PART III.—CHAPTER XL. GEORGE'S PARTNER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2185, 10 July 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

PART lII.— CHAPTER XL. GEORGE'S PARTNER.

TilF.RKare some things which we think will be very ea>«y to aocjmpli^h, but which m fict turn out by no means to be so ; while others, that we hive looked forward to with much inwaid trembling, nas.s lightly euough when their time comes over our< hearts or heads. Ihus George M Miners found on his teturn to Oldcastle that a serious and unexpected obstacle had atisen in his path, and that it would inMiiuch mote difh'cult for him , than ho had imagined to leave England ] ami bejjin a new life abroad. 11k had commence.! business some six or seven years before, thi-, with a partner. The partner was, by himself and by ! most people in Old uiotle also, considered a 'very rising young man.' Indeed, Mr, j Luke Hindnureh w n not only ;i 'rising,' but a risen youm* m.vi, vvnen we first introduced him into these paces, his father having been i .small tradesman in \ery humble ciivumst itie< >, who did not use, but in I tee went down — for he failed, and would have been i educed to penuiy but for the gentians a»sistanee of his brother in l.v.v, Mr. Thomas Wy^t. This Mr. West, who was a farmer and miller combined in Cumhei I uid, was a man of some wealth and gieat kindlinoKS of ht;ait;aud h< not onl> supplied his poor, diooping M-ter with iv cvs«aite.s, but also ofkrul to take lv 1 o>ily child, a boy of -ome tw eh c years of aye, to live with him at the fat m. This oiler was with many teais aid real gratitude, accepted by the poir- vvtul woman. ' My time is noHoiiL,' for here, Thoma-t. ' she said, 'smd I won't stand in my |»o> 's light ; besides, he's bettei away tiom his father. He was better awiy from his father. Luke Hindir.iich the elder, deluded in his own c es by his misfoi tunes and failures, s<— m» «i to* wish to le ;i little more degi ided still, and was fast into being a conlinned driu.kard, and both uncle and mother agreed that the hoy was bettei out ot the bight ot hucli an example, Ihe next vi>-it Mi Wor paid to Old•isfle was to attend In* sistc > funenl. The poor woman had died of her tiouble.-, and her wrttehod hUfhand wns .sitting lead-drunk in the house with his <!• ad wife when tho firmer arrived, and went upstairs to see the pinched, white face lyin^ in the corliu, which, not mj many years ago, he remembered belongmtf to a lo.vM'hoekcd, lauding, wilful \u->. In tho.se days she had mortally offended her father, an irascible and violent old man, by ciopin^ with the .rnnd-lookinjr nephew of a neighbour, who had come ovtr from o'ilca^tle to somo eouutry merry unking-, and took a v»<Me.n fancy to the i^rerty Cumberland rul, md after :i \ oi y <.!mit aequ lintanc*' pursu i ded hu- to l.in .iway with bun. llei tither novel t< r_' i\v hi i tins foolish let, and positively i'oibidt her ever ;)<r-tiu '<> .-HUT his ho!iM>, and when he d.ed her .mi 1 was unt even mintiomii n. hi- 'viil. Ht-r brothei , hrwever, had felt none of i in> « iimitv to ins sister, md as years w-Mit on, and "-he and \vr husband <jiadu'llv full into ilith'i ulth s, he a^aiu and i Mam came to thoir ;issi>t;.n< c, and finally, as we ha\e been, took home her only child. When, therefore, the ii'i^hbour who nad wntehe-I l»---i<lc Iff rl<u rig her Ust night on earth nave him a few pencilled lines which "he had It ft for him, Mr West ha.l to pull his r< (1 and yellow silk haudkeichief several times out of his pocket and wipv his e\es bofoie he could read the feeble wntmi:, Mid then he went up arjaui to the open eoflin 4 I'll I c as good as my word,' he said, addressing the insensible form which lay within. ' Thou hast left thy lad to me, and I'll be his lather, don't thou fear :' and then he kissed his dead sister's cheek as a token between them— a token which was most sacredly observed byjMr Thomas West. After this young Luke Tlindmarch was educated .md reared and cared for in pueiNely the same wnj as the farmer's own two sons, ♦Thej' are to ha\o ovoi\thm^ alike, mind, Dorothy,' >^id Mr \\ est, \\hi.n he returned home alter the I'uih ral, to his wife ; and though Mm West grumbled a little at this order, she fomul it impossille to avoid it. ' Thou's got a pair of new shoes, Jack ; hast thy cousin got a pair ?' the farmer always asked, on observing the slightest change of dvess> in his. offspring. Or — 'thy breeches look very smait to-day, Tommy ; conic and let me ha\c a look at thine, Luke.' No inequality was iv fact allowed between them. If Jack and Tommy got a piece of bread and jan>, Luke got one too ; but foi all that— for all Ins strict sconce of justice— the farmer tould not like him a«> well. His own boys— ruddy, white-haired, airi mtolifeNTjutf— .he secretly adored,

