IN PARTNERSHIP.
AT the end of the week Joshua received the six dollars promised him. He
received it with great satisfaction. It was a tangible evidence that he
was a clerk on salary.
“I wish it were more,” said Mr. Remington, as he paid it to him. “I am
thinking of some new arrangements by which I shall be able to do better
by you.”
This was encouraging, and Joshua was led to hope that he might, ere
long, receive the sum which he claimed to get in his letter to Sam. He
began to build castles in the air, and form sanguine pictures of what
the future was to bring him, when all at once his dreams were rudely
broken in upon.
It was three mornings afterward that Mr. Remington called him to the
desk.
“Drummond,” he said, “I’ve something to say to you.”
Of course, Joshua gave immediate attention.
“You remember that I told you something of a nephew, my sister’s child,
who expects the place I gave to you.”
“Yes,” said Joshua, uneasily.
“Well, it appears that my sister is very much disturbed that I refused
to give it to her son. I have just received a letter from her. Here it
is.”
“Shall I read it?”
“Yes.”
Rather disturbed in mind, Joshua took the letter, and read as follows:
“MY DEAR BROTHER:--I think you have acted most unkindly in refusing to
receive my Henry into your employ, and taking instead a stranger. I
think the poor boy, not to mention myself, had a right to expect
something better at your hands. Certainly, so near a relation ought to
be preferred to a stranger. I could not believe it when I first heard of
your very unkind treatment. I hope you may yet change your mind, and
discharge this stranger, who can have no claim upon you.
“I will tell you what I will do. I have heard you say that you are
cramped for capital to enlarge your business; now, if you will discharge
this stranger, and will take Henry, I will agree to let you have a
thousand dollars with him, in return for which you can give him a slight
interest in the business. Please let me hear from you at once.
“Your sister, CORNELIA BARKER.”
“He is going to discharge me,” thought Joshua, very much disturbed, as
he finished reading the letter.
“You see in what a position I am placed, Drummond,” said Mr. Remington.
“Yes, sir.”
“I would rather have you than my nephew. You have more business capacity
than he.”
“I shall be sorry to go,” said Joshua, very much disappointed and
mortified.
“And I to part with you. But perhaps we can make an arrangement.”
Joshua brightened up.
“My sister offers to put a thousand dollars into the business, in return
for which my nephew is to have a small interest in the business; now, if
you could do the same, I would prefer to arrange with you.”
“I can’t. I have only four hundred dollars.”
“Couldn’t you raise more?”
Joshua shook his head.
“It is a very small sum,” returned Mr. Remington, doubtfully.
Joshua said nothing, and his employer appeared to be thinking busily.
“Drummond,” he said, suddenly, “I am going to make you a proposal that I
wouldn’t make to any one else.”
Of course, Joshua listened intently.
“If you think well to put your four hundred dollars into the business,
I’ll decline taking my nephew, raise your salary to ten dollars a week,
and give you one-tenth interest in my business.”
“How much do you think that would be?”
“One-tenth of the profits, at the lowest estimate, would come to six
hundred dollars a year.”
“And ten dollars a week besides?”
“Yes.”
Joshua rapidly calculated that his income would amount, in that case, to
over a thousand dollars a year. What a triumph that would be over Sam,
and how handsomely he could live, and yet save money! Why, the very
first year he could save the four hundred dollars he was now investing.
Suppose he refused: he would lose his place, and have to live on his
principal.
“I’ll do it,” he said.
“Very well, Drummond, I’ll draw up the papers, and you can pay me the
money.”
In fifteen minutes Joshua, who always carried the money with him, had
paid it over into Mr. Remington’s hands, and received instead a paper,
in which was expressed, with great particularity, the agreement which
had been spoken of.
“My sister will be very angry,” said Mr. Remington, “but I can’t help
it. Why should I take my nephew into my employ, when he has not a
particle of business capacity? It is too much to ask.”
As Joshua was to profit by the refusal, he agreed perfectly with Mr.
Remington. His heart glowed with exultation as he thought of his changed
circumstances. Why, he was really a partner in the concern, in virtue of
his one-tenth interest. Was ever rise so rapid? Reflecting that Mr.
Remington had taken him at six hundred dollars less than was offered
with his nephew, he began to entertain quite a lofty opinion of his
business abilities, and put on some very amusing airs behind the
counter, which his senior partner secretly laughed at.
“Drummond,” said Mr. Remington the next day, “I must leave you in charge
of the store for a day or two. I am called into the country on
business--to collect a bill of a hundred dollars due us. As you share
the profits, you are interested, too. Can you manage alone?”
“Oh, yes,” said Joshua, confidently.
“I don’t expect to be gone over two days.”
So the next day and the next also Joshua was alone. On the second, an
elderly man, with a carpetbag, walked into the store. He looked at
Joshua with some surprise.
“Where is Mr. Remington?” he said.
“He is away for a day or two.”
“Where is he gone?”
“Into the country, on business.”
“And who are you?”
“I am his partner,” said Joshua, loftily.
“His what!” exclaimed the stranger, in visible amazement.
“His partner!”
“In what?”
“In this business.”
“You must be crazy.”
“I have bought an interest in the business,” said Joshua. “What can I do
for you?”
“Well, this beats all. I come back to my own store, after a month’s
absence, and am coolly told by a boy that he has bought an interest in
the business.”
“Who are you?” asked Joshua, amazed.
“I am the man whose name is over the door--John Forbes.”
“Mr. Remington told me he had bought you out, but he kept the name,
because it was known to customers.”
“Then Mr. Remington deceived you.”
“Isn’t he in the business?”
“He was only my clerk. I left him in charge while I was away.”
It dawned upon Joshua now. All his dreams were dissipated. He had been
cruelly swindled out of his four hundred dollars. It was all a pretence
about the nephew. Good heavens! he was ruined, and almost penniless. He
turned pale and sick at heart.
“How much money did you let Remington have?” asked Mr. Forbes.
“Four hundred dollars. Can’t I--don’t you think I shall be able to get
it back?”
“Not a cent. The rascal is far away by this time, you may be sure.”
“What shall I do?” asked Joshua, in dismay.
“Well, you may stay here until the end of the week. I am sorry for you,
but can’t help you. I am afraid that villain, Remington, has carried off
some of my cash also.”
It proved to be true. Mr. Forbes was a sufferer also. The police were
put on the track of the swindler, but Remington managed to elude all
inquiries. Where he got away with his ill-gotten gains could not be
discovered.
As for Joshua, Mr. Forbes unluckily formed a different idea of his
business capacity from Mr. Remington. He discovered that our unhappy
fugitive knew little or nothing of the goods in stock, and got quite out
of patience with his numerous blunders. He did not believe in paying six
dollars a week to such an inexperienced novice, when he could obtain for
half the money a substitute who would at least know as much. So, at the
end of the week, Joshua received notice that his services were no longer
required.
“But what shall I do?” he asked, in anguish. “Mr. Remington carried off
all my money.”
“Oh, you’ll get along somehow!” said the unfeeling Forbes. “You ain’t
fit for my business, so, of course, you can’t expect me to keep you.”
Joshua returned to his boarding house with a heavy heart. He would have
only three dollars left after paying his board bill, and what should he
do if he could not get another situation?
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