Only two or three incidents worthy of note fell to the lot of Tom Gordonduring his second year in the employ of Josiah Warmore.
At the beginning of the year he was promoted, and received a considerableincrease of salary. The situation given to him belonged by right ofseniority of service to Max Zeigler, and was looked upon as a certainty byhim. He was so indignant at the snub, that he made no effort to concealhis feelings. While the hurt rankled, he went to Mr. Warmore and demandedan explanation. He got it, and resigned forthwith. No one regretted to seehim go, and least of all Tom Gordon, who gave a sigh of thankfulness atthe removal of the thorn from his side.
It was strange how Mr. Warmore found out everything about his employees.Often they felt astonishment, and could not understand by what means hepicked up knowledge they were often certain was only known to themselves.Thus he learned at an early date the petty persecutions suffered by Tom atthe hands of Zeigler; and there can be little doubt that that informationwas one cause of the fellow receiving such a marked set-back. Then heknew as much of that wrestling and boxing bout as if he had been awitness. There is reason to suspect he was secretly pleased at the issue,though he would never admit it. It is not wise at all times for theteacher or employer to let those under his charge know the extent of hisknowledge of their doings. In other words, it is not always best to seewhat you do see.
Mr. Warmore was a reserved man. He was kind, but just, toward his clerks.He established a free reading-room in Bellemore, saw that every employeehad his regular vacation each summer or whenever he preferred it,encouraged them to be frugal and moral, gave them good advice, forbadecoarseness of language or profanity, and hired a pew in each of the twoleading churches, which were always at the disposal of his young menwithout any expense to them.
Occasionally he gave entertainments at his own handsome residence fortheir benefit. Now and then he would invite some of them to dinner. Hiswife was in delicate health, but a most excellent woman, who did much tomake such evenings highly enjoyable. Their only son had died in hisinfancy, and their daughter Jennie was attending a boarding-school. Littlewas seen of her, though when at home she often drove to the store with hermother, to take her father out with them. She was remarkably attractive inlooks, but, like her father, reserved in manner. She recognized theclerks, when she chanced to meet them, with the air and manner of a lady;but all felt there was a gulf between her and them which was impassable.They concluded (and did not criticise her therefor) that she held herselfsocially above each and all of them.
The second incident that took place came to Tom Gordon in the summer-timewhile away on his fortnight's vacation. He had grown to be tall, and moreattractive than when younger. He was fond of good clothes; and when hetook the steamer at the landing, and went down the Hudson to New York, itwould have been hard to find a better looking or more correctly costumedyoung man than Tom. He did not show it in his manner, but how could hehelp knowing it?
Strange that almost the first persons he noticed on the boat were SamHarper and his sister Nellie, returning from an excursion up the river.They, too, had done considerable growing, and made a handsome couple. Tomlooked so well that Nellie was very pleased to meet him. She would havebeen glad to receive attention from him, and showed by her manner that sheexpected it. But Tom could not forget that snub a couple of years before,when he was selling papers on a Broadway car. He liked Sam and his fatherand mother, but couldn't forgive Nellie for hurting his feelings. So,when the brother turned her over to him, Tom with exquisite courtesyraised his hat, bade her good-day, and strolled to another part of theboat. She understood the meaning of the repulse, as he meant she should,and she felt it.
And who should he run against on the wharf in the city but his old friendPatsey McConough, who had done him such a good turn when he first arrivedin the metropolis. The genial Irishman had driven down with a carriage tomeet his employer, who was on the steamer, so he had but littleopportunity to talk with Tom, whom he did not recognize until the youthmade himself known. But they shook hands warmly, and each was pleased tofind the other doing so well. They parted with the best wishes, hopingsoon to see each other again.
Tom, like a sensible youth, made the most of his vacation. He spentseveral days among his friends at Briggsville, who heartily welcomed himamong them, even though saddened by the fact that the orphan who went awaywith him could never return to them again. Then he gave a few days to theseashore, where none enjoyed the bathing, the boating, and frolicking morethan he. All too soon the two weeks drew to an end, and he again boardedthe steamer which stopped at the landing opposite Bellemore, on its way tomore important towns and cities up the Hudson.
Strolling over the boat to see whether there were any acquaintances amonghis fellow-travelers, he found none, and, having nothing better to do, satdown on a camp-stool on the forward deck to view the picturesque scenery,which, however, had become so familiar that he fell to studying humannature as it appeared immediately around him.
That which interested him the most was a dudish young man, dressed in theextreme of fashion, carrying a heavy cane, and wearing eyeglasses. He hadhigh cheek bones, fishy gray eyes, fine teeth, and a simpering smile. Tomjudged he was a couple of years older than himself, and became interestedin him because of his amusing efforts to charm the ladies around him. Thevulgar expression would be that he was trying to "mash" them. The word isnot a good one, but it will help my reader to understand the meaning.
Evidently he believed himself irresistible, and his smirking, posing, andogling were ludicrous to the last degree. Among the numerous young ladieson board were a dozen Vassar girls, as bright, merry, and full of mischiefas they could possibly be. They met the ogling of the dude with slyglances and smiles which made him more killing than ever. Encouraged bythis, and not doubting that he had made a conquest, he ventured toapproach and address them. The reception he met was enough to congealwater. It fairly took away his breath. Then he blushed clear out to theend of his ears, and withdrew to some other part of the boat, where hecould hope to be better appreciated.
Some of the girls managed to stroll thither a few minutes later, as ifunconscious of where he had gone. Tom saw some fun was coming, and hedrifted thither too.
The dude had succeeded in making an impression on a simpering girl, andwas seated on one of the camp-stools beside her, talking in his drawlingway, and pointing out the beautiful scenery as they swept past. Hefrequently raised his heavy cane and indicated the different objects, thebetter to enlighten his companion.
