counting
room, but it was too late now, and
to be sure they would be quite out of place in all
this magnifcence of plate glass and mahogany.
Yes, Jack was right; this new Office was in
keeping with the position of the firm. and the
senior partner looked into his new safe
with pride and approval, and complimented his
son upon the way he had managed things. The
old grandfather who had trained him used to
sit on a high stool, and wear a green baize
jacket in the first dingy counting-room. HE
started us-he started us, said John Craven to
himself; then he felt a little shaky and sat
down again, saying that he would not
60 through the house until next
day, perhaps. He had hardly got back his
strength, but Jack might bring the statements.
There were anumber of new clerks even in the
inner office, and one had a crafty, NAL face. II
don't like that fellows looks he muttered.
'rWho got him here. 1 should like to know7'
But Jack responded, with wounded pride, that
this was the smartest book-keeper in New York;
he had been trying to get him into their employ
for a year.
Somehow, for the first time John Craven was
conscious that he was getting to be old. He
g~rumbled something about the boys pulling and
hauling him and his affairs, and wish
ing him out of their way. The pomp
of tho new counting room, the self
sufieiency of Jack dazzled and angered him not
a little. He had thought it indispensable to
the welfare of his great business that he
should not miss a day at his desk, all through the
busiest times of the year. But here was the es-
Enlistment running along on its manifold and
ponderous track, just as well as if he had been
at the post of guidance. Well, not every man
had given his affairs such a good momentum; he
had only followed out the founders principles,
too, and he thought again of the sturdy
grandfather in the baize jacket. After all,