Miscellany: What Will The People Say?: Chapter I

But what will people say?' Mrs. Ashton asked, looking into her husband's face with a concerned expression. 'I don't know what we ought to think about what others may say,' Mr. Ashton replied thoughtfully. 'Why, how you talk, husband! I am sure it is of the first importance to avoid singularity! 'So you always say. and vet I never can see the forcé of your position. People will talk about each each other; and even make censorious and disparaging remarks of those who are most perfect.' 'I am not so sure of that, husband. 1 never hear others remarked upon, that they do not deserve all that is said of them.' So yoü think, Sarah. But they would have quite a different idea of themselves.' 'They would, like hundreds of olhers, over estímate themselves, that is all.' 'True, Sarah. And those who talk about us might say. the same thing, ifw found fault with what we considerec the false position in which they placed us.' 'I should like to know who says any harm of us,' Mrs. Ashton quickly remarked, with indignant surprise.cSome of your best and dearest friends, her husband replied, quietly. 'Who?' 'O, as to that I am as vvisa as you.' 'Then why do you speak as you do?' 'Because I am notdisposed to think we are an exception to the general rule. - When I heaeeveryoneelseremarked up on, I can hardly suppose we are going to escapo.' 'But it is the follies and foibles of oth rs that are remarked npoi.' 'Of course. And our follies and foibles are thrown in with the rest.' How you do talk! But seriously, you are not going to leave this beautiful house for a mean little two story affair?''I should think it would be the most prudent thing we could do to get a smaller house. My business is falling off, and I shall have as much as I can do to make both ends meet this year.' 'But you can easily make up the next enson. Besides, if we come down in our tyle of living, people would say that you were going behind hand, and had been forced to adopt asystem of retrenchment.' 'Well, suppose they did? what hann would that do?' ?Do! Why harm enough! Besides subjecting your family tounpleasant reinarles and slights, you would lose your business standing, and without a fair credit, a merchant, you know, has up-hill work.' 'Your last remarle is far the most sensible one you have made, Sarah, and has in it much weisrht. I see its forceplainly, and am resolved to keep a good face upon things a while longer.' 'I knew you would come into my way of thinking, Mrs. Ashton said, smiling triumphantly. CHAPTER II. 'Mr. Punctual says be kind enough to send him a check for that - ' a lad remarked, as he came up to the desk where Mr. Ashton sat musing, presenting, at íhe same time, a bilí for the last quarter's rent of his dweiling, amounting to lvo hundred and fifty dol'ars. 'Teil Mr. Punctual that I am a little hort to day but will send him the check to-morrow.' 'Yes sir,' the lad replied, and withdrow. Mr. Ashton then resumed his employmant of ascertaining how near his reeources for tho day would come to meeting the sereral notes and balances of borrowed mony that were due.'Five thousand dollars to pay,' he said to himself musingly, 'and but five hundred n the bank.' 'Mr. Eider says, please send him the three hundred dollars you borrowed of him last week, said a porter from a large house up town, who had entered the counting roorn unperceivcd. Mr. Ashton staried, as f a blow had suddenly been struck upon the desk by his side. But he recovered himiself in a moment, and said with a smile, 'Very well, teil Mr. Eider that he shaü have it by twelve. The porter withdrew and the merchant resumed his calculations. 'I am hard up at almost every place where I am in the habit of borrowing,' 'he said.' 'Let rne see. I wonder ifl can't venture on old Humphreys for five lundred dollars. Yes I will try him. - . know he has it, andhe won't refnse me! Well, thatsum with five hundred in the jank make a thousand: Now who shall try nektV There is Martin & Co. Jones & Milford, Todd & Kimber and Mallonee. I must raise the balance among hem some how?' This matter settlcd, Mr. Ashton started out on his money hunting expedition. - ¦ïis first effort was with old Humphreys,. as he called him.'VVell, Mr. Ashton, how are you this morning?' said that individual, with a pleased smile, as the other entered his counting room. Humphreys was a merchant of the old school. Into the dashing 'go ahead' schemes of the times he never entered. He had gotten rich in the old. cautious, straight forward way; and, in still pursuing his long adopted policy, was adding dollar to dollar, slowly and surely. 'A pleasant day, this, Mr. Humphreys,' Ashton said, in an assumed, lively unconcerned tone. 'Pleasant ndeed,Mr. Ashtoni Is there any news stirring?' 'Nothing strange, I believe. How is business?' 'O, about as usual with me. How is it with you?' 'Rather dull. Money comes in slow these times. And, by the way, have you nve-huodrr-d or a t'iouscnd dollars thal you can spare for a few days?' 'I have a good deal more than that, Mr. Ashton For which I have no present use. But whether I can loan it to you is another question.' Humphreys was a plain spoken, or rather an eccentric man as it was called, and Ashionknew this. He was noltbre, at all surprised at fhe plain,straightforwnrdness of the answer. 'Ycs, that is the question, Mr. Humphroys. I am short to day, and you wou ld be doing mo a favor 13y making up the amount. I can easily hand it back to you in a i'ay or two.' 'You own a carnage and a span of horses do you not?' inquired old Humphreys: 'Yes,' the merchant replied a little annoyed at the question. 'How much did they cost you?' 'I paid a thousand dollars for the carriage, and eight hundred for the horses.' 'And you live in one of Millington's beautiful houses, at a thousand dollars a year, I believe?' 'Yes.' 