Paul Prescott's Charge
Page 26
XXVI.
A VULGAR RELATION.
At the end of the first week, Paul received five dollars, the sum whichthe merchant had agreed to pay him for his services. With this he feltvery rich. He hurried home, and displayed to the sexton the crisp banknote which had been given him.
"You will soon be a rich man, Paul," said Mr. Cameron, with a benevolentsmile, returning the bill.
"But I want you to keep it, Uncle Hugh."
"Shall I put it in the Savings Bank, for you, Paul?"
"I didn't mean that. You have been supporting me--giving me board andclothes--for three years. It is only right that you should have what Iearn."
"The offer is an honorable one on your part, Paul," said the sexton;"but I don't need it. If it will please you, I will take two dollarsa week for your board, now, and out of the balance you may clotheyourself, and save what you can."
This arrangement seemed to be a fair one. Mr. Cameron deposited the fivedollar note in his pocket-book, and passed one of three dollars to Paul.This sum our hero deposited the next Monday morning, in a savings bank.He estimated that he could clothe himself comfortably for fifty dollarsa year. This would leave him one hundred towards the payment of the debtdue to Squire Conant.
"By-and-by my salary will be raised," thought Paul. "Then I can savemore."
He looked forward with eager anticipation to the time when he should beable to redeem his father's name, and no one would be entitled to castreproach upon his memory.
He endeavored to perform his duties faithfully in the office, and tolearn as rapidly as he could the business upon which he had entered.He soon found that he must depend mainly upon himself. George Dawkinsseemed disposed to afford him no assistance, but repelled scornfullythe advances which Paul made towards cordiality. He was by no means asfaithful as Paul, but whenever Mr. Danforth was absent from the office,spent his time in lounging at the window, or reading a cheap novel, withone of which he was usually provided.
When Paul became satisfied that Dawkins was not inclined to accept hisovertures, he ceased to court his acquaintance, and confined himself tohis own desk.
One day as he was returning from dinner, he was startled by anunceremonious slap upon the shoulder.
Looking up in some surprise, he found that this greeting had come from aman just behind him, whose good-humored face and small, twinkling eyes,he at once recognized.
"How do you do, Mr. Stubbs?" inquired Paul, his face lighting up withpleasure.
"I'm so's to be round. How be you?" returned the worthy pedler, seizingour hero's hand and shaking it heartily.
Mr. Stubbs was attired in all the glory of a blue coat with brassbuttons and swallow tails.
"When did you come to New York?" asked Paul.
"Just arrived; that is, I got in this mornin'. But I say, how you'vegrown. I shouldn't hardly have known you."
"Shouldn't you, though?" said Paul, gratified as most boys are, on beingtold that he had grown. "Have you come to the city on business?"
"Well, kinder on business, and kinder not. I thought I'd like to have avacation. Besides, the old lady wanted a silk dress, and she was sot onhavin' it bought in York. So I come to the city."
"Where are you stopping, Mr. Stubbs?"
"Over to the Astor House. Pretty big hotel, ain't it?"
"Yes, I see you are traveling in style."
"Yes, I suppose they charge considerable, but I guess I can stand it. Ihain't been drivin' a tin-cart for nothin' the last ten years.
"How have you been enjoying yourself since you arrived?"
"Oh, pretty well. I've been round seeing the lions, and came pretty nearseeing the elephant at one of them Peter Funk places."
"You did! Tell me about it."
"You see I was walkin' along when a fellow came out of one of themplaces, and asked me if I wouldn't go in. I didn't want to refuse sucha polite invitation, and besides I had a curiosity to see what there wasto be seen, so I went in. They put up a silver watch, I could see thatit was a good one, and so I bid on it. It ran up to eight dollars anda quarter. I thought it was a pity it should go off so cheap, so I bideight and a half."
"'Eight and a half and sold,' said the man; 'shall I put it up for you?"
"'No, I thank you,' said I, 'I'll take it as it is.'
"'But I'll put it up in a nice box for you,' said he.
"I told him I didn't care for the box. He seemed very unwilling to letit go, but I took it out of his hand and he couldn't help himself. Well,when they made out the bill, what do you suppose they charged?"
"I don't know."
