Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-03-19

AANA AMW
to prove that they have always, though their
friends little suspected it really belonged to
the class which rules by right divine. and by
the same right possesses hereditary brains;
and there are, besides these, the rich dcu-
tremer, who bears names Of English origin
and would fain prove their connection with
great English houses, and are willing to pay
handsomely for such a connection. There
fore, old Murridge generally found his hands
fully occupied in tracing pedigrees, hndlng
out missing links, proving marriages, estap-
fishing American connections, following up
lines Of descent, converting plain country
gentlemen into descendants Of royaity-this
Is a very lucrative branch of the profession
-and in this way bringing vainglory, de-
light, honor, distinction, and solace to all
who could afford TO pay for il. So great
indeed, was his skill that he never failed to
prove his client a cadet, at least, of some
ancient house, and when there was no estate
involved and the family was supposed
to be extinct, he not infrequently made
his client the head of that house. Nothing
could be conceived more pleasing to ladies
and gentlemen who had been brought up to
believe that for them there was no family
history-no more than at the beginning Of
the world-previous to the family shop
where the money was made-whether a shop
with a counter, and a till and an apron; or a
shop with an office and a clerk; Oh a shop
with a box of pills; or a shop with a wig
and gown; or a shop with a sword and a red
coat; OF a shop with a steel pen and a few
pages of blank paper; or a shop with a
bundle of scrip and shares. So that Mr..
Murridge was really a philanthropist Of the
first water-an eighteen carat p~hilanthro-
pist. II, from time to time, in his gTubbing
among genealogies, old wills and family his
tories, he came upon curious discoveries,
which he was able to turn to his own advan-
tage. he is not to be blamed. Notably, there
was the succession to the ClonsilIa title, in
which, as you will presently see, he did a
very good stroke of business.
His office was in Finsbury Circus, where
he had two rooms on a second floor; the
front room large and light, looking out on
the open place; the back room small and
dingy, looking upon the Limbo of chimneys
workshops, back buildings, out-houses and
grimy yards which one finds in that part of
London. On the door POSTS below his name
was painted: Second Floor, JOHN MUIR
RIDGE" His own room was furnished with
one very large table-genealogists, like
civil engineers, require great tables-and
another very small one; he had a great
book case, full of books of reference, such as
Dugdale, Douglas, Tonge, Beltram, Wotton,
Collins and Lysons, a really valuable col.
lection; as for the country histories, one
needs the resources of a Rothschild to pos.
sess them There was also a large-sized safe
-, - 0vr,a- z-I A1..a -. A.
one above the other, as in a solicitors Office,
and there were three or four chaia The
room at the back was not, properly speak
ing, furnished at all. That is to say, there
was a table at the window with a plotting
pad, and an tnkstand and a chair before it.
There was another table beside the fireplace,
with a heavy copying press upon it, the
kind with a handle and a screw. This was
for the boy clerk, who posted tho letters,
copied them and ran errands. The other
table was for Mr.. Murridge, Jr-Mr.
Richard Murridge. His son and the clerk,
together with the private secretary, com.
pleted Mr.. Murridge's staff and formed his
establishment.
AS regards Master Dick il might he said
of him, as Of a great many others, that he
would doubtless have been different had his
training been other than what it was. Yet
his education was not neglected. At school
he learned only the things most useful in a
commercial life, as a good hand, accountsa and
bookkeeping. short hand, French and the
art Of writing u business letter. He also had
the advantage, being a day hoy. Of his faith
er's experience and practical wisdom, which
was on tap, so to speak, every evening.
II have taught my son, sir" Mr.. Murridge
explained, ITO despiss the common cant
about honor, friendship, justice, charity
and the rest Of it The world is full Of crea.
lures who live by eating each other. There
is no other way to live. We cone into the
city every day to eat each other, and to de,
fend ourselves against those who would eat
us. The way is to make as much money as
we possibly can. As for honor. it means
that you mast play fair where it is your in.
terest, and friendship means putting other
people on to a good thing when you can't get
it for yourself, and in exchange Tor another
good thing. Benevolence means keeping the
people you are eating up in good temper.
Dick quite understands the world. There is
no nonsense about Dick. Justice means
having all you can get-all that the law al
lows-to the last penny, and never forgivinp
anybody. have made the boy thoroughly
understand these principles. He begins
life with q clear head, and no sentimental
humbug."
1t is not often that a boys views are thus
based upon the first elements Of life and So
ciety, and Dick certainly began life with
great advantages.
Unluckily for Dick, he was not allowed To
put these principles into practice in an indie
pendent way. Mr.. Murridge regarded his
business as q thing to be kept together, and
handed down as a property to his son. He,
therefore. without any question as to Dicks
aptitude for genealogical research and the
art OF clothing a man with a pedigree, re-
moved him from school at an early age and
placed him in his own back Office, where he
gave him copying work. You cannot posi-
bly, carry out any Of these beautiful precepts
and maxims on mere copying work.
Unfortunately, too, Mr.. Murridge could
never bring himself TO trust his son. He
was a jealous master, who would let no one
into his secrets but himself, and worked. like
the mole, underground. So that, though
Dick was now Extraordinarily, he knew no
more about his fathers business than he did
at sixteen, when he first took his seat in the
back otfice-exccpt that his father would
talk over the successful conduct of a case
when it was completed, especially if there
had been any difficulties or sharp practice in
it He did not dare to complain. but his
position made him continually grumpy. It