during the day gilbert learned the way to the stock exchange, to the bank where his employer kept an account, and to the post office. he was also sent on various errands to offices of other brokers and business men. indeed, he was kept so busy that he found the day pass very rapidly. he made up his mind that he should like mr. sands, whose manner towards him was marked with kindness and consideration.
it was not so, however, with the clerk who has already been mentioned. he was disposed to regard gilbert as an unwelcome intruder into the office. his prejudice will be understood when the reader learns that he was a cousin of the boy who had been discharged. he had interceded to have john reinstated 87in his place; but mr. sands had been inexorable.
“i should like to oblige you, mr. moore,” said he, “but i cannot take back your cousin. i must have a boy in whom i can feel a reasonable degree of confidence.”
“john has reformed, sir. he will be strictly honest hereafter.”
“i hope he will, for his own sake; but it is best for him to find some place where there will be fewer opportunities to steal.”
the clerk saw that it would be of no use to pursue the subject further, and was silent. but he made up his mind to dislike any boy that might come in his cousin’s place.
in his employer’s presence he did not venture to manifest his feelings, but when gilbert came back from an errand later in the day, mr. sands being absent at the board, he said irritably, “what made you so long?”
“so long?” repeated gilbert, in surprise. “i lost no time, mr. moore. i went directly to the 88office where i was sent, and as soon as my business was attended to i came directly back.”
“oh, no doubt!” sneered moore. “you didn’t stop to play on the way, of course.”
“no, i didn’t,” said gilbert, indignantly.
“then you stopped to hear a hand-organ, or something of the kind,” persisted moore, in a disagreeable manner.
“you are quite mistaken, mr. moore. you probably know where the office is, and must be aware that i had no time for any such delay.”
“oh, you are a model boy, i have no doubt!” sneered the clerk.
“i have great doubts on the subject myself,” said gilbert, good-naturedly. “i never had that reputation.”
“did you ever do anything wrong?”
“no doubt i have.”
“i thought perhaps you were intending to pass yourself off as an angel.”
“i don’t believe there are many angels in wall street,” said gilbert, in the same tone of good-humor.
89“no more of your impudence!” said moore, snappishly, feeling that gilbert had the better of him in this little passage of words.
“what have i said that is impudent?” asked gilbert, in astonishment.
“no matter. go to your work.”
“what a disagreeable fellow!” thought our hero. “i don’t think i shall enjoy having him over me. he seems determined to find fault.”
“go over to smith & dixon’s, and ask them for a union pacific first, on our account—stay; here’s an order.”
“all right, sir.”
“and don’t be gone all day.”
“i shall be back as soon as i can,” said gilbert, coldly.
“mind you do!” said moore, in an aggravating manner.
it was a comfort to gilbert that mr. moore did not venture to treat him in this way while mr. sands was in the office. then, if he had occasion to speak, it was in a proper tone. but for two or three hours 90during the day the broker was absent at the stock exchange, and during this period the clerk saw fit to treat him with rudeness. this treatment, which commenced on the first day, was continued. gilbert made little effort to conciliate simon moore (this was the clerk’s full name), for he saw in advance that he would have small chance of succeeding. he was convinced of it when he discovered the relationship between moore and his predecessor, and learned, moreover, that the clerk was a boarder in his cousin’s family.
“i shall have to be very careful,” thought gilbert, “or mr. moore will get me into trouble of some kind. he wants to get rid of me, for some reason or other.”
gilbert came to the only sensible determination: to do his duty as well and faithfully as he knew how, and trust to providence for the issue. he decided not to trouble himself too much about the clerk’s enmity, since he knew that he had done nothing to deserve it.
at a little before four gilbert left the office, and 91sought the counting-room of mr. briggs. he found that gentleman ready to go up-town.
“well, gilbert,” he said, “how do you like your first day in business?”
“very well, sir. i think i shall get on.”
“then you don’t find your duties hard?”
“no, sir; they are pleasant and easy.”
“you will find mr. sands very considerate and kind, i am sure.”
“i like him already, sir.”
“that is well,” said mr. briggs, in a tone of satisfaction. “the next thing is to find you a boarding-place.”
“yes, sir. i shall be very glad to get settled.”
“there will be little difficulty about that. if we start immediately, i can select a place for you this afternoon.”
they took the street-cars at the astor house.
“i have been thinking, gilbert,” said his guardian, “that waverly place or clinton place will be a good location for you. it is not so far but that on pleasant days you can walk to your place of business. this 92will save car-fare, which, though a small matter, is yet to be considered where your income is so small.”
“how far is it, sir?”
“about two miles from wall street.”
“i shan’t mind that. when at school i used to walk ten miles sometimes, on holidays.”
“mind, gilbert, i only recommend it. i will see that you have money enough to get along comfortably, even if you choose to ride constantly.”
“i shall enjoy the walk when it is pleasant.”
“clinton place is the western portion of eighth street,” said mr. briggs. “east eighth street is known as st. mark’s place. there are numerous boarding-houses there also, but i think you will like clinton place better. i suppose you are not very familiar with the streets yet?”
“no, sir; but i shall get accustomed to them as soon as possible. i found, this morning, that it is a useful thing to know.”
about twenty minutes’ ride brought the car to clinton place.
“we will get out here,” said mr. briggs. “as 93we pass through the street,” he said, “we shall probably notice papers pasted on some of the houses, indicating that boarders or lodgers will be received. at some of these houses we will inquire.”
it was as mr. briggs had said. they had scarcely began their walk towards broadway, when they saw such a paper on a neat-looking brick house.
“let us inquire here, gilbert,” he said.
he went up the steps, and rang the bell. on a servant appearing, he announced his business. this brought about an interview with the landlady.
“do you wish a room for two?” she asked.
“no; only for this boy.”
“we have a hall bedroom on the third floor, and an attic room,” said the landlady.
“we will look at the hall bedroom.”
it was a small room, about seven feet by nine, and the furniture was very common.
“you can’t expect anything very luxurious, gilbert,” said mr. briggs. “shall you be contented with this room?”
“yes, sir,” answered gilbert, promptly.
94“what is your price, madam?” asked mr. briggs.
“with board, six dollars a week.”
“i think we will try it,” he said. “will you stay here to-night, or come to-morrow, gilbert?”
gilbert thought of mrs. briggs, and answered, “i will begin now. i suppose i shall need to send for my trunk.”
“i will send it by an expressman—to-night, if possible.”
“in the case of strangers,” said the landlady, hesitating, “we expect something in advance.”
“i will pay you a week in advance,” said mr. briggs.
he drew six dollars from his pocket-book, and handed it to the smiling landlady.
“of course, sir,” she said apologetically, “it isn’t necessary with a gentleman like you, but it is our custom.”
“quite right, madam. i may as well tell you that i will be responsible for this boy’s board. here is my card.”
95mr. briggs was a well-known business man, and his name was familiar to the landlady.
“i am glad to have a friend of yours in my house,” she said. “i hope the young gentleman will find everything satisfactory.”
“i don’t think he will be hard to please. good-evening, madam. good-night, gilbert. you must call and see us often.”
mr. briggs withdrew, and gilbert sat down on the bed and tried to realize his new position. less than a week had elapsed since he left school. now he had entered on a business career in new york. it made him feel years older, but he did not shrink from his new responsibilities. he rather liked them.
