The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-05-27
CHAPTER XL
Senior and Junior.

Although not whisper had been
heard of 1t in ordinary commercial
circles, there was some foundation
for the forecast which Won Baumser
had made as to the fate of the great
house of Girdlestone. For some time
back matters had been going badly
with the African traders If the
shrewd eyes of Major Clutterbuck
were unable to detect any indications
of this state of affairs in the manner
OF, conversation of the junior partner,
the reason simply was that that gen
tleman was entirely ignorant of the
imminent danger which hung over his
head. AS far as he knew, the concern
was as prosperous and as flourishing
as it had been at the time of the
death of John Harston. The. momen-
tous secret was locked in the breast
of his grim old father, who bore 1t
about with him as the Spartan lad
did the fox = without quiver or
groan to indicate the care which was
gnawing at his heart Placed face to
face with ruin, Girdlestone fought
against it desperately, and, withal,
cody and wearily throwing away no
chance and leaving no stone unturned.
Above all, he exerted himself =
and exerted himself successfully to
prevent any rumor of the critical posi-
ton of the firm from leaking out in
the city. He knew well that should
that once occur nothing could save
! him. AS the wounded buffalo is gored
to death by the herd, so the crippled
man of business may give up all
h pc when once his position is known
| by his fellows. At present, although
Van Banner and few other such
from sources of their own as to how
matters stood, the name of Girdle-
stone was still regarded by business
men as the very synonym for COM
mercial integrity and stability. If
anything, there seemed to be more
business in Fenchurch street and
more luxury at the residence at Ec-
cleston square than in former days.
Only the stern faced and silent senior
| partner knew how thin the veneer
was which shone so deceptively upon
the surface.
Many things had contributed toward
this state of affairs. The firm had
been involved in a succession of mis-
fortunes, some known to the worlu
and others known to no one save the
elder Girdlestone. The former hac
been accepted with such stoicism and
cheerfulness that they rather increas
ed than diminished the reputation OF
the concern. The latter were the
more crushing, and also the more diff
ficult to bear.
Lines of fine vessels from Liverpool
and from Hamburg were running tC
the West Coast of Africa, and com
petition had cut down freightage tc
the lowest possible point. Where
the Girdlestones had once held al.
most a monopoly there were now
many in the field. Again, the negroes
of the coast were bedoming tedu-
Gated, "~n had a keen eye to bust
ness, 81 ---at the old profits were nc
longer obtainable. The days had
gone by when flint lock guns ant
Manchester prints could be weighed
in the balance against ivory and golC
dust.
While these general causes were al
work special misfortune had befal
len the house OF Birthstone Find
ing that their feet of old sailing yes
sells we're too slow and clumsy tt
compete with more modern ships, the!
had bought In two first-rate steam
ers. One was the Providence, fin,
screw vessel of twelve hundred tons
and the other was the Evening Star
somewhat smalled In size, but botI
classed A l at Lloyds. The forme
cost twenty two thousand pounds
and the latter seventeen thousand
Now, Mr.. Girdlestone had always ha
weakening for petty savings, and ii
this instance he determined not t,
old tubs, for which he had paid
fancy premiums for so many year
with an eye to the ultimate profit
met with no disaster, surely thos
new powerful clippers were safe. Witt
their tonnage and horse power the.
appeared to him to be superior to al
the dangers of the deep. Il chanced
however by that strange luck whicl
would almost make one believe tha
matters nautical were at the mere,
of some particular malignant demon
that as the Evening Star was steamInl
up Channel in dense fog on her re
turn from her second voyage, sh
ran into the Providence, which hai
started that very morning from Liv
erpool upon her third outward trip
The Providence was almost cut In two
and sank within five minutes, talzin
down the captain and six of the cre'
while the Evening Star was SO muc
! damaged about the bows that she pu
into Falmouth In a sinking condition
. That days work cost the African frr
more than five-and-thirty thousan
pounds.
Other mishaps had occurred t
weaken the firm. apart from thei
trade with the co~t. The senior part
ner had engaged in speculation with
out the dnowledgc of his SON, and tn
result bad been disastrous. Ons G
the Corr ish tin mines in which he ha
sunk a large amount OF money. an