A YOUNG DUDE.
Ben entered the great store, gazing not without admiration at the
long counters loaded with piles of clothing.
"My uncle must be a very rich man," he said to himself. "Surely he
can find a place for me in so large a store."
"Do you wish to buy a suit?" asked a spruce young man, coming
forward to meet our hero.
"No; I would like to see Mr. Walton," answered Ben.
The young man surveyed Ben's country garb with a smile of
depreciation. He was apt to judge others by their clothes,
being conscious, perhaps, that they were his own chief claim to
consideration.
"I don't think Mr. Walton will see you, youngster," he said.
"Why not?" demanded Ben, looking him calmly in the eye.
"His time is of too much value to waste on country kids."
"Mr. Walton is my uncle," said Ben, quietly.
"Your uncle!" repeated the clerk, in considerable surprise. "Oh,
well, that alters the case. Just go through the store and you will
find Mr. Walton in his office."
Ben followed directions, and found the office without further
inquiry.
Through the open door he saw a short man, of fifty or thereabouts,
sitting at a desk. There was another person in the office--a boy,
somewhere near his own age--dressed in the fashion, with a gold
watch-chain across his vest, a showy pin in his scarf, and the air
of a young coxcomb.
This was Clarence Plantagenet Walton, the only son of the merchant,
and of course Ben's cousin. The two, however, had not met since both
were very young boys, and neither would have recognized the other.
Ben overheard a fragment of the conversation between his uncle and
cousin.
"You spend too much money, Plantagenet. It is less than a week since
I gave you ten dollars."
"The fellows I go with are all rich, and spend plenty of money. You
wouldn't want them to look upon me as mean, pa?"
"The boys of the present day are altogether too extravagant," said
his father, frowning. "Why, when I was a boy, I didn't spend ten
dollars in three months."
"You were not in fashionable society like me, pa," said Clarence
Plantagenet, consequentially.
"Much good it does you!" muttered Mr. Walton. "What do you want
money for particularly to-day?"
"I am going with Percy Van Dyke to a base-ball match this afternoon.
Percy lives in a splendid house on Fifth avenue, and his family is
one of the first. I suppose we shall get home late, and I want to
give him a little supper at Delmonico's."
"The Van Dykes stand very high," said Mr. Walton, complacently. "I
am very glad to have you associate with such a high-toned family. I
suppose I must let you have the money."
He drew out a ten-dollar bill and tendered it to Clarence.
"Five dollars more, if you please, pa," said the elegant youth.
"Suppers at Delmonico's are expensive, and I don't want to economize
with such a fellow as Percy."
"Very well; here are five dollars more, but don't be foolishly
extravagant."
Clarence was about to leave the office, well satisfied, when he
espied Ben.
"Who do you want to see, boy?" he demanded, curtly.
"I should like to speak with my uncle," answered Ben.
"Then don't hang around my father's office. If your uncle is
employed in this establishment, you can ask one of the floor-walkers
to point him out."
Ben eyed the arrogant boy in some amusement, and answered, demurely:
"My uncle is Mr. Nicholas Walton, and you, I suppose, are my cousin
Clarence."
Clarence Plantagenet recoiled in disgust.
"I don't understand you," he said. "You must be crazy."
Ben was not obliged to vindicate his sanity, for his uncle, who had
hitherto remained silent, now spoke.
"You can come in, if you are Benjamin Baker, of Sunderland."
"Thank you, Uncle Nicholas," said Ben.
"Is he my cousin?" asked Plantagenet of his father, in evident
discomposure.
"Yes, I presume so. His mother is my sister."
"Did you send for him, pa?"
"No."
"Then why is he here?"
"I expect him to explain that to me," said Mr. Walton, coldly.
"Benjamin, what brings you to New York?"
"I want to get a position here, so that I may learn business. I
thought you might find me a place in your store, Uncle Nicholas."
"Did I not write you to stay in Sunderland?" asked Mr. Walton,
coldly.
"Yes."
"Then why have you disobeyed me?" continued the merchant, with a
frown.
"Because I have no taste for farming, and there is no other
employment there."
"A boy like you is not qualified to judge what is best for him,"
said Mr. Walton, harshly. "Did I not promise, if you learned
farming, that when you got older I would set you up on a farm of
your own?"
"I never should succeed as a farmer, for I don't like it," answered
Ben.
"What fault have you to find with it?" demanded the merchant,
testily.
"None whatever, uncle, except that I am not suited for it."
"You don't look to me suited for anything else," said Clarence
Plantagenet, insolently.
"I don't think you know me well enough to judge what I am fit for,"
answered Ben, calmly.
"You might make a good blacksmith, perhaps," continued Clarence, in
the same offensive tone. "Isn't there any opening in that line in
the country?"
"There might be. The business is not to my taste, though it may be
to yours."
"To my taste!" ejaculated the horrified Plantagenet. "What have I to
do with such a dirty business as that?"
"Stop this foolish discussion, Plantagenet," said his father. "You
had better go to meet your friend, Van Dyke, and I will settle
matters with your cousin here."
"Pack him back to the country, pa!" said Clarence. "That is the best
place for him."
So saying, the young "dude" sauntered out of the office and left
the store, several of the clerks who wished to stand well with
their employer bowing deferentially to him. Plantagenet barely
acknowledged their bows by a supercilious nod. He did not look upon
them as his social equals.
"I am inclined to agree with my son," said the merchant, after
Plantagenet had left the office. "I think the country is the best
place for you."
"Then, Uncle Nicholas, you won't give me a place in your store?"
asked Ben, his face showing his disappointment.
"I will do nothing to encourage you in a step which I consider so
ill-advised as coming to the city."
"Then I must bid you good-morning," said Ben, soberly.
"Stay!" said his uncle. "I am willing to make up to you the expense
of your trip to the city, on condition that you go back to-day."
He put his hand into his pocket as he spoke.
"Thank you, Uncle Nicholas," said Ben. "I thank you for your offer,
but I won't accept it; I shall not go back to Sunderland."
"You won't go back!" gasped the merchant. "What will you do, then?"
"Look elsewhere for a place," said Ben.
"You are a foolish, headstrong boy. I wash my hands of you. You need
not expect any help from me. You must make your own way."
"I mean to," answered Ben, quietly, as he bowed and walked out of
the office.
"This is very annoying," said Mr. Walton to himself. "He is an
obstinate boy. However, his eyes will soon be opened to his folly,
and he will have to go back, after all. Perhaps it is as well for
him to try, and fail. He will be more manageable afterward."