Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-17

Of that weli-knoWn and extensive hrm,
Apslev Wellesley & Co., of Cornhill. The
senior partner was a friend of my father,
which gave me a better position than L
should otherwise have occupied; but may
saw, without vanity, that l was well worth
nv salt" or at all events my salary,
which was by no means a large one. did
not shirk my duties, as it was the fashion
of some of nv fellow clerks to do, and
showed myself anxious to ''get on" OF
course there are different ways of doing
this bu; when it is done without priggism,
and especially not at the expense of others,
I have q conviction that it generally sue
ceeds. In long commercial life l have
noticed that the man who wastes his time
and that Of his master, who is the last to
reach the Office and the first to go away, and
who fattens his nose against the window
while be is there. instead of sticking to his
work, is apt 10 stick to the stool where he
first finds himself, and to rise no higher;
while the man who does his duty without
grudging, and takes some interest in the
firms affairs, moves up, and if he doesn't
marry his masters daughter and become
Lord Mavor of London, in the old story
book fashion, still reaps his reward. The
grIymbier of mature wears is almost always,
in YOUTH the idle, and the gentleman who
Is always "unluckv" has something besides
misfortune to account for it, though he lays
all the blame upon that lady
Neyert heless, even at one-and-twenty, /
was neither so vain nor so foolish as to set
down old Apsley's favor to me to nv own
merits. He had taken me into his employ
ment to oblige his old friend, very likely
by no means very willingly, and he was no
dou bt agreeably surprised to fEd me useful
10 him. Business is business" and as a
general rule las l have since found myselG
it is better not to let sentimental considera-
lions interfere with it if you can help it
whi&, however, is pretty large eff At
all Ne nts, our senior partner was as civil
q his Young clerk as was compatible with
the great gulf between us and his careful
ness 20 give no cause OF iealously TO Others
He even knew where 1 lodged-itself an
immense stretch of interest in anv
member of the firm as regarded their sub
ordinates-and had been so good as to in
quire on one occasion whether was COM
toriahly located. Such atfability won my
heart and unless had been offered a con-
siderable rise in salary L would not have
left his employment TO serve anybody.
Still, it did astonisn me when footman
called at nv lodging one evening with a
note from Mr.. Apsley requesting me, ''if
convenient. to come TO see him at once at
his private residence This was situated in
q fashionable square, and. though / saw
little Of it that night except the old gentle
mans study. or snuggerv, whittier he de-
scended for the interview, l was consider
ably impressed with its grandeur. What
he wanted me for was TO take a note upon
some important business matter to our Mr.
Jones, the manager, that night.
Il don't know where he lives" he said,
cor ! would not have troubled YOU, Ack-
ers.
replied very truthfully that fhe trouble
was pleasure, (for it is always a good
thing 20 be able to oblige ones chief and
that, though I only knew that Mr.. Jones
lived some where near Harton, a suburban
station. 1 would find him if he was above
ground.
In two minutes l was on nv wav to the
railway, and caught the. first train to the
place in question. Though the station was
a comparatively small one, / foresaw some
difficulty in finding the manager who
probably lived in a modest way, (though
he had what seemed TO me a gigantic salary
Of $500 vear) for he was modest, retir-
ing sort of man, and Jones is not an I'M
common mama. However, 1 made my ap-
plication to the station master directly
got out.
"Do YOU happen to know where Mr..
Jones lives in this neighborhood?'
'sNTr. Jones, he replied, ''do you mean
Squire ,Topes?'
No" L said, that is not the gentleman;
] want Mr.. Jones, of Cornhill' -
The station master shook his head as
though in depreciation of all commercial
persons. He said he was not acquainted
with any person of that name except ''the
Squire" There was nothing for it but to
take dv 10 Horton Hall, where, it seemed,
this great man lived. If it was not exactly
"a nall" after the countrv.or rather
county" pattern it was very superior to
anv villa residence" " We were admitted
bv a lodge keeper through gilded iron
gates, which opened upon park-like and
quite extensive grounds. The longer L took
in driving through them, the more certain L
felt that ] was on fools errand, and the
sight OF the mansion itself convinced me of
it.
It was Of great size, and on that summer
night the unshuttered windows of the lower
rooms emitted a blaze Of light; there was
evidently dinner party, or perhaps even a
ball, going on. l was quite ashamed of
myself ard my errand when my humble
vehicle drew up at the stately portico, and
d footman attired like a field marshal
answered che summons of the front door
bell
Does Mr. Jones live here?'' inquired,
hesitatingly: Mr.. Jones, of Apsley, Wei
lesley & Coz"
''Yes, sir.
You might have knocked me down with
feather 1 should have been only a little
more surprised to hear that this was the
country residence of my fellow-clerk, Jack
Spriggins. who shared the parlor at
nv lodgings. Thou h myself almost
penniless, came Of a good FAM |
scales of living among landed proprietors, /
but the splendor of that entrance hall with !
as statues aud pictures threw all L had seen !
elsewhere OF the kind into the shade; in /
particular il struck me how very much /
grander it was than my employers en- |
trance hall, in which I had stood but an |
hour ago.
1 gave nv card to the footman and was |
ushered into side room, the fittings and |
furniture of which threw Mr. Apslev's /
''snuggcrv" completely into the shade. 1t |
was more like boudoir than a room used /
for business purposes, though l recognized |
Mr.. Jones little black bag living in one
corner of it, and also his letter case upon e
marble table In the few seconds that it
took me to observe these things, there
was q constant clatter of knives and forks
and hum OF conversation from the dining
room on the other side of the hall;
il vas evidently very large dinner
Eartv. vet the host did not hesitate to
leave il on the instant that the servant |
brought him in my card. 1t seemed to me
almost impossible that he could have been
with ne so soon. vet there he was, looking
in mis- evening dress as had never seen him
h g., l,,+ nth a much creator ohanoe in |