"Aw, that is Haverstraw," he volunteered, bringing the stick to a level."It is--aw--quite a famous place; reminds me of Holland across the water,you know."
"What is there about Haverstraw to suggest Holland?" inquired his ladyfriend.
"They make bricks there--aw--a good many bricks--aw--may I inquire,doncherknow, did you ever see a brick?"
"Oh, yes," she replied, with an impertinent glance from her mischievouseyes; "I think I am looking at one now."
"You mean to say that I am a brick--aw--good, dooced good; I must tellthat at the club--dooced clevah; couldn't do much bettah meself,doncherknow? Now, if you will kindly rise from your seat--aw--I will pointout a vewy interesting mountain peak."
"Thank you, I can see well enough without rising."
Nevertheless, the dude came to a stooping posture, and, with one glovedhand on the railing to steady him self, wabbled the bulky cane again inthe direction of the shore.
"Aw--I'm a little off soundings, doncherknow, and am not suah whether thatis Dunderberg Mountain or Saint Anthony's Olfactory Organ--aw--that'sclevah, don't you think,--Saint Anthony's Olfactory Organ,doncherknow"--At the moment of partly rising to his feet, a couple ofVassar girls walked past. When directly opposite the camp-stool of thedude, one of them touched it with the toe of her shoe and shoved it to oneside. The lady seated near and listening to the young man's chatter sawit, but pretended she did not, and, therefore, made no effort to save hernew friend from his impending catastrophe. It
was the same with a dozenother persons.
There is no form of practical joking more to be condemned than that oftaking a chair from under a person when he is about to sit down. Lastinginjury has resulted in more than one instance, and no person should everdo it himself or permit it to be done by another. Possibly, however, thecase now in hand was an exception; for it was evident that the principalperformer was so soft that no harm could come to him from the fall. Nospectator felt any misgiving on that score.
Finding his companion did not rise as he had requested, the young manbegan slowly to sit down. He continued doing so, until he struck the deckwith a bump which caused his hat to fly off, the cane to drop from hishand, and his eyeglasses to fall from his nose. He gradually pickedhimself up, and, amid the laughter of every one near, made his way to the_salon_ below, and busied himself reading a copy of an English paper.
This incident would not be worth the telling but for that which followed.The dudish young man who caused so much entertainment on board the steamerthat afternoon was destined to cross the path of Tom Gordon in a way ofwhich neither dreamed.
Tom gave no more thought to him until, when waiting to walk ashore at thelanding, he saw, to his surprise, the young man was about to do the same.It looked as if he intended to make a call at Bellemore. Greaterastonishment came when Tom saw the handsome carriage of Mr. Warmore at thelanding. The driver was perched on the high seat in front, while Mrs.Warmore and her daughter Jennie occupied the rear seat, facing the vacantone.
"Can it be possible? Well, that beats me!"
Tom held on like grim death.]
The carriage was waiting for this young man, who simpered forward withuplifted hat and greeted them effusively. Mrs. Warmore noticed Tom, andbowed to him, inviting him to enter the carriage and ride with them,--aninvitation which, as he expressed to himself, he would not have acceptedfor seventeen thousand million dollars. The dude stepped into thecarriage, dropped into the seat facing the ladies, and devoted himself tognawing the head of his cane and making bright remarks to them.
"Well, who in the name of the seven wonders can he be?" mused Tom, walkingbriskly homeward. "He must be some relative of the Warmores; but theyought to be ashamed of such a specimen as that. He was the laughing-stockof the boat. I was forming quite an exalted opinion of Miss Jennie; but ifshe fancies that sort of thing, my respect for her has gone down to zero."
When Tom stepped upon the porch of Farmer Pitcairn's home, and shook handswith him, and received a motherly kiss from his good wife, he went inside,and, sitting down to their evening meal, asked Mr. Pitcairn whether he hadnoticed the young man riding in the Warmore carriage with the mother anddaughter.
"Yes; I've seen him before. He is a son of an old friend of the family.I've an idee that he and Miss Warmore are intended for each other."
"Do you know his name?"
"Yes--let me see. Ah, it is Catherwood--G. Field Catherwood. He parts hisname, like his hair, in the middle. He is quite a dude in his dress, butwhen you come to know him pretty well he isn't such a bad sort of fellow."
"How is it _you_ know so much about him?" asked Tom in surprise.
"He has stopped here a good many times when out riding with the ladies.He's fond of mother's buttermilk."
"I thought his kind preferred sweet milk," Tom could not help remarking,with a laugh; "but I must not judge him too harshly. We all have ourpeculiarities, and he is not likely to fancy me any more than I do him."
Tom returned to his work refreshed and renewed in strength and spirits.The year passed pleasantly. That which followed saw him promoted anotherstep, so that when the fourth year opened it saw him in a situation wherethe salary of but a single employee exceeded his; that was the bookkeeper.
He had every reason to expect that place when the vacancy should occur.Mr. Warmore had given so many evidences of his regard that it was concededby all that he was his favorite clerk. He had never violated hisprinciples of honesty, truthfulness, and consideration for every one withwhom he came in contact. A young man who lives up to that rule of conductis as sure to succeed, if his life is spared, as the sun is to rise.
The bookkeeper was an elderly gentleman, so well-to-do that, at thebeginning of the fifth year, he resigned and gave up all active work. Hisson was engaged in successful business in New York, and urged his fatherto join him, where he would be a partner. So he left. His successor in theestablishment of Mr. Warmore, instead of being Tom Gordon, was G. FieldCatherwood.
Chapter XXII.