' T.iif Li.l e\ x i hun lad -a \ cry sharp htl, lie was ah\.i\s saving to his const X nee, uithlou <l admiration and resp.M f ; ''lit lie e<ml I not love him as well a" lie (li.; the otheis He was in fact too sh.un , .i (|uick, clear- headed, bi\t timid boy. He ioul(l,.not hide from his uncle s honest < ul^u 1^ that his cheeks grew pale at the sli ;ht»'-t approach o{ personal danger, ,un 1 th..t he was slightly apt to set eon lumM.lt l»y tlnowing the blame (oft«'ti perhaps justly) m. their boyish escapades on li > mi>,( ti amg cousins. \ et lie was a good hoy — an industrious, paint iknij, ami to a certain extent a v >1( " » i o i „) nl i-> fie boys were so weie the, men. Itn 'U.i ' iii if \\'i->«,ts trrow up cond1 mi ', 1 lii^n, , xl-looking 1 v "my nu u-- ftio Jlr milling 1 before lie was twonty, mthl into his father's bu-*i. i' -. w lu'e thr » on mrer insisted on itiui .! im to \ictr:ili,i with <l companion or h;^ ow (i we, who also was in lia-^to in »ic\v ti<Ji, and Luke Hind-iii.u'i-h \v :> a in ■ utieul, by his oxpvess di'Mie, to one '>t tiro leadinjr merchants m OM( i-tie, with whom his uncle had had tli ilin^s tor many years. The it a on In m it It* lu^ e'loiee was a wise ono, ior Ml West, huii told him l>o would cDiiuinto a. onull to>lui>e at his death. ' \Vli< n I put oft' my boots,' said the jnvi il firnvr, ion'unira li ctle melancholy ;it the pilferer of that event, thon'll iniil t'nou h'i-t thy share with the re^t. 1 took trice, Luke, by thy poor motliei's entUu, to bo wiy own lad, and I'll keep my word to her ;' and through five years of industry and hard w.nk .it .i ili'>ft in Oldcistle, theso words often nourished young Luke's ambition and energy. As soon as he completed his apprenticcnhip, his rna-ter otfi-red at once to keep him as a ps>id clerk with a ftiiv salary, , lor he li'id become ot use in tho oflice, and nearly five years more passed thus when his unelo suddenly died, and he found linnsLif the possessor of two thouBaud pounds Ho then began to look round fni apirtner with suitable means, iv ho would allow him the manajjiuf? .sli ue or the busirje^, and (hroutrh a t-olu rtnr of standing in the town he heard that Mr (Jeoigc Manners the nephew ot Sir Hugh Manners ot Narbroiigli Hall, and a young man of college education, was also desirous of entering into commerce ; tor George M-umers had discovered about this tune that the son of a poor clergyman was not in the same position as that of a wealthy baronet. Instead therefore of aocepting his uncle's oiler ot purchasing a coninissiou for him in tho aimy, he accepted a loan — or rather as it proved by the old man's wil, a gift of two thousand pounds, and aftor considerable hesitation became the paitner ot Mr Luke Hindmarch. Georsre had not iv fact at iirst taken very kindly to this man. To begin with, ho was not aqf nrlem.ui. ' But then, my de iv ; ir, consider,' .siid the family t-olici-tor, ' how ie\v of theiy men are. ' If you ■\ranfc to make money, Mr George, take a workintr partner — si working partner, my younir friend — who will do what you wouldn't o'irc to do T and then, remember his experience.' His expeiiencc was undeniable; his suoue.s-a, a^ far as his means had gone undeni ib'e too ; and all these things pre- ■ vailed with Mr Manners. Still it was an mult r, i tt/le tri.il also to b^; called " Mannois," " Geoige'' occisionally, when very fiiendly; and to have to walk up the street w ith a man who wore fancy ties of various lines when he went out to dinner ; and who was self-asserting, shai p, familiar, and gossiping by turns. Still he was a, good young man ; a moral young m.'in ; a prudent young man ; but as Sir Hugh once said, and George frequently thought, 'a confoundly vulgar young man, too.' l»ut on the whole George and he had cot on veiy well together. For one thing, they had h^eu very successful; for another, though V\ Hindmaich was for ever talking ot 'stuc'x up snobs, 'of 'some of ymr -.