Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-10-12
am going ma il

that the expense of bringing out her book
and Of advertising up her name, etc, viii
be very grest-so great, indeed, that you
cannot undertake it unless, indeed, she
agrees to let you have the first offer of
everything she writes for five years to
come at somewhere about fourth Of the
usual rate Of a successful authors pay
though, Of course, you don't tell her that.
You take advantage OF her inexperience to
bind her by this Ubiquitous contract, know
ing that the end osit will be that you viii
advance her a little money and get her into
your power, and then will send her down
there to the Hutches, where all the spirit
and originality and genius will be crushed
out of her work, and she viii become hat
writer like the rest OF them-for Nelson's
is strictly commercial undertaking, you
know, and Nelson's public don't like gen.
Jus they like their literature dull and holyl
and it's an internal shame! that's what it
is, unclem and the young man, whose blue
eyes we're by this time flashing fire, for he
had worked himself up as he went along,
brought his fist down with bang upon
the writing table by way of emphasizing
his words
Have you done?" said his uncle.
Yes, I've done; and I hope that I have
put it plain"
VERY well; and now might l ask you,
supposing that you should ever come to
manage this business, if your sentiments
accurately represent the system upon
which you would prOceed?"
'Of course they do. am not going to
turn cheat for anybody"
Thank you. They seem to have taught
you the art of plain speaking up at Ok
ford; though it appears" with sheer,
they taught you very little else. Well,
then, now it is my turn to speak; and I
tell you what it is, young man-you will
either instantly beg my pardon for what
you have said, or you will leave Nelson's
for good and al"
81 won't beg you pardon for speaking
the truth" said EUstace, hotly ''The fact
is, that here you never hear the truth; all
these poor devils creep and crawl about
you, and daren't call their souls their own.
[ shall be devilish glad to get out of this
place, | can tell you. All this chickery
and pokery makes me sick. The place
stinks and reeks of sharp practice and
mOney-making -mOney-maklng by FAIR
means or foul"
The elder man had, up till now, at all
events to outward appearance, kept his
temper, DuG ILLS ttlSJ ilONtI VI NlSO1Ouo
English was altogether too much for one
whom the possession Of so much money
had for many years shielded from hearing
unpleasant truths put roughly. The mans
face grew like DEVILS, his thick eyebrows
contracted themselves, and his pale lips
Guivered with fury For Il few seconds he
could not speak, so great was his emotion.
When, at length, he did his voice was as
~. 4 4 ,ict
is with rain.
"You impudent young rascal!' he began;
"you ungrateful founding! Do you sup
pose that when my brother left you to
starve-which was all that you were fit for
I picked you out of the gutter for this;
that you should have the insolence to come
and tell me how 10 conduct my business!
Now young man, I'll just tell you what it
is. You can be off and conduct a business
of your own on whatever principles you
choose. Get out Of Nelson's, sir, and
never dare to show your nose here again,
or I'll give the pOrters orders to hustle you
off the premises! And now, that isn't all.
I've done with you; never you look to me
for another siXpenCe. Pm not going to
support you any longer, l can tell you.
And what's more, do you know what Pm
going to do just now? Pm going Off to
old Todd-that's my lawyer-and I'm go
ing to tell him to make another will and
to leave every farthing | have-and that
isn't much short of two millions, one way
and another-to Addison and Roscoe.
They don't want it, but that don't matter.
You sha'n't have it-nO, not farthing OF
1t; and / won't have a pile like that frit-
tered away in charities and mismanage-
ment. There now, my fine young gentle
man, just be off and sec if your new bust
ness principles will get you living"
"Al right, uncle, I'm going" said the
young man, quietly. Il quite understand
what our quarrel means for me, and, to
tell you the truth am not sorry. l have
never wished to be dependent on you, or
to have anything to do with business
carried on as Nelson's is | have a hun
dred a year my mother left me, and with
the help of that and my education 1 hope
to make living. Still, | don't want to
part from you in anger, because you have
been very kind to me ut times and as you
remind me, you picked me out of the gut
ter when l was orphaned, or not far from
it, So hope you will shake hands before
Igo"
"Ah" snarled his uncle "you want to
pipe down now, do you? But that won't
do. off you go! and mind you don't set
foot in POmpadour Hail." Mr.. Nelson's
seat, unless it is to get your clothes.
Come, Cutl'
you misunderstood me-" said Eustace,
with touch of native dignity which be-
came him very we'll Probably we shall
not meet again, and did not wish to part
in anger, that was all Good-morning.
And he bowed and left the Office.
"Confound him!" muttered his uncle, as
the door closed. Hes a good plucked
one-showed spirit. But I'll show spirit
too Meeson is n man of his word. Cut
him Off with shilling? not I; cut him off
with nothing at all. And yet, curse 1t,
like the lad Well, I've done with him,
thanks to that mink OF Smithers girl.
perhaps he's sweet on her, then they can
go and starve together, and be hanged to
themI She had better keep out of my
way, for she shall smart for this, so sure
as my name is Jonathan Meeson. I'll keep
her up to the letter OF that agreement, and
il she tries to publish book inside Of this
country or out of it, III crush her-yes, I'll
crush her, if it costs mo five thousand to
do itl' and with a snarl, he dropped his f1st
heavily upon the table before him
Then he arose, put poor Augustus agree
ment carefully back into the safe, which
he shut with savage snap, and proceeded
TO visit the various departments OF his vast
establishment, and to make such hay
therein as had never before been dreamt OF
in the classic halls OF Nelson's
To this hour the clerks Of the great house
talk of that dreadful day with bated breath
for as bloody Hector ragged through the
Greeks. so did the great Meeson rage
through his hundred departments. In the
very first Office he caught a wretched
clerk eating sardine sandwiches With
out moments hesitation he took the
sandwiches and threw them through the
window.
do you suppose pay you to come and
eat your filthy sandwiches here' he asked,
savagely. There, now you can 90 and
look for them; and see you here, You
needn't trouble to come back. you idle,
worthless fellow. OF you go! and re-
member you need not send to me for
character. Now then-double quick
The unfortunate departed, feebly re-
monstrating, and Meeson, having glared
round at the other clerks and warned
them that unless they were careful-very
caretul-they would soon follow in his
tracks, continued his course OF devasts-
ton.
Presently he met an editor, No. it was,
who was bringing him an agreement to
sion He sDafched il from him and plrnce.i