CHAPTER XVII.
JASPER.
"Halloo, King, Mr. Marlowe wants you." Jasper, his hands full of papers,hurried down the long warehouse, through the piles of books, fresh fromthe bindery, stacked closely to the ceiling. The busy packers who werefilling the boxes, looked up as he threaded his way between them. "Mr.Marlowe is down there," indicating the direction with a nod, while thehands kept mechanically at their task.
"I want to see you about that last lot of paper," Mr. Marlowe began,before Jasper had reached him; "it is thin and of poorer quality than Iordered. The loss must be charged back to Withers & Co."
"Is that so?" exclaimed Jasper. "They assured me that everything shouldbe right, and like the sample that we ordered it from."
"And Jacob Bendel writes that the edition we gave him of _History ofGreat Cities_ to print will be shipped to us within a fortnight, whenhis contract was to be filled on Thursday. Of course we lose all theChicago orders by this delay."
"What's the reason?" asked Jasper, feeling all the thrill of thedisappointment as keenly as if he were the head of the house.
"Oh! a strike among the printers; his best men have gone out, and he'sat the mercy of a lot of inferior workmen who are being intimidated bythe strikers; but he thinks he can get the edition to us in ten days orso."
Mr. Marlowe leaned against an empty packing case and viewed theassistant foreman of the manufacturing department calmly, with the airof a man to whom disappointments were in the usual order of things.
"Can't we give it to another printer?" asked Jasper.
"Who?"
"Morse Brothers?"
"They are full and running over with work. I inquired there yesterday;we may want a little extra done as the rush over those Primary Readersis coming on. No, I can't think of a place where we could crowd it in,if we took it away from Bendel."
Jasper's gaze thoughtfully followed the drift of a shaving blown by thedraft along the warehouse floor.
"I think I'll send you down to New York to see Bendel, and find out howthings are. I don't get any satisfaction from letters," said Mr. Marlowein a minute. "Beside you can attend to some other matters; and thenthere is that Troy job; you can do that."
"Very well, sir."
"Can you take the night express?" Mr. Marlowe pulled out his watch. Itwas ten minutes of three.
"Can I leave the Ransom bills I was checking off? Mr. Parker said theywere the most important of the lot."
"Parker must give them to Richard; he knows pretty well how to do them,unless he can find time for them himself."
"I was to be at the Green printing-office at nine to-morrow morning,"said Jasper.
"What for?"
"They sent down to Mr. Parker yesterday that we had made a mistake aboutprice for doing those five hundred _Past and Present_; and wantedhim to go to their office, and see Mr. Green himself."
"If Mr. Green thinks any mistake has been made, let him come to us,"said Mr. Marlowe coolly. "You tell Parker to send a note to that effect;courteously written, of course, but to the point. We don't go runningaround after people who think mistakes are made. Let them bring theirgrievances here, if they have any. Is that all that detains you?"
Jasper held out his hand full of papers. "These were to come in betweenwhen they could, sir."
"Hem--hem"--Mr. Marlowe read them over with a practiced eye; rolled themup, and handed the roll to Jasper. "Tell Parker to set Danforth onthose. Anything more?"
"I was to go to-morrow if there was time to get prices for bestcalendered paper of Patterson & Co. and Withers; but the next day willdo."
"Parker must attend to all that," said Mr. Marlowe decidedly.
"Very well, sir. I believe that is all that hurries particularly."
"Come this way; I'll give you instructions what to say to Bendel," andMr. Marlowe led the way out to a quiet corner of the warehouse, where hesat down by a desk, and rapidly laid the points of the business beforehis assistant.
The next morning in New York, Jasper ran across Mr. Whitney on Broadway.
"Well said; that you, Jasper? Why aren't you up at the house?"
"I came on the night express," said Jasper, finding it hard to wait aminute, "on a matter of importance for Mr. Marlowe. Sorry, BrotherMason, but I can't stop now."
"You'll be up to-night, of course," said Mason Whitney.
"I can't; I'm off for Troy," said Jasper concisely, "and I don't comeback this way."
