CHAPTER XXVI.
A STRANGER IN NEW YORK.
It was not often that Silas Tripp went to New York. The expense was aconsideration, and again he found it difficult to leave his business.But he had received a circular from an investment company in WallStreet, offering ten per cent. interest for any money he might have toinvest. High interest always attracts men who love money, and it sohappened that Silas had five hundred dollars invested. The differencebetween six and ten per cent. interest on this sum would make twentydollars annually, besides a contingent share in extra profits promisedin the circular, and on the whole he thought it would pay him to makethe journey.
He went at once to the office of Messrs. Gripp & Co., on his arrival inthe city. He found the financial agents occupying handsome offices,well furnished and covered with a thick Turkey carpet. Everythingbetokened prosperity, and Mr. Tripp was dazzled. The result was that hemade the investment and laid away in his old-fashioned wallet five newbonds, assuring a dividend of ten per cent.
"I calc'late it's safe," he said to Mr. Gripp, a stout man with aflorid face, expensively dressed and sporting a large and showy diamondring.
"Assuredly, my dear sir," said Gripp, with suavity. "I congratulateyou, Mr. Tripp, on making an unusually profitable investment. I ventureto say that within the year, besides the regular dividend, there willbe an extra dividend of five per cent., making fifteen per cent. inall. It is a pity you had not more invested."
"Mebby I'll bring you in some more bimeby," said Mr. Tripp, cautiously.
"I trust you will, for your own sake. To us it is not important, as wehave plenty of capital offered. Indeed, we have had to limitinvestments to five thousand dollars for each person. Why, amillionaire, whose name would be very familiar to you if I couldventure to mention it, came here last week and wanted to invest fiftythousand dollars in our bonds, but I firmly refused to take more thanfive thousand."
"I don't see why you should," said Silas, puzzled.
"I will tell you why. We wish to give a chance to smaller investors,like yourself, for instance. Rich men have plenty of ways in which toinvest their money to advantage, while you probably don't know where toget over six per cent."
"No; I never got more'n that."
"I dare say you have considerable invested at that small interest."
"Well, mebbe."
"Think how much it would be for your advantage to get four per cent.more."
"To be sure, sartin! Well, I'll think of it, Mr. Gripp. Mebbe I'll comeand see you ag'in soon."
Mr. Gripp smiled to himself. He saw that the bait was likely to proveeffective.
"Well, good-by, Mr. Gripp. You'll send me any information about thebonds?"
"Yes, Mr. Tripp, with pleasure. Whenever you are in the city, even ifyou have no business with us, make our office your home. Whenever youhave any letters to write, we will furnish you a desk and allfacilities."
"Thank you, Mr. Gripp; you're very obleeging."
So the old man went out, feeling very complacent over his newinvestment, and much pleased with the handsome way he was treated byMr. Gripp.
"Lemme see," he reflected. "I've got five thousand dollars invested. Atten per cent. it would amount to five hundred dollars, and with anextra dividend of two hundred and fifty dollars more. I'll have tothink it over. All seems safe and square, and Mr. Gripp is a realgentleman."
Silas Tripp looked at his watch. It was only half-past ten. How shouldhe occupy his spare time?
"I guess I'll go and see Chester Rand," he said. "His mother told mewhere he was working. Perhaps he'll know of some cheap place where Ican get dinner. The last time I was in the city it cost me forty cents.That's a terrible price."
Mr. Tripp knew the location of Mr. Fairchild's office, and after someinquiry he found his way there. He felt so much like a stranger in thebig city that he anticipated with pleasure seeing a familiar face.Perhaps Chester would invite him out to lunch, and Mr. Tripp, in hisfrugality, would not have declined the offer even of an office boy, aslong as it would save him expense.
Felix Gordon was just leaving the office on an errand.
"Is that Mr. Fairchild's office?" inquired Silas.
"Yes," answered Felix, with rather a disdainful glance at Silas Tripp'srusty garments.
"Much obleeged to ye," said Silas.
He entered the office and glanced about, expecting to see Chester.
