Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-10-12
Mr.. NELSON'S WILL
BY H. RIDER HAGGARD.


Birmingham viii be acquainted with the
vast publishing establishment still known
by the short title Of Nelson's" which is
perhaps the most remarkable institution
of the sort in Europe. There are-or rather
there were, at the date Of the beginning Of
this history-three partners in Nelson's
MeeSon himself, the managing partner;
Mr.. Addison, and Mr.. Roscoe-and people
in Birmingham used to say that there were
others interested in the affair, for Nelson's
was company Qimited).
However this may be, Bieeson & Co. was
undoubtedly q commercial marvel. 1t en-
ployed more than two thousand hands, and
its works, lit throughout with the electric
light, covered two acres AID a quarter of
land. One hund9ed commercial travellers,
at three pounds a week and a commission,
went fortheast and west, and north and
south, to sell the books Of MeesOn (Which
were largely religious I'm their nature) in
all lands; and five-and-twenty tame aU-
Ehors CGho were illustrated by thirteen
tame artists sat-at salaries ranging from
one to five hundred a year-in vault-like
hutchcs In the basement, and week by
week poured out that hat-work for which
Nelson's was justly famous. Then their
were editors and vice-editOrs, and heads Of
tho various departments, and sub-heads,
and financial secretaries, and readers, and
many managers; but what their names
were no man knew, because at Nelson's
all the employees Of the great house were
Known by numbers; personalities and per-
sOnal responsibility being the abOminatiOn
Of tho firm Nor was it allowed to any one
having dealings with these items ever to
sec the same number twice, presumably for
fear lest the number should remember
that he was mauand n brother, and his
heart should melt toward the unfortunate,
and tho financial interests Of Nelson's
should suffer. In short, Nelson's was an
establishment created for and devoted to
moncymakiug, and the fact was kept
studiously and even insOlently before the
eyes Of everybody connected with it
which was Of course, as 1t should be, in
this happy land Of commerce. After all
that has been written, the reader will not
he surprised to learn that the partners in
Nelson's were rich beyond the dreams of
avarice. Their palaces would have been
wonder even in ancient Babylon, and
would have excited admiration in the cor
ruptcst aud most luxurious days OF Rome.
Where could one see such horses, such car
riagcs, such galleries Of sculpture or such
collections Of costly gems rs Mt the palatial
halls Of Mc5srs. Mccson, Addison, and Ros-
COc7
And TO think" as the mighty Meeson
himself would say, with II lOrdly wave Of
his right hand, to some astonished wretch
Of an author whom he had chosen to over
whclm with the sight of this magnificence,
ito think that all this comes out of the
brains Of chaps like youl Why, young
man, ] tell you that if all the money that
has been paid to sCrbblers like you since
the days of Elizabeth were added together
itwould not como up to my little pile; but,
mind You, il amt SO much fiction that has
done tho trick-its religion It's piety as
pays, especially when it's printed"
Then tho unsOphisticatcd youth would
go away, his heart too full for words, but
pondcring how these things were, and by
and by he would pass into the Mecson
melting pot and learn something about it.
one day King Mccson sat in his counting
house counting out hia money, or, at least
looking over the books Of the firm. He was
in a very bad temper, and his heavy brOws
wcru Uriullcd up in a way calculated to
mako tho counting house clerks shake on
their stools. Nelson's had II branch cs-
Enlistment at Sydney, In Australia, which
establishment had, until lately, been pay
ing II is true not rs well rs the English
one out sun, h,i''n or twenty per cent
INT now "a wonder hta come 10 pass. a
Erel' i'"Hd'h FURNISHING '"ulP@u! hao
started ah opposition mousse IN Melbourne,
and 'hrr eulr"''' was more IMAM inc
''u'eh'5' "l M'e#"h. l''d N''7'h pun
ush an od'ti"h"i the works oil any standard
au,h"f Z" 'h''ti'"'' per '"l'.'"'' '"o opp
blIloh company brought ""' the a'n'e "oiA
at tWopencc hallpcnny, did Nelson's sub
SidlAe newspaper opuH their undert&k-
lHEs, the opposition firm subsidized two to
cry them down, aud 50 ON. And now the
reSuItSofall This were becoming apparent
Tor IN the financial year just ended the Aus
ttallan branch had barely earned Il beggaT
~ net iEldCnd OF seven per cent.
No wonder Mr.. Mccsou was furious, and
no wonder that the clerks shook upon their
stools
'"phis nust be seen into No ~ soid Mr.
Mccson, bringing fist down with n bang
on to the balance sheet
No 3 was ono of the editors; "A mild-cycd
little man with blue spcctaclcs. lie had
once been a writer Of promise. but some
how Nelson's had rot him for its own and
turned him intna publishers hack
Quite 20, SIR" he said. humhIy. at is
very bad-it is dreadful to think Of Meo-
sons coming down to seven pcr crDt-scy-
en- per cent" and he helped up his hands.
Don't stand there Ifken stuck piu, No.
g." said Mr.. Mccson. ticrccIy; .but suggest
something"
"Wcu, SIR" said No 3. more humbly
than over, for no was terribly afraid of his
employer Il think, perhaps, that some
body had better go to Australia, and see
what can he done"
II know one thing that can be done"
said Mr. Mccsou, with u snarl; "ar those
fools out there can be sacked, and sacked
they shall be- and, what S more, I'll go and
sack them myself That will do, No. 3
that will do" and No 3 departed, and glad
enough he was 90.
As he went a clerk ARRIVED and gave
card to the great man
Miss Augusta Smithcrs. a" no read; Their,
with grunt, ''show Miss Augusta Smith
era In"
Presently Miss Augusta Smithers ar
rived. She was n tall, wcllformed young
lady Of about twenty five, with pretty gold
en- hair, deep gray eyes. a fine forehead,
and delicate mouth; just now, however,
she looked very nervous.
We'll, Miss Smithers, what is it?" asked
tho publisher.
81 came. Mr.. Mceson- came about my
book"
Your book, Miss Smithcrs9" this was