"Why, eighteen and a half."
"'Look here,' said I, 'I guess here's something of a mistake. You've gotten dollars too much.'
"'I think you must be mistaken,' said he, smiling a foxy smile.
"'You know I am not,' said I, rather cross.
"We can't let that watch go for any thing shorter,' said he, coolly.
"Just then a man that was present stepped up and said, 'the man isright; don't attempt to impose upon him.'
"With that he calmed right down. It seems it was a policeman who wassent to watch them, that spoke. So I paid the money, but as I went outI heard the auctioneer say that the sale was closed for the day. Iafterwards learned that if I had allowed them to put the watch in a box,they would have exchanged it for another that was only plated."
"Do you know anybody in the city?" asked Paul.
"I've got some relations, but I don't know where they live."
"What is the name?" asked Paul, "we can look into the directory."
"The name is Dawkins," answered the pedler.
"Dawkins!" repeated Paul, in surprise.
"Yes, do you happen to know anybody of the name?"
"Yes, but I believe it is a rich family."
"Well, so are my relations," said Jehoshaphat. "You didn't thinkJehoshaphat Stubbs had any rich relations, did you? These, as I've heardtell, hold their heads as high as anybody."
"Perhaps I may be mistaken," said Paul.
"What is the name--the Christian name, I mean--of your relation?"
"George."
"It must be he, then. There is a boy of about my own age of that name.He works in the same office."
"You don't say so! Well, that is curious, I declare. To think that Ishould have happened to hit upon you so by accident too."
"How are you related to them?" inquired Paul.
"Why, you see, I'm own cousin to Mr. Dawkins. His father and my motherwere brother and sister."
"What was his father's business?" asked Paul.
"I don't know what his regular business was, but he was a sexton in somechurch."
This tallied with the account Paul had received from Mr. Cameron, andhe could no longer doubt that, strange as it seemed, the wealthy Mr.Dawkins was own cousin to the pedler.
"Didn't you say the boy was in the same office with you, Paul?"
"Yes."
"Well, I've a great mind to go and see him, and find out where hisfather lives. Perhaps I may get an invite to his house."
"How shocked Dawkins will be!" thought Paul, not, it must be confessed,without a feeling of amusement. He felt no compunction in being theinstrument of mortifying the false pride of his fellow clerk, andhe accordingly signified to Mr. Stubbs that he was on his way to thecounting-room.
"Are you, though? Well, I guess I'll go along with you. Is it far off?"
"Only in the next street."
The pedler, it must be acknowledged, had a thoroughly countrifiedappearance. He was a genuine specimen of the Yankee,--a long, gauntfigure, somewhat stooping, and with a long aquiline nose. His dress hasalready been described.
As Dawkins beheld him entering with Paul, he turned up his nose indisgust at what he considered Paul's friend.
What was his consternation when the visitor, approaching him witha benignant smile, extended his brown hand, and said, "How d'ye do,George? How are ye all to hum?"
Dawkins drew back haughtily.
"What do you mean?" he said, pale with passion.
"Mr. Dawkins," said Paul, with suppressed merriment, "allow me tointroduce your cousin, Mr. Stubbs."
"Jehoshaphat Stubbs," explained that individual. "Didn't your fathernever mention my name to you?"
"Sir," said Dawkins, darting a furious glance at Paul, "you are entirelymistaken if you suppose that any relationship exists between me andthat--person."
"No, it's you that are mistaken," said Mr. Stubbs, persevering, "Mymother was Roxana Jane Dawkins. She was own sister to your grandfather.That makes me and your father cousins Don't you see?"
"I see that you are intending to insult me," said Dawkins, the morefuriously, because he began to fear there might be some truth in theman's claims. "Mr. Prescott, I leave you to entertain your companyyourself."
And he threw on his hat and dashed out of the counting-room.
"Well," said the pedler, drawing a long breath, "that's cool,--denyin'his own flesh and blood. Rather stuck up, ain't he?"
"He is, somewhat," said Paul; "if I were you, I shouldn't be disposed toown him as a relation."
"Darned ef I will!" said Jehoshaphat sturdily; "I have some pride, ef Iam a pedler. Guess I'm as good as he, any day."