Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-04-18

commercial workings of the place; but
he was good ut holding his tongue, and
two years elapsed without jar. The
ways of Joel were many and curious,
but as he intimated. they were ''busi-
ness" and went unquestioned. Many
were the prices made, and little snares
and bats and bargains laid for the
verdant and unwary. That which did
not come easily to hand must need be
hooked with a line quite long enough
to land it. Not that much there perpe-
trated was in the common sense dis
honest, for trade in these accelerated
days is of a startling width, if not in
deed at some points of appalling lati-
tude, but Joers employees were tacitly
instructed that shrewdness was always
requisite, and the successful netting of
the spoil the prime consideration.
Much of this to Earnings scrupulous
spirit was quite revolving; seemingly
not because he was simple. for he was
strong hater of many things, but
mainly for the reason that nature had
filled him with instructive inclinations
to be just. He could not by indirection
take advantage in the least without
forgetting his own gain by seeing that
the other was deceived. Hence
his business mode collided oft
with Joers law, and would
have gotten him trouble and expulsion
in the end had not his fine sincerity and
fairness had it's way with all. Joel
watched him narrowly at first, and oc-
casionally would throw a SORT of pro-
test in his way. But" he would
say. you're too fair. You'll break me
upr' But John Earling smiled and
kept his counsel and continued honest
IN his ways. Then Joel fell to figur-
ing covertly the profits on each sales
man day by day as indicated by their
sales, and ended by throwing his
figures from him with a growl. HE
couldn't do it if he wasn't so internal
smartr' was what he said, and after
that was silent. But John Earling
was far from being satisfied; he fet
these conditions chafe him something
like a chain. and fain would have freed
himself but that the iron bond of duty
stuck him TO his task religiously. He
brooded over this enigma, and its
perplexing shapes and shadows,
again and yet again. 1t
seemed to him that the whole
field of life was tainted; that this state
called civilization, so paraded and re-
vcrcd, was filled with greedy tendencies
and vile demands. Through his whole
life the flaws within himself. and the
little wrongs and shams and spots
among the spirits of his fellows,
seemed clear and vivid to him. Not
that evil as commonly set down ap-
pealed much to him, for neither by en-
ample nor by prcccpt had he been much
wrought upon, but mainly for the rca-
son that his moral lens was large, his
sense of justice delicate and keen, and
that nature in happy mood had fash
| Toned him less pcccable than some.
Thus it fell out that well upon the
close of John Earnings second year Of
service, a certain salesman being APP
pretended in IL theft that, unluckilv for
him, was off the wiley Joel in the pub
lies stead, John EARRING went into his
employers office white with rage.
Your system of business, he said.
with clinched fists, ''would make an
angel a thief. How do you expect q
| man to be honest with yru when you
insist that he shall be dishonest with
other men? Is it honor among thieves
that you rely on to protect yourself?
It's an outrage! It's an outrage!'
Joel wheeled around in his chair With
a deal of color in his face; strange
heat seemed to sweep over the still
book-keeper, for he ceased writing and
perspiration broke out upon his
brow. John Earnings eyes blazcd
| against JoerS; it waste some people
| an uncomfortable trait-John Earring
habit to look straight into the eyes OF
| those with whom he had to do, and he
had never been known to pluck any
| one aside to whisper to them, for the
| reason, doubtless, that he never seemed
| to have any secrets, or to be conscious
1 Of Xx-hy hA ch0I11I 1NNl-
| directly at people and say very audibly
what he had to say.
''Why. you young rooster! blurted
Joel. ''what's the matter with you?"
'The matter is not with me, sir; the
| matter lies with this young man who
came in here an honest boy and has
| gone out a thiefr' cried John Earling, in
his passion. 1t seemed to him a more
exquisite injustice was never perpe.
trated. He fairly suffered with the
| wrong and disgrace that had fallen on
| his fellow salesman.
"What have got to do with his be.
ing a thief" snorted Joel.
| Every thing; he came in here hon
est, and by following your methods
and instructions he's to-day in irons
and disgrace; you corrupted him! you
corrupted him! may be you didn't see
it; may be you didn't mean it, but 0,
you corrupted him!'
IL didn'tn'
Your system did! Hasn't he stolen
for five years for you? Did you expect
that he would never steal from you!
How could he be honest? Your store i.
full of thieves! You know it! Any
other business conducted on the prin
ciple of yours is clearinghouse o
| fhnff Tf i-,,fk 60; -; -
itr'
"Fiddlesticks" said Joel, getting
white about the nostrils. "Boy, you're
crazy; you don't understand the frs
rudiments of business.
Il don't wish to acquire even the
rudiments as you understand them
Honesty is enough for me; it should b
| enOuoh for every man When Won,