David Mullins came forward, and with some show of civility greeted theold country merchant. Though he was not naturally polite, he knew thatthe size of a man's purse could not always be judged from the cut orquality of his garments, and he was just as ready to make money out ofSilas as out of any fashionably dressed customer.
"Is Mr. Fairchild in?" asked Silas.
"No; Mr. Fairchild is out West. I am Mr. Mullins, his bookkeeper, andrepresent him."
"Just so! Have you a boy workin' for you named Chester--Chester Rand?"
"Are you a friend of his?" asked the bookkeeper.
"Well, yes. I come from Wyncombe, where he lives, and I know his folks.I was told he was workin' here."
"Yes, he was working here," answered Mullins, emphasizing the pasttense.
"Isn't he here now?" demanded Silas, with surprise.
"No."
"How's that?"
"It's rather a delicate matter, as you are a friend of his, but somedays since I was obliged to discharge him."
"You don't say!" ejaculated Silas, in manifest surprise.
"I am sorry to say it."
"But what was the matter? What did he do?"
"Well, as to that, he did nothing very serious, but he wasted time whenhe was sent out on an errand, and I felt that it was injurious to theinterests of Mr. Fairchild to retain him."
"He used to be spry enough when he worked for me."
"When he worked for you?"
"Yes. I keep a store out in Wyncombe, and he was in my employ most ayear. I used to think him quite a lively boy."
"I dare say he would do very well in a country store, but in the citywe want boys to be active and wide awake. I don't want to say anythingagainst him. He was perfectly honest, so far as I know."
"Has he got another place?"
"I don't think he has. It is difficult for a boy to get a place in thiscity--that is, a good place, and he wouldn't be likely to refer anyemployer to me."
"I'm afraid he'll be put to it to live, for his mother was poor. Howmuch wages did you pay him?"
"Five dollars a week."
"That's pretty high pay."
"So it is, and we expect a first-class boy for that."
"Have you got a better boy in his place?"
"Yes; I have taken in a cousin of mine who knows my ways and satisfiesme."
"Was it the boy I saw just after I came in--a dark-complexioned boywith black hair?"
"Yes, that is Felix."
"And you find him better than Chester?"
"Yes."
Silas Tripp did not make any comments, but he had not been veryfavorably impressed by the little he had seen of Chester's successor.
"Mebbe Chester isn't adapted to the city," Silas said.
"I think you are right. It would be better for him to go back into yourstore, but country boys fancy they must come to the city and becomecity business men."
"That's so. Mebbe I wouldn't succeed in the city myself, though I'mdoin' a tidy business in Wyncombe. I'd like to see Chester. Can youtell me where he lives?"
"No, I haven't his address."
"I wonder he hasn't gone back home. Mebbe he hasn't got the money."
"I presume you are correct in your conjecture."
"His mother hasn't said anything to me about Chester bein' out of work.I'm surprised at that."
"Perhaps he did not like to tell her."
"Very like, very like! I'm really sorry to hear Chester ain't done nobetter."
"He isn't quite up to our mark, but I dare say he will do very well inthe country or in some small business."
"Are you doin' a large business? You don't seem to have much stockhere."
"My dear sir, we can't get brownstone houses and country villas into anoffice like this."
"Is that what you sell?"
"Yes; I sold a fifty-thousand-dollar house this morning up onForty-fifth Street, and yesterday I sold a summer hotel for fortythousand dollars. Our commission in each case would be several hundreddollars."
"Sho! Well, you be doin' a good business. Can you tell where I can geta good dinner moderate?"
Felix came in at this moment.
"Felix," said his cousin, "you may keep the office while I go out tolunch. Mr. ---- You didn't tell me your name."
"Silas Tripp."
"Mr. Tripp, it will give me pleasure if you will go out and take lunchwith me."
"Well, I am sure you're very polite," said Silas, pleased to think hewould be saved expense; "I'm much obliged."
So the two went out together. Mullins continued to say considerablethat was derogatory to Chester, and left Mr. Tripp under the impressionthat he was a failure so far as New York business was concerned.
Chester Rand; or, The New Path to Fortune Page 26