ASHTON MEETS WITH FRIENDS AND SECURES A SITUATION.
"Have you received any answer to your advertisement, dear?" asked
Mrs. Gurney of her husband.
"Yes, dear, I received a telegram this morning from a man who
lives in L----, who said he thought he would suit me. He stated he
could give first-class references, and that he had been in the
business from a boy. He also stated he would make personal
application, and would take the next train for this place: so I am
expecting him on the 7 o'clock. I left word with Johnson to drive
him here, and he may arrive at any moment."
"But, my dear," said his wife, "is it not rather risky for him to
come? You may not like his appearance, and if even in this respect
everything is satisfactory, his credentials may not be so."
"I am sure I cannot help that," replied Mr. Gurney. "I did not
state in the advertisement that parties who wished to engage
should make personal application, and I have no doubt but I shall
receive applications by letter. If individuals come from a
distance to apply, it must be at their own risk."
Their conversation was here interrupted by the ringing of the
door-bell, and in a moment after the servant reported that a Mr.
Ashton wished to see Mr. Gurney.
"That is the name of the person in question," Mr. Gurney remarked.
"Show him in, Sarah;" and in a moment after Ashton was ushered
into their presence.
"Mr. Gurney, I presume," he said, with that ease and grace that
good breeding and familiarity with good society alone gives to a
man.
"I sent you a telegram," Ashton continued, "making application for
the situation, in answer to your advertisement; and I have now
come in person, as I stated I would."
Mr. Gurney, who had risen, extended to him his hand--then
introduced him to his wife, and in a few moments, by his cordial
reception, made him completely at his ease.
His appearance, and, still more, his manner, impressed Mr. and
Mrs. Gurney favorably, and they both concluded he was a very
intelligent person.
He produced his credentials, which were highly satisfactory; but
Mr. and Mrs. Gurney were too keen observers not to notice the
marks of dissipation which his two weeks' debauch had stamped upon
his face. The former, however, possessed too much of the courtesy
which distinguishes the true gentleman to give utterance to a word
which would wound even the most sensitive person, if he could do
his duty and avoid it. Though, if it lay in the way of his duty,
he immediately entered into its performance, but in the least
offensive manner possible.
He said to Richard Ashton, in his most kindly tone: "You will
pardon me, I am sure, for asking you another question. I would not
do so only it is necessary that I should exercise the utmost
caution in order that I may secure a person who has not only
ability and experience, but who also is a man of good character
and temperate habits--who, in short, would be every way reliable.
Pardon me if I ask, in all kindness, would you in every respect till
up my requirements?"
This was a plain question, put with the most gentle courtesy, but
yet in a straightforward manner; and if Ashton had wished in any
way to equivocate, he felt he could not do so without utterly
destroying his chances of employment. To do him justice, however,
let us state he never, even for a moment, entertained a thought of
so doing. He felt he was being weighed in the balance, and would
probably be found wanting, but he resolved he would not endeavor
to bring down the scale in his favor, either by equivocation or
dealing in untruths. In fact, he immediately concluded to make a
clean breast of it, and give him, in as few words as possible, a
history of his life, and then leave him to deal with his case.
Acting upon this thought, he in a few moments graphically and
pathetically told his sad story.
"I will not ask you to decide to-night," he said after he had
finished, "but if it is agreeable to you I will call in the
morning. I would like you would give me a decided answer by that
time if possible, and," he added, "if you conclude to engage me I
will endeavor so to devote myself to your interest as never to
give you cause to regret it."
Mr. Gurney immediately agreed to this arrangement, as he thought
it would be better to have a few hours to carefully consider the
matter, and to talk it over with his wife. In fact, he had been so
much wrought upon by the sad recital, as to entirely unfit him for
a calm and judicious consideration of the business in hand. So,
making an appointment for the next day at 9 a.m., he saw Ashton to
the door, and bade him good night.
Ashton, as he walked rapidly away, was very despondent. He had but
slight hope of securing the situation; for, he reasoned to
himself, had a person of similar character come to him seeking a
position, when he was in business, no matter how much he might
sympathise with him he never would have thought of engaging him.