^JI-, now,' In, secretly respected the birrh ,ird position of his partner. It A\;is soiuul'Mug Ui ho able to siy iv tlio tliiid-iate vjl.c'\ _!i lie fmjucnted in tl\' 1 tow n. "A I till Mauuc-is — Mtinjiei-. you kno ■ m,!..t a swell of a fell iw in q " 'I: ! 'M^ not to mc, of com M)M :i -.h, Mi" lakish young baronet, m tm ollnc the other day,' and <-o on. 'I l-at other day lasted a gu"d wlnlo; it lasted in farf-, ioi 1 .i m >■>• m rwo, as Sir Uu_ r h liri.lonlv !».• "i i. -ii in th" pi ice ; and the \V:igs oi M,' Ifui 'in rcli's set uaed to vsay behitid his 'i ujk. ■ Set Luke on %\ith kis baronet,' when ihey wanted a little nmu'-v.'ient They knew the stock talc as w< 11 as he did, but they did not .say this to Lulc's |.u .'. They respected his biisiiifss abilities too much ; he knew how to make money, and they honoured him .iei ordin _ r Jv ; fuit .somehow, in their di-uliuf^ witJi Th<> fii m, they liked be-«t to have •M.mners's' word in the bargain. Mr Hm liii.-.ro'i ha«l al-o his undeniable lilfl" tiiils with )iU [miitucis ; ho expected fit fir dfc that h" visis troirii/ to yet alanguid swell with two fli'iu-and pounds in hi^ poc'vft to manage, .mil ho tound inhto.'ul that* ho yot. n cool, clearh"aded. olever man, v\hi> in i surprisingly fbhort time learnt hii biiainess ; and inHte.nl ot a sleeping putnei, heciine a very aetivo one indeed. He found, in spite of lii-j 'e\p li'Mi'je' — of winch he was for ever i< (Minding (!,-oige -that George eho 'j on ecitain ocja'-ious to havo his own v\.iy; but onue or twioo, in some critic 1 1 toiiiMieici il inoinont, m hen lie Avon Id ha\e tiunud faint- hearted aud drawn luoL, Gcoi^u ( \ mcccl such decision mid cii'i'^etio ability that Luke Hindniuch len.it to respect him, not only .i> n ' s-.vcll,' but a.s n' 'cute fellow, a (kneed 'cute fellow, lean tell you ;' aud Geor-c had thin guiJually obtained alniobt tit cntiw managtment in the ojht c j but Mr Hiiultnarch was useful. As i\lt family .solicitor had siid, 'there are somethings vuiich make a working p.nth'S'r ii s( ful,' >\m\ iv tho firm of Manners and Hindmarch, Hindmarch was the u-ehil man. (To br rnnfwud.)

Tlio m irri m^s celebrated in London in IS>3, <,'i\iu_r a proportion of 16 9 persona in, a nod por lU<)0 inhabitants, formed the lowest, rnatuagp i iLc us yot recorded in London, and the two next, moreover, wci'j tho'v of i,he two unmeoirito preceeding V'-ai-., I.SS!! ami 1881, when the rates ■vvoi" 17 'J .uul L 7 (> respectively. This is probiplv (Lie to trade dopros-aon and disti'e- 'J'h.> doith rate in London was the low .it on rrc<ord, and tho birrh rate 32 0 pur IUOO, the lowest sinco 18'jQ. T'ivl ih t tiMtnp in tho neighborhood of DumtiicM, Scotland it .seems, who, with his witc ;md family, have boon "living on i/he b<i,L»y'' for some weeks. They have not lain and eil.oniL That would bo kill: I.':1 .': the gooso that Uy.s tho golden IiX 1 . 1 , ■>. Tin-, i . what they do, in the words of tin- f.itli'jr, '• We just 'im clmstenc<\ at all flic towns wo passes, and then, you n'_', tli'> p a son n. ik'-'.s u.s all comforta bio with sumnial t,o pal and money for Li (h. On da\ s awful bad wo had to do 'im tsvioe." J'hia is the exception to tho ml' 1 'h ;! tho '• uir"m"l<iy<"l" are in sot'G«fc di Ucsi '.\h<.ti tluy .no patents. But it is not cv< i / (,i ■ '»n who deserves, so th.ion_'li^ i 'U - i) i , tn )),ive a b.iby. u 5, , > ,' r > >>i — C'emasof '» ' v<'!k-.ivp of Ml ' i II I ill .] \,^iCl!"ii , i ' .fit, < id ( -\SI, ."i,v»r« -/ '} ' ,»(i, I SS<i — in. id "'I i. 1.i6 ; t')Lj!, !> /, J/J, l -i ' ' _4 . i.» 3 mi Mie l'>' tr ail'! \\\A\\i<i (i '•3[' 1 ' u (.c ii<- Mi. t' opoliUn As 1 , I.iiuj IJui 1 ; Lh* 1 number of thoc j> 'tit.nl-. on the last d iy oi th- week was returned :i' 2150. Third woo It of Aptil, ISS"> - imloor, ~)[,4 ! J~> ; outdoor, f5-),43U ; toS.il, Si ')">! Tumi wet kof April, ISSi — mil mi, .')!,o7!' ; <r\hlo,n, H.j,41'2 ; total, 89..1J1. Thiui vvf>!- of April. LSS.'J— i.i- • loor, I.^ld/; riMhinor, .".'','!4- : tohl, 92, ."')£,' Vii^riti s relieved In the nv'N opoli -<■"■' f h' I t-f'xs of 'he third of .'.,-, i. J ' J* '•"" ; ' "t'll, , \'.\ uiiiw.'ii .iu<l-. .<),.' I, .'l5 ' I