"Goodness! what a man your Marlowe is. And your sister Marian wants tohear about Polly and all the others; you've seen them so lately."
"It's impossible," began Jasper; "you see I can't help it, BrotherMason; Mr. Marlowe's orders must be carried out."
"He's a beast, your Marlowe is," declared Mr. Whitney hotly. "I don'tknow what Marian will say when I tell her you are here in New York andwon't stop for even a word with her."
"Sister Marian will say it's all right," said Jasper, a trifleimpatiently, and feeling the loss of every moment a thing to be atonedfor. "Mr. Marlowe is loaded up with trouble of all kinds. Now I mustgo."
"Hold on a minute," cried Mason Whitney. "Well, how are you getting on?Seems to me the publishing business doesn't agree with you. You lookpeaked enough," scanning Jasper's face closely.
"I'm well enough," said Jasper abruptly. "Tell sister Marian I willwrite her very soon," pulling out his watch; "good-by," and he was lostin the crowd surging down Broadway. Mr. Whitney standing still a momentto look after him, turned, and went directly to his office.
"That call on Hendryx & Co. can wait," he muttered to himself on theway, "but Jasper can't. The boy looks badly, and his father ought toknow it; although it seems funny enough for me to be meddling withJasper's affairs. But I won't leave anything to worry about afterward;they can't say I ought to have told them."
So a letter went out by next mail from Mr. Whitney's office, saying thatJasper looked poorly enough when he was met in New York; that he seemedincapable of breathing any other air than that saturated with business;that he had evidently mistaken his vocation when he chose to be apublisher. "Beside, there isn't any money now in the publishingbusiness," added Mr. Whitney as a clincher; "there are too many of thefellows cutting each other's throats to make it pay; and books areslaughtered right and left, and Jasper much better get into some otherbusiness, in my opinion."
Meanwhile Jasper finished, to the letter, the instructions for JacobBendel, did up the other matters entrusted to him, and set out on hisTroy expedition. Here he was detained a day or two, Mr. Marlowe'sinstructions being to wait over and telegraph if the business could notbe adjusted satisfactorily. But the fourth day after leaving home,Jasper, just from the night express, mounted the stairs to his hotel inthe early morning, his bag in his hand, and the expression on his faceof a man who has accomplished what he set out to do.
"There's an old gent up in your room," announced Buttons, tumbling off,a sleepy heap, from one of the office chairs, to look at him.
"An old gentleman in my room," repeated Jasper, turning on the stairs."Why was any person put in my room?"
"We didn't put the person there," said the boy, yawning fearfully, "heput himself there. He's a tiger, he is, and he blows me up reg'lar'cause you ain't home," he added.
Jasper scaled the rest of the stairs, and tried the knob of his doorwith no gentle hand. Then he rapped loudly. "Open the door--this is myroom."
"Oh! I'm coming," said a voice he knew quite well, and presently old Mr.King stood before him, his velvet cap and morning jacket both awry fromimpatient fingers.
"AN OLD GENTLEMAN IN MY ROOM," REPEATED JASPER, TURNINGON THE STAIRS.]
"Father!" ejaculated Jasper. And "Goodness me, Jasper!" from the oldgentleman, "what an unearthly hour to come home in."
Jasper hurried in, set his bag in the corner, then turned and looked athis father anxiously. Meanwhile old Mr. King was studying his son'scountenance with no small degree of alarm.
"What is it," cried Jasper at last, coming close to him, "t
hat hasbrought you?"
"What?--why, you."
"Me?" cried Jasper, in amazement.
"Yes; dear me, Jasper, with all the worries I have had lately, it doesseem a pity that you couldn't take care of yourself. It really does,"repeated Mr. King, his feelings nowise soothed by picking up his watchand finding it half-past six o'clock. When he made sure of the time, heset down the watch quickly, and stared at Jasper worse than ever.
"Now, father," said Jasper, "there's a mistake somewhere, but never mindnow; you must get back to bed again. I don't know when you've been up atthis hour." He tried to laugh, while he laid his hand on the oldgentleman's arm. "Do get back to bed, father."
