The Portland daily press., 1886-06-12
Household Words
LONE OF MY CLERKS"

OhN k@ VI hsh ~ @- As 81 HNSs
There was much speculation and sup
pressed excitement in the Office of Messrs.
Cragsby & Golding colonial brokers, of Fen
church street Mr.. Cragsby, for many years
the senior partner in the firm, had just died,
and the conduct and management Of affairs
had thus deyolved upon Mr.. Golding, who
was now sole partner, and also nephew and
executor to the deceased. The event had
caused in the office feeling of unanimous
regret.
While by nature just man, Mr.. Cragsby
had been an unusually kind one-so far, at
all events, as those whom he employed were
concerned. A man Of high principle and
strict probity, he never made his own up
Brightness and rectitude an excuse for Sc
verely Judging others. AS one of his clerks
put it, "Cragsby was strict, but you couldn't
help liking him, for he would never find fault
without cause for it," This necessarily in
sured him the respect and liking of those
who were under his authority.
Another circumstance which added to his
popularity was the fact that he disliked
making changes in the arrangements of the
firm. Having once employed a man and
found him trustworthy, Mr. Cragsby pre-
ferred to retain him, even though the salary
paid continuously increased. This gave a
feeling of security to clerks and warehouse
men, which remained undisturbed till the
death of the chief rudely awakened them,
when they remembered how different were
! e H., orfv,o
who would now hold undisputed sway. For
Mr.. Golding was accustomed to rate his So
cial interiors by very different scale. Each,
in his eyes, had ga market value" That was
his phrase. A man might have served the
firm well and faithfully for twenty or thirty
years, but this, in Mr.. Golding's estimation,
gave him no claim to regard or considera-
ton.
But, as almost always happens, there was
one person with whom his rudeness of man
ner was yelled by courtesy, his asperity soft
ened into mildness, by the desire to please,
and this person was the daughter of the late
partner and consequently his cousin, Elinor
Cragsby.
For some years Mr.. Golding had cherished
in his inmost heart-or perhaps it would be
better to say mind than heart-a liking for
his fair relative, and he had set himself to
gain her favorable regard. AS yet however,
he had not achieved any marked success, but
he was Of a logged, persevering nature, and
did not despair. The match would be very
advantageous one, for Elinor was, by her
fathers death, placed in possession of con-
siderable fortune, which would be of use in
i,o o,d iro,,roHri,1u ba h11einpCS
II.
''Renshaw, the governor wants you, said
one of the seniors to a young man who,
bending over his desk, appeared so intent
upon his occupation that the other had to re-
peat the words and in a louder key, before
any notice was taken.
Then Gilbert RenShaw, with a brief
"Thank you, Brown" put his work careful
ly in his desk, and locking it, turned and
walked quietly across the Office to the pri-
waite room. Mr.. Brown looked at him.
"Hes queer one, !" he soliloquized "He's
been here for four or five years, and he takes
things as cody as if he had been here all his
life-more eoolly, in fact. Half of us would
have gone to Golding full pelt, but not he;
catch him hurrying. | can't make him out,
and with this candid admission, Mr.. Brown
turned his attention to his letter writing.
Meanwhile Gilbert Renshaw had entered
the private room where MI. Golding sat
alone.
"You have kept me waiting, Mr. Renshaw."
81 regret to hear it, sir" was the quiet re-
ply.
The chief shifted in his chair, and looked
I'D at the young man. Of all his clerks,
apart from the important question of their
market value" Gilbert Renshaw was the
one whom he most disliked.
81 have sent for you, Mr.. Renshaw,' re-
sumed the chief, ''to point out an error Of
yours in these papers-an error which might
have involved grave consequences"
Gilbert Renshaw bowed, but said nothing.
The error thus magnifed into so much i'm
portance was in reality trifing oversight,
and was for the most part the fault Of a
Junior This, probably, Mr.. Golding well
knew: but as the papers would come before
Renshaw for revision, he chose to assume
that the entire blame rested with him. The
Young man was at once too high-minded and
kind-hearted to exculpate himself by accus-
ing his junior, and in a few words expressed
his regret.
at must not occur again, Mr.. Renshaw."
Gilbert bowed, but made no reply, and
then, after taking his principals directions,
left the room.
Mr.. Golding looked after him with an an
noyed expression on his face.
IF catch you tripping again." he NUT
tered to himself. you shall suffer for it, my
friend
But the days went by, and for a time his
yindictiyeness remained without an opportu-
nifty to exercise itself.
He was shrewd enough, however, to wait
his opportunity And that was not long in
coming. One Saturday afternoon he hap
pened to want Gilbert for some purpose, and
sent for him. The young man could nowhere
be found. Nh Golding glanced at the clock
and frowned angrily.
1t was just ten minutes to the time at
which. their work being done, the clerks
were entitled to leave. Some were already
closing their DESKS and making preparations
for departure. but the sudden appearance OF
the chief in the outer Office gaEanized them
into renewed activity. A kind-hearted senior
in the meantime surreptitiously dispatched
an office boy to the restauran which Gilbert
generally frequented, but the well-meant Ell
fort was fruitless.
Mr. Golding walked across the office to the
further window, which, the house being a
corner one. commanded the length Of the
street, and stood looking out. Suddenly he
uttered slight exclamation, which drew all
eyes, with giances more OF less furtive, to
the window. There, at some little distance,
quietly strolling along, was Gilbert Ken
shaw. Unconscious of those watching him
he paused at the corner, looked at his watch,
and, after a moments hesitation as if uncer-
tain what course to pursue, turned into side
street and disappeared.
III.