The Two Clerks | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 21, 1882

The Two Clerks.

In Market Square, in the pleasant city of Merryport, was a crockeryware store, over the door of which was a black sign bearing in gilt letters the name of Benjamin Hudson. For many years this crockery store had been there, with the great pitcher hanging in front for a sign; indeed, when Mr. Hudson first opened the store, some forty years previous, he was quite a young man, and the sign over his door was bright and handsome; but now his eyes had grown dim, and the owner was called “Old Hudson” by all the boys and girls of the city.

Mr. Benjamin Hudson had grown rich in business, for he had conducted it all himself, and taken care that nothing should be wasted or lost by neglect. He had made mistakes, to be sure, as every man will make some blunders during a lifetime, but by skillful management he quickly recovered from them. Sixty-five years had begun to bend over Mr. Hudson’s shoulders and dim the brightness of his eye, and he found business more irksome than it had formerly been.

“I must have a partner,” said he one day to himself, as he sat down before a cheerful fire. “I must have some one interested in the business, who is young and active, and who will take the weight off my shoulders, for I do not care to do as I used to.”

Now, in Mr. Hudson’s employ were two young men—Herbert Bond and Charles Seymour. They had been with him an equal length of time, and had performed their duties faithfully and well. Charles did his work quickly, and had a smart way about him that made people think he was greatly superior to Herbert, who had a more quiet demeanor and accomplished quite as much without making a great stir about it.

“I must have Herbert or Charles for a partner,” soliloquized Mr. Hudson; “on which can I decide? They both do very well in the store, but I ought to know something of them out of the store, and I am sorry to say that is a point I never have paid proper attention to. My clerks come here in the morning and go away at night; what becomes of them over night, I know not, and yet I ought to know. Neither of them have parents in the city; they live in some of the numerous boarding-houses, and I hope are steady and well-behaved. I must see them in their homes, and then decide which shall be my partner.

The next day Mr. Hudson ascertained the boarding-places of his clerks, without letting them know for what purpose, and after supper that evening his wife and daughters were somewhat astonished to see him go to the hall and put on his coat and hat.

“Where are you going, papa?” asked Lily, the youngest daughter, who could hardly remember the evening when her father had not remained at home.

“I am going to make a call, Lily, on two young men of my acquaintance, I shall not be gone long,” replied Mr. Hudson, and bidding them good-by, immediately started out.

Herbert’s boarding-house was the nearer of the two, and here Mr. Hudson stopped first.

It was a neat-looking house, on a very pleasant street. Mrs. Buntin, the landlady, opened the door when Mr. Hudson rang.

“Does a young man named Herbert Bond board here?”

“He does. Walk in, sir, and I will call him,” replied the woman.

“I will go to his room, if you will show me where it is,” answered Mr. Hudson; “I presume he is in it?”

“I think so; he is seldom out in the evening. You can step up there if you like, sir; go up two flights, and the first door to the right is the one,” replied Mrs. Buntin.

Mr. Hudson puffed up the stairs, and knocked with his cane at the designated door. It was opened by Herbert, who looked very much amazed when he saw his employer, and said:—

“Why, Mr. Hudson, is anything the matter in the store? Nothing happened out of the way, I hope?”

“No—nothing—nothing at all, said Mr. Hudson, walking in and taking a chair. “I took a notion to call around and see how you were this evening.”

Bond expressed himself very glad to see his employer, and while he took his hat and cane, Mr. Hudson glanced around the room. It was an attic room, with dormer windows; a good fire was burning in an open grate; a book-rack filled with books adorned one side of the room, and the center of the floor was occupied by a table on which were writing materials.

You look very cozy here, Herbert; but why do you have an attic room? Are there none you can have below stairs?”

“Oh, yes sir! But this is a dollar a week cheaper, and I have all the more money to send to my father,” replied Herbert.

“Isn’t your father well off?” inquired Mr. Hudson.

“Not very, sir; he used to be pretty rich, but his business was disastrous, and he lost a good deal of money,” said Bond.

“What do you find to do evenings? Does not time hang very heavy?”

“Oh, no, sir! I have books to read and letters to write. To-day I am writing home; they want me to make them a visit, but I write that it is a pretty busy time just now, but when it is over I shall ask you for a few days of absence,” answered Herbert.

“You shall have it willingly,” said Mr. Hudson, and then he added, “Does Charles ever call upon you?”

“No sir; I have asked him to several times, but he has never called.”

“Are you contented here in this boarding-house?” inquired Mr. Hudson.

“It is a very good boarding-house, and Mrs. Buntin is very kind; but I have often wished that I could live at home,” answered Herbert.

“And why can’t you? How far is it from here?” asked his employer.

“Twenty-five miles, sir; rather far to travel every day, and then I can’t afford the expense,” was Herbert’s reply.

“What time could you reach the store in the morning?”

“At half-past eight, sir.”

“And you would have to leave at what hour in the afternoon?”

“At about half-past five, sir.”

“Not very bad hours for the business. Perhaps it can be arranged so that you can live at home, Herbert.”

“Oh, I should like it so much, if I could! I am so homesick here in the city!” was the clerk’s reply.

“Well, I’ll look into the matter, Herbert. It seems a pity that one who is so fond of his home can’t live there, in these times of railroads and fast traveling,” said Mr. Hudson, as he arose to depart. Herbert thanked him for his visit, and said it would please him to have Mr. Hudson call again.

The old gentleman descended the stairs well satisfied with the call, and said to himself:—

“Now for Charles Seymour. I hope I shall find him as well occupied as Herbert Bond.”

The boarding-house was reached, the bell rang, and Mr. Hudson was admitted. The servant said Seymour was in, and ushered him to the chamber door. Mr. Hudson knocked, and the door immediately swung wide open, and a voice exclaimed, “Well, old fellow, got along at last, have you? We’re all ready for you; have got the—” Charles Seymour stopped here, and his face turned suddenly pale at seeing, instead of one of his boon companions, his venerable employer. It was several seconds before he could recover his speech. “I beg your pardon, Mr. Hudson, you must excuse me; I expected a friend this evening, and in the dim light of the entry I thought you were he. Walk in, sir, and sit down.”

Mr. Hudson entered the room, and was somewhat surprised to see the identical three young men who had insulted him on the street; they were smoking cigars, and had their feet elevated on the bureau, mantelpiece, and bedstead. Mr. Hudson saw at once that he was in confusion, and Seymour’s action was painful and awkward. Nevertheless his employer started a conversation, and had been there but a few minutes when footsteps were heard on the stairs; the door opened a little, and a bottle of champagne came rolling across the floor, followed by a round Dutch cheese, a box of cigars, and two more bottles. Seymour looked dreadfully distressed, but could do nothing. It was a fourth friend, who had been out after refreshments, and took this facetious mode of introducing them into the chamber. Mr. Hudson thought it was time for him to go, so he took his leave and returned to his home.

Mr. Hudson was not long in making up his mind which one of his clerks would make the most faithful and efficient partner, and in less than a week it was announced in the papers that Herbert Bond was a member of the firm of Benjamin Hudson & Co. It was a happy day for Herbert, and it was not many years before he managed the whole business himself; and he became a wealthy man.

Charles Seymour knew very well the reason of Mr. Hudson’s choice, and he always had to regret having formed such unprofitable acquaintances as were assembled in his room that unlucky night.