The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-12-04
" ONE OF MY CLERKS.'

pressed excitement in the Office of
Messrs. Cragsby e Goldng, colonial
brokers, of Fenchurch street. Mr.. Crags-
by, for many years the senior partner in
the firm, had just died, and the conduct
and management of affairs had thus de-
volved upon Mr.. Goldng, who was now
sole partner, and also nephew and cXccu-
tor to the deceased The event had
caused in the Office feeling of unani-
nous regret.
While by nature just man, Mr..
Cragsby had been an unusually kind one
so far, ut all events, as those whom he
employed were concerned. a man of
high principle and strict probity, he
never made his own uprightness and
rec,itudc an excuse for severely Judging
others. AS one Of his clerks put it,
"Cragsbv was strict, but you couldn't
help liking h m for he would never find
tault without cause for it." This
necessarily insured him the respect and
liking of those who were under his au-
tho.itv.
Another c Renaissance which added to
his popularity was the fact that he dis
liked making changes in the arrange
mcnts Of the firm. Having once en-
ployed man and found him trustworthy,
Mr.. ragsoy preferred TO retain him, even
though the sIjafy paid continuously in
creased. his gave feeling of security
TO CLERKS and warchouscmcu, which re
mancl unds.utbnd till the death of the
chief rudcly awakened chem, when they
remembered how different were the
views and opinions Of he junior partner,
who would now hold undisuutcd sway.
his social interiors by u very different
scale. Each, in his eyes, had VA market
value" That was his phrase. \ man
might have served the finn well and
faithfully f'g twenty or thirty ycars, but
this, in M:. ';oiding's estimation, gave
him no ella IN to regard or conSi leration.
But, as almost always happens, there
was one person with whom his rudcness
of manner was yelled by courtesy, his
aspcrity soltened into mi!dnc.s, by the
desire 20 please, and this person was the
daughter of the late partner. AMI consc-
qucntly his cousin, Elm Cragsby.
For seine wears MIR. Goliing had
cherished in his inm)st hcart-or per
haps it would be better to say mind
than heart-a liking for his fair relative,
and had set himself 10 gain her favor
able regard. As yet. however, he had
not achieved any marked success, bat he
was ola Il eyed, pcrscvcr.ng nature, and
did not despair. The match would be IA
very advantageous one. for Elinor was.
by her fathers death, placed in posses
sion Of 4 considerable fortune which
would be Of Use in extending and i'm
proving thu business.
II.
"Renshaw, the governor wants vou,"
said one Of the seniors to young man
who, bending over his desk. appeared
so intent upon his occupation that the
other had to repeat the words, and in a
louder key, before any notice was
taken.
Then Gilbert Rcnshaw, with a brief
"Thank YOU, Brown" put his work
carefully in his desk, and locking it,
turned and walked quietly across the
Office to the private room. MIR. Brown
looked after him.
"ilc's queer onc,' he soliloquizcd.
Giles been here four or five years, and
he takes things as coolly as if he had
been here all his lile-more coolly, in
fact. Half of us would have gone to
Goldlng full pelt, but not he; Ca'ch him
hurrling | can't make him out. - and
with this candid admission, Mr.. Brown
turned h S attention to his letter writing.
Meanwhile Gilbert Rcnshaw had en-
tered the private room where Mr.. Gold
ing sat alone.
"You have kept me waiting, Mr.. Rem
shaw
al regret to hear it, sir, was the quiet
reply.
The chief shifted in his chair, and
looked up at the young man. OF all his
clerks, apart from the important ques-
ton of their market value" Gilbert
Renshaw was the one whom he most
disliked.
Il have sent for you, Mr. Rcnshaw,"
resumed the chief, "to point out an
error of yours in these papers an error
which might have involved grave con
sequences.
Gilbert Renshaw bowed, but said
nothing. The error thus magnifed into
SO much importance, was in reality
trifing oversight, and was for the most
x>ort ba fanlt e N