"It certainly is a most outrageous hour in which to arise," remarked hisfather, not able to suppress a yawn, "and I don't mind if I do turnin--but where will you sleep, Jasper?" whirling around on his son. "I'vecome to look after you, and I shouldn't begin very well to monopolizeyour bed," with a short laugh.
"Oh, I'll camp out on the lounge," said Jasper carelessly; "in twominutes I could be asleep there or anywhere else. Don't mind me,father."
"If you say so, then I will," said the old gentleman, "and you are tootired to talk before you've had a nap." So he lay down on the bed,Jasper dutifully tucking him up, and presently his regular breathingtold that he had picked up the threads of his broken slumber.
Jasper threw himself on the lounge, but unable to close his eyes, hisgaze fell on a sheet of paper, lying on the floor just within reach. Itwas impossible to avoid reading the words: "And Jasper better get intosome other business, in my opinion," and signed "Mason Whitney."
Jasper jumped to his feet and strode up and down the room in growingindignation; then seized his hat and darted out to cool himself offbefore his father should awake. When he returned, old Mr. King washalf-dressed, and berating Buttons for his failure to have the morningpaper at the door.
"Now for breakfast," cried Jasper, his own toilet quickly made, "then Ipresume you want to see me in my business surroundings, father?" as theywent down the stairs together.
"I most certainly do," said the old gentleman decidedly; and they turnedinto the breakfast room.
So after a meal in which Jasper, by skillful management of allconversational topics, allowed no chance word of business to intrude,old Mr. King and he started for the publishing house of D. Marlowe &Co., Jasper filling up all gaps that might suggest time for certainquestions that seemed to be trembling on the tip of Mr. King's tongue,while that gentleman was making a running commentary to himselfsomething in this wise: "Just like Mason; send me off here when there isnot the slightest need of it. The boy is well enough; quite wellenough," he added, in his energy speaking the last words aloud.
"What is it, father?" Jasper paused in the midst of a descriptive fireconcerning the new buildings going up on either hand, with many sidestories of the men who were erecting them; and he paused for an answer.
"Nothing--nothing of importance," said his father hastily. "I onlyobserved that you appeared to be doing quite well; and as if thebusiness agreed with you," he added involuntarily.
"I should think it did, father," cried Jasper enthusiastically, whilehis cheek glowed; "it's the grandest work a man can do, in my opinion."
"Hem, hem! well, we shall see," observed Mr. King drily, determined notto yield too easily. "You've been at it only six months. You know theold adage, Jasper: 'You must summer and winter' a thing before youdecide."
Jasper drew a long breath. "I shall never be anything but a publisher,father," he said quietly.
"Hoity, toity! well, that is for me to decide, I take it," responded hisfather. "You've never disobeyed me yet, Jasper, and I don't believe youever will. And if I think it's best for you to change your business, ofcourse you'll do it."
Jasper's brow darkened, and he closed his lips tightly for a moment.Then something Polly said once when his father was in a particularlydetermined mood, came to his mind: "You better make him happy, Jasper,any way." That "any way" carried the day now.
"It shall be as you wish, father," he said, the frown disappearing; "Iwant you to be pleased, any way," unconsciously using Polly's word.
"I don't know as I should be at all pleased to have you leave thepublishing business, Jasper," said old Mr. King, veering around quickly."I can't tell till I've seen just how it suits you. But I am going tothe root of the matter, now that I am here. Oh! is this the place?" asthey came up against a large window, behind whose plate glass, rows androws of books in all styles of bindings, met the view of the passer-by.
"This is it," said Jasper, with a thrill that he was part of the "it,"and the satisfaction in his completed commission, that had been lost byhis father's words, now bounded high again. "Now then, father, you mustmeet Mr. Marlowe," turning up the steps.
Old Mr. King walked down the store-length as if he owned the whole withseveral others of its kind thrown in, and on Jasper's pausing before asmall office-door, marked "private," heard him say through its openwindow, "Good-morning, Mr. Marlowe."
