Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-03-26


Mr.. Murridge's confidence was enjoyed, TO
a certain extent. by a young lady named
Norah Cronan, who called herself his private
secretary. He called her his clerk. but it
made no differences Ia the salary, which re-
maine at the same figure as that enjoyed by
Dick. namely, ssventy-fve pounds a year.
But he did next to nothing for the money.
and she did the work Of three men. being as
sharp, clever, industrious and Jealous a girl as
ever man had the good fortune to engage in
his service. She came every morning at
eleven, and generally spent an hour or two
with her employer before she went off to the
museum, to the record office, to consult
parish registers, to read wills, to make OK
tracts, and do all kinds of genealogical work,
which kept her all day long and very often
al the evening as we'll She was nineteen
years OF age, and she knew-by heart, l
think-nearly every genealogical work that
exists in the v~ernacular. OF course Mr..
MurTidge did not wholly trust her: perhaps
he was afraid she might make discoveries
and keep them TO herself, and make her own
market put Of them-he had done so himself
in the old days; perhaps there were certain
risky connections in his pedigrees which he
did not wish 70 expose to the girls sharp
eyes; perhaps he was constitutionally I'm
able to trust anybody wholly He might
very we'll have trusted her, because she had
never yet suspected that she might become a
money winner instead Of a salary Garner
most men never do learn this lesson; still
fewer women ever learn 1t, and so are con-
tented to go IN all their lives upon a wage,
and nobly rejoice when the smallness OF
their own salaries has brought wealth to
their employers. Therefore she was honest.
and carried to Mr.. Murridge everything she
found, and never dreamed of Withholding
the least scrap Of information. This Is
praiseworthy in every walk Of life, but
especially lau1able in a genealogist, because
this least scrap is always the thing which is
Of the greatest importance. Such a simple
thing, for instance, as a single one-lined
entry In a parish register concerning a mar
riage a hundred years ago, has been known
to prove a very gold mine to the discoverer.
No man in the city had a more valuable
clerk than Mr. Murridge. or a cheaper clerk.
Some there are who object to girl clerks
On the ground that, although they are al
ways honest, and may be underpaid and
oyerworked 10 any extent, and though they
never grumble and always carry out orders
literally and exactly, one cannot swear at
them. There is force In the objection, though
IL is not. | | believe, felt by some Of the gen
uemen who employ girls to sell gloves and
bonnets and beer, and Extraordinarily, nor
was it fe.t by Mr. M~urridge, who, when No
rah first came to him, swore at her every
day. She did not like being sworn at. Il
made her limbs trembIe and her face turn
red and pale, but she thought It wisest to saw
nothing about it at home, for the usual rea-
son that there was not much money going,
and her small salary was useful; and, be-
sides. her bio her being a student at Uni
versity College hospital, there YVES, Just
then, less than usual Whenever Mr.. Muir.
ssige's orders were imperfectly obeyed or
neglected, he swore at her. Why notq When
/ \ was q prentice be had been sworn at every
day, cailed, caned and kicked, until he be-
came . smart prentice and a good engraver.
Why th0uld he not swear at his own c.erkl
He die and with sad, wearisome iteration Of
one word that Norah grew to Ioathe that
word and to take any amount Of pains and
trouble In order not to hear il.
NorEh had nov, however been So LONG
with lii. Murridge, and had worked for
MIN 20 weil@pedigree hunting Il matter If
instinct with some, lie finding old boors ~
picking up old cOins-that Re hnd aImoat
ceased 70 uso Language even IL her nras.
enca He knew her value, and in his softer
moments ho had thoughts even Of raising
her salary.
Az haIf-past ten Ia the morning an citv
Offices are in their first fresh viror and
early morning enthusiasm Of work The
glow q the dawn, 50 to speak, is upon them.
The glo4 fingers till about half-past eleven.
when fatigue and languor begin among
ne younger brethren; at twelve many
have visEbly relaxed and have begun
70 glaaes 81 The clock and 70 wTiggle on
their Seats. Il IS not, however, until five in
the afternoon That the curse Of labor Is
really felt = weigh heavily upon the Shout
ders Of the young clerk In Mr.. Murridge's
outer ohce there was no 1nnguor or fatigue
possible. because theirs was no labor either
toE M Richard Or for the boy. It was q
season 81 forgetfnlness No work had been
given t0 Dick for Tires weeks, and except III
the evening. when TIERS were letters 70 be
nat ihseagh TIE press no work aas ever