'Mr. Ashton;I don't want to oifend you. 3ut I must speak plain. A man who ceeps a carriage and horses worth eight hundred dollars, and pays a thousand a vear for rent, never ought to borrow money to pay his notes. ÏF your ready money s short, go home and sell your carriage and horses, and supply theciency. And il ihat won't do, move inlo a house at three hundred dollars rent,and save seven hundred. That is a sensible advice and if you take it, it will do you more good than if J were to lendyou five housand dollars. I am a plain spoken ld man, Mr. Ashton, and you must not be ofFended.' 'Jf not seriously ofFended, certainly the money-hunter was pained and confused. Ie did not linger to reply, but bowing ov, hastily whhdrevv. 'They're hard run when they come to ¦ne, ha! ha!' said the old fellow, laughing o himself, as Ashton withdrew. 'They nay ruin each other if they choose, but ld Humphrey stands or falls by himelf.'Mr. Ashton returned to the counting oom, and took a brief pause to recover is spirits and self-possession. He then allied out ogain. Butby thistime it was leven o'clock,and at twelve he had promsed to return Mr. Eider three hundred ollars. 'Any thing over to-day,Martin?' he said, n a lively tone, as he entered the store f Martin & Co. 'Well, I don't know, Ashton, perhaps ve can spare a little. Step back a moment, and I will see.'Mr. Ashton's heart feit lighter. After looking over his bank account, Mr. Martin said, 'I'ra really very sorry Ashton, but we have only about fifty dollars in bank. I thought we had more. But.here are four hundred in uncurrent funds, averaging about two per cent. discount. You can have that sum for a couple of weeks. - Perhaps ycu can turn it to advantage.' 'That is pretty tough, but, if you can't do nny better for me,I suppose I must try it.' The four hundred dollars were counted out to him, and he passed his check for the amount dated two weeks ahead. 'Plenty of money to-day, Mil ford?' asked Mr. Ashton. enfered the counting room of Jones & Mil ford. 'Plenty as blackberries in December,' was the reply. 'J want five or six hundred to-day. - Can't you squeeze me out a part of it?' 'Not a dollar. We are ourselves, short.' 'Then T need not tarry here, long,' our borrower said, and hurried away. 'Ashton isconfoundedly hard run, Pm thinking' remarked Milford to his partner.'Yes. And Pm not at all sure that he is going to stand it long. The fact is,he is not a prudent business man, and, besides that makes almost too great a dash. Is'nt that his carriage passing?' 'Yes. And Mrs. Ashton is in it, dressed like a Queen, while her husband is running about hunting up money to pay bis notes.' 'Poor man! His weak desire for an establishment, and vain show, wil], I fear, ruin him at last.' In the mean time the subject of these remarks had turned towards his counting room. Arrivedthere he drew a check for three hundred dollars, ante-dated one day, and then proceeded with it to the store of Mr. Eider, who had sent for his account of borrowed money. 'Here's a check dated to-morrow' he said. 'You can deposit it to day.' ' Very well,' replied Mr. Eider, that wil] answer.' 'Pm glad of it, for I am short to-day. Good rr.orning.' And Ashton hurrid away to try some more of his business fricnds. By one o'clock he had raised three thousand dollars. But half of it was in uncurrent funds. During the process, he had met with more than one rebuff, that touched him to the qnick. 'And dow what is il to be donei' he asked himself despondingly. For about the space of five minutes he sat musing in silence. At length he got up slowly and deliberately, and went to his desk.From this he took a Jarge pocket book, and selected business notes, having over four months to run, and less than six, to the amount of two thousand five hundred dollars. With these he again sallied out, and soon found himself at the premises of an individual knovv as a shaver. 'I want some money to-day, Keener?' he said abruptly, as he entered. 'There is the collateral' - throwingdown a package of notes of hand. 'And let me have it quick.for I have some borrowed monev, besides notes to pay, and must not keep my friends waiting.' 'How much do you want?' inquired the broker slowly and carefully going over the notes, and examining the endorsements. 'Two thousand dollars!' 'For how long?' 'Thirty days.' '1 hardly think I can spare it. And, any how, this security is not all first rate.'Keener; and you know that you can get the money if you hav'nt it by you. I am hard run to-day,and must have the amount named.' 'You are hard run, then?' the broker remarked looking Ashton keenly in the face. 'Yes, 1 am, Keener. You have stood by me in several tight places, and you must not forsake me now.' 'Well. I don't know,' resumed the broker, in a delibérate tone. 'I can't say that 1 am satisfied wkh some of these notes.' 'They are all as good as the bank, Keener.' Sí 'I f not better than most of the banks, I wouldn't give much forthem.' ?But 1 know them to be perfectly good. However, if you can't accommodate me. say so and let me be moving.' 'Wel!, lot me see. You want it very much?' 'Indeed I do.' ?To accommodate you then, I will let you have the two thousand dollars for sixty.' ?That is three per cent, a monthl' 'I know it is. But consider that I am risking a good deal. The security is not all strong.'I _ -. 'It is perfectly good, Keener.' 'I cant do better for you, Ashton. - And I don't care about the operation any how?' 'Hand it over then,' the merchant said. The intimation ingeniously thrown in by the broker, that he was indifferent about the matter,decided him to accept the offer without further parley. All the preliminaries settled, Mr. Ashton pocketed liis two thousand dollars,less sixty.and went back to his counting room. He then assorted his uncurrent funds, amounting to about fifteen hundred dollars, on which he had to pay a discount offorty dollars, making his losses on that day, in discounts, one hundred dollars. His borrowed money returned, and his notes liñed, the merchant turned homeward, as his dinner hour had arrived. Concluded next week.