He wisely determined, however, to hope for the best. He was sure
he would like the situation, for he had formed a very high opinion
of Mr. Gurney. He considered him a very superior person--cultured,
but plain, and practical, and it was because he knew he possessed
the latter attribute he had no hopes of being engaged.
But had he been capable of reading Mrs. Gurney's mind, and could
he also have known the influence she possessed over her husband,
he would not have been so despondent. His story had not been half
told before she had been so affected by its touching pathos as to
be unable to repress her tears, and before he had finished she had
resolved she would exert all the influence she possessed over her
husband to persuade him to take Ashton on trial; for she felt it
would be a noble thing to aim at the redemption of this man from
evil, and to give help, hope, and joy to his wife and children, of
whom he had spoken so tenderly.
"Well, Martha," said Mr. Gurney, after Ashton had departed, "would
it be safe for us to employ him?"
He asked this in all sincerity; for he was a man who consulted his
wife in relation to all his business affairs. He said, "he looked
upon marriage as a partnership, the wife being an interested
member of the firm." And as he firmly believed this, he made it a
rule never to enter into any business transaction without seeking
her counsel, in regard to it, and he boasted that some of the best
hits he had made in business had been the outcome of acting upon
her advice.
"Well, my dear," she said in answer to his question, "I am
strongly in favor of giving him a chance. He is certainly a man of
more than ordinary intelligence, and he could not have that ease
and grace of manner which he possesses in so eminent a degree had
he not associated with the best society. It is certainly a great
pity he has become a victim of strong drink, but, then, if he had
not he would never have applied for the situation."
"But, Martha," interjected Mr. Gurney, "do you think it would be
in conformity with sound wisdom to engage him after the confession
he has made?"
"Yes, James, I really do, and one of the strongest reasons for my
thinking so is because of that confession. If he had protested he
had not been drinking, as most men in his circumstances would have
done, then I should have opposed your engaging him, but he was so
straightforward that he has certainly enlisted my sympathy in his
favor; and then I really think God guided him here. We have always
been advocates of temperance, and if there is one thing more than
any other for which I feel like praising Him, it is because he has
enabled us to deliver some of our fellow-mortals from lives of
intemperance, and it may be, some from drunkard's graves. But this
has been done without any great sacrifice upon our parts--that is,
we have not had to run any great risk. Now we are placed in
different circumstances, and we have an opportunity of possibly
saving one of our fellow-creatures if we are only willing to risk
a little trouble and loss in order to accomplish our object. Now,
don't you think, James, the Lord has sent him here just to try
us?"
"It has not thus occurred to me," he answered; but he did not make
any further remark, wishing to hear all his wife had to say before
doing so.
"I think, James," she continued, "the reason that the cause of
temperance has not gained greater triumphs, has been because its
advocates have not been willing to make sacrifices enough: let us
not fail in this respect. There is no doubt but you would employ
Mr. Ashton if you had no fear he would again fall, for he seems to
me in every way suited for the position--if we had any doubt in
this respect his credentials should remove it. But, unfortunately,
he has been a great drinker, and, therefore, if you employ him, it
may involve you in trouble, and in the end it may result in loss;
but if you do not employ him it will be because you are afraid of
these things, that is, it will be a matter of selfishness, and you
will practically say you are a friend of temperance until it
becomes a matter which may affect your interest, but when it
touches you there you will draw back and go no further, though by
being willing to risk a little you may be the means of saving this
man, and of giving succor to his wife and helpless children. I
think, James, looking at it in this light, you should give him a
trial for a month or two if you can agree as to terms."
She had grown quite eloquent, ere she was through, for her heart
was enlisted, and she was determined, if possible, to save this
man. And, as she had listened to his description of his wife and
children, she felt as if she almost knew Mrs. Ashton, and was
certain she should esteem her very highly. So, she brought all her
powers of persuasion to bear upon her husband, that she might
persuade him to her way of thinking.