"Ah, good-morning," came back quickly, and Mr. King saw a pleasant-facedgentleman of middle age, whose keen gray eyes seemed to note everythingwith lightning-like rapidity--"business all right?"
"Yes, sir," said Jasper.
"Very well; you may come to me in a quarter of an hour and report. Ishall be through with these gentlemen," indicating one sitting by hisside at the desk, and another awaiting his turn.
"Tell him that I am here, Jasper," said Mr. King pompously, with anadmonitory touch upon Jasper's arm.
"It's impossible, father; he can't see you now," said Jasper hurriedly,trying to draw his father off to a quieter corner.
"Impossible? Can't see me? What is there to prevent, pray tell?" criedthe old gentleman irately.
"GOOD MORNING," SAID MR. MARLOWE QUICKLY. "BUSINESS ALLRIGHT?"]
"He has business men with him; they'll be through in a quarter of anhour," Jasper brought out in distress that was by no means lightened bythe knowledge that half of the clerks through the long salesroom werebecoming acquainted with the conversation.
"It's atrocious. I never was kept waiting in my life," fumed Mr. King."He doesn't know I am here--I will announce myself."
He started forward.
"Father," cried Jasper, darting after him, "let me get you a chair overhere by the table and some books to look at."
"I want no books," said the old gentleman, now thoroughly determined, bythis time looking in the open window of the private office."Good-morning, sir," stiffly to the middle-aged gentleman sitting beforethe desk.
This gentleman looked up, nodded carelessly and said, "Excuse me, but Iam at present engaged."
"I am Mr. Jasper King's father," announced the old gentleman withextreme dignity; and again the look of being able to buy out this andseveral other such establishments, spread over his face.
"I shall be very glad to see you, sir," said the middle-aged manimperturbably, "in a quarter of an hour. Excuse me," and he turned backto finish his sentence to the other business man.
"Jasper," cried Mr. King, taking short, quick steps to where Jasperstood, "give me a sheet of paper so that I may write to this fellow, andtake you out of his contemptible trade--or stay, I will write from thehotel," and he started for the door.
"Father," exclaimed Jasper in a low tone, but so distinctly that everyone standing near might hear, "Mr Marlowe is just right; he always is."
"Eh?" cried his father, turning and grasping the back of a chair tosteady himself.
"Mr. Marlowe is just right about these things. He really couldn't seeyou, father."
"I have never been obliged to wait for any one in all my life, Jasper,"declared his father impressively, "and I never will."
"I wonder what Polly would do now," thought Jasper in despair.
"And that you could tolerate such impertinence to me," continued Mr.King with growing anger, "is more than I can understand; but sinceyou've come into trade it's vastly changed you. If you do not choose
tocome to the hotel with me, I must go alone," which with great dignity henow proceeded to do.
The first business man who had finished his conference with Mr. Marlowenow came down the salesroom. "How d'ye, King," he said cordially toJasper in passing.
Jasper's face lighted as he gave an equally cordial response.
"Such familiarity, Jasper!" exclaimed his father in a fresh burst ofirritation. "Dear me, I only trust you're not completely spoiled beforeI get you out of this."
The business man turned around and gave a significant look to a knot ofthe salesmen, but happening to catch Jasper's eye, he said, "It's a fineday, King," carelessly, and passed out, but not before "Stuck-up oldmoney-bag" fell upon the old gentleman's ear.
"We would better go to the hotel now, I think, father," said Jasperquietly. "Frank," to the nearest salesman, "will you tell Mr. Marlowewhen it is ten minutes past," glancing at the clock, "that I was obligedto go with my father, but I will be back at ten o'clock?"
"You need give yourself no such trouble, Jasper, as all this," said hisfather decidedly; "I will wait if it is absolutely necessary that yousee him," with a patronizing wave of his gloved hand toward the privateoffice.
"It is absolutely necessary," said Jasper.
"Very well; I wait, then," said his father, accepting with the air of amartyr, the chair by the table of books.
And just then the private office-door opened and out came the otherbusiness man, followed by Mr. Marlowe.
"Frank," he called briskly, "ask Jasper's father to step here."