The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-02-12

VIC "Hi ~ ior urlNe ana IOOB at some
nice outside property. It's a grand day
for driving. BY the time We return 1t
will be noon, and we will lunch together.
After luncheon, ah-well, we will make
further plans"
II like this situation" l said to my.
self.
We read the papers. From time to
time Leonard Hartman paused to ask
me questions of one kind or another,
generally bearing upon investments, and
my luminous replies manifcstly pleased
him. 1t gave me pleasure to note that
my employer invariably concurrcd in my
opinions. He could scarcely have done
less.
We drove over pretty nearly the whole
city. When We returned for luncheon,
we had covered at least 30 miles. All
this time we had kept up lively CONVEX.
sation. Mr.. Hardman was always draw.
ing me out. l never saw a more persist.
ent catechiscr or better listener. /,
who am so well informed and so rich in
experience tsurely one may'tell the SIM
pie truth about himself), took great pains
to enlighten him, and he showed genuine
appreciation, thing really rare in this
world.
We lunchcd at the Bohemian club, and
the quality of the lunch was n revelation
to me. We had terrapin and champagne
and other things that ! had not been
accustomed to, but my refined tastes fit
in quite readily to these things as IL
had been used to them all my life. Best
Of all, Leonard Hardman Informed me
that he would be glad to have me lunch
with him every day when had no other
engagements. thanked him and mem
tally promised never to make any con-
ficting engagement.
The days that followed were much
like that first day. If | ever did any
thing like work or earned n dollar for
my kind employer, candor compcls NE
to admit that | have no recollection of
1t, nor could ever make out what Leon.
ard Hartman was doing in the way Of
business. No transactions were ever
closed at his office. His afternoons,
however, were uniformly spent away
from the Office, l knew not where nor
how, and if he made any money at all it
was made in secret operations. felt
somewhat piqued ut his clandcstine way
Of doing things, but as my salary was
always paid promptly and lunched reg
ularly at his expense it did not seem to
me proper to call him to account.
For the space Of three years | was
thus associated with Leonard IIardman,
during which time he claimed to be pros
pcring and seemed to be happy and con-
tented. But l never found out the ma
ture Of his business or the amount Of bis
profits. My carly qualms of conscience
for not having been more scrviccable to
him soon gave way to placid unconccrn
about his secret operations, whatever
they were.
His dcmcnnor toward me never chang
cd 1t was always gentle, even defcren-
tial, something not usual in an employer.
We were more like companions than
anything else.
Almost three years to day from the
commencement Of my singular service
Leonard Hardman died. This was a
hard shock to me, for felt warm at.
tachment for him. Moreover was
troubled at the thought of having to
hunt another situation.
When his will was opened, it was
found to contain, much to my surprise
and delight, handsome legacy of So.
600 in my favor. | gathered together
lis papers so that his affairs could be put
in order and among other things found in /
his private rooms at the club where he !
lived (he was a bachelo) a book which |
proved to be n diary, carefully kept to |
the very day of his death.
The contents Of this diary were and |
have ever since been Il source of intense
to ME. ! am generous
enough, however, TO overlook and excuse
the vagarlcS Of 4 man who had proved |
so good friend to me and who possess
cd so many noble qualities. From the
date Of my engagement in his service al
most daily references were made to my
self in this strange diary. Some of these
references were kind, others most un-
kind. What gave me kccnest grief and
still grieves me and what l now freely
forgive because pa!pably the product Of
business are the following entries:
"Jan. 10. 1SS2.-Itichard Kent has
this day entered my service. | have a
theory which | wish to put thoroughly to
the test, and Kent is the subject of my
experiment.
"Jan. 2j. 1SS3.--It is now something
more than "A year since Richard Kent
came to my Office. My theory has work.
ed out But let me explain:
"All business success worth the name
IS the result Of good Judgment. Some
men have Judgment at times good and
At times very bad. No man has good
Judgment in all things and at all times
iS fuIlihIn |
lbit bad judgment all the time
"While | had been successful in my
business affairs, nevertheless on occa-
'ions | lost heavily as the result Of bad
1t finally occurred to me
hat if had an adviser in the shape Of
, man who was wrong all the time !
should be able to accomplish great re-
suits. l sought long time before |
'ound him. Richard Kent proved to be
he man, and treasure he is.
Kent is well educated, well bred
nan of 40, smart in many things, bril-
liant in few things, but the worst rea-
soncr ! ever met in my life On any
proposition OF ordinary difficulty he uni
'ormly goes wrong. ! have never known
lim TO fail. Whenever l am in doubt
what to do | ask his advice and then do
he other thing. His falliblity is per.
'ect."
Whatever my faults tif I have any
ear is not one of them. ! have nothing
o conceal. give the foregoing extracts
With profound sorrow and only because
hey are necessary to explain the vision.
Try state of Hardman's mind with re-
pect to myself Stories.
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