Mr. Gurney had listened to his wife attentively until she waited
for an answer, and then he scarcely knew what to say in reply. He
had, in fact, as we have stated, been also touched by Ashton's
graphic story, and he felt he would be willing to sacrifice a
great deal to save him; he also felt the force of her logic when
she argued if he were a true temperance man he would be willing to
make great sacrifice in order to rescue one of the victims of the
rum traffic, but he thought he would be running almost too much
risk to employ him under the circumstances. It was under the
influence of these counter currents of thought he made his reply:
"Well, Martha," he said, "I should like to engage the man, and I
have concluded, if he did not drink, he would just suit me, but,
according to his own statement, he has not only fallen once, but
several times, and we have no guarantee that he will not fall
again. The fact is, judging from almost universal experience, he
is more likely to fall than not, and if I should employ him, and
after he had charge of the business he should give way to his
besetting sin, he would not only cause me serious loss, but care
and worry, which, in my delicate state of health, I should, if
possible, avoid. Really, dear, I am in a strait betwixt two; I
should like very much to help him, for, I will candidly confess,
that no stranger, in so short a period of time, ever took hold of
my feelings as he has done, and yet to put him in charge of my
business, after the confession he has made, seems so contrary to
the dictates of sound judgment as, in fact, to be actually
courting trouble. But, my dear, let us not say anything more about
it to-night; we will pray over it, and, in the morning, we will
decide what to do. God will guide us in this as He has in all our
past transactions, when we have gone to Him for guidance."
"I am perfectly content, dear, to leave it in His hands," said his
wife, "but I am nearly satisfied now that it is His will we should
employ Mr. Ashton. We will lay all the matter before him, and let
us also bring this poor victim of strong drink, and his wife and
children, before the Throne of Grace."
Mr. Gurney, after praying for Divine direction, and seriously
considering the matter, concluded he would give Ashton a trial. He
saw his wife would be seriously disappointed if he did not do so,
and he wished to gratify her as far as he possibly could. He also
thought if he took him for a comparatively limited period, on
trial, there would be no great risk in it. He, however, determined
to give him to understand the retaining of his position entirely
depended upon his good behavior.
Ashton, when he called in the morning, was agreeably surprised to
learn that Mr. Gurney had concluded to try him for a short period,
if they could agree as to salary, and as he was willing to accept
a very moderate one until he had satisfied his employer he was
worthy of something better, they were not long in coming to terms.
So the matter was settled, and Ashton was able to write home to
his wife that he had secured a situation.
"I think, my darling," he said, "I shall like the place very much.
Mr. and Mrs. Gurney (my employer and his wife) seem to be an
excellent couple. I should judge, from appearances, they are in
very easy circumstances, and very intelligent and cultured.
"Bayton is a beautiful, cosy, old-fashioned town, containing, I
should think, about three thousand inhabitants, and there is a
fine river running through the centre of it, nearly, if not quite,
as large as the Genesee. Its houses are, most of them, embowered
in trees; in fact, it appears like an English town Americanized,
and its inhabitants seem to have more the characteristics of
Americans than Canadians.
"The business of which I am to have the management is the best dry
goods and clothing establishment in the place. I am to remain on
trial for a month, and then, if I give satisfaction and like the
situation, I am to have a permanent engagement.
"I hope, my dear, at least for once, that old Father Time will fly
with rapid wings. I do so long to see you all again. Tell Eddie
that this is a famous river for fish, and will furnish him with
rare sport. Also tell Allie that Bayton is a famous place for
flower culture, almost every house having a flower garden in front
of it to beautify it and to fill the air with fragrant perfumes.
"I was glad to learn that papa's darling little Mamie was well;
and growing finely. You must not let her forget me. I hope Eddie
and Allie are paying strict attention to their studies; for if
they do, success is almost certain, and in after years they will
rejoice because of their present self-denial.
"And now, my darling, good-bye for the present. Kiss all the
children for their papa.
"Your affectionate husband,
"RICHARD ASHTON."