Desk and Debit; or, The Catastrophes of a Clerk

ey, and explaining the motives which had induced me to take the situation in the counting-room of Collingsby and Whippleton. I was satisfied that he would not

Halstead Street, to the north branch of the Chicago River, where I found the l

e we did not often have any butter, to be thrown off my balance by the accident of a rancid article, and I had certainly eaten buffalo meat that was as much tougher than any beef as sole leathe

s no one in the counting-room. I seated myself, and picked up the morning paper. I did not find any paragraph announcing my arrival at the great city of the w

riskly, as he glanced curiously

g," I r

w but you h

have no

gh he thought I ought t

any lumber to-da

. Whippleton," I answered, in order to save h

ardly ever gets here till eight o'clock," said the young

ry. I'm going

that

t's

ngaged

leton-last

you goin

ged as ent

hear it. I'm yours

uly," I repli

name is Land Limpe

Farrin

to be the entry clerk. I've had to do some of that work, and I don't

make my

eedn't wait for Mr. Whippleton. I'll set you at work. I've just sold a bill, and want it entered. Take your pen,

plied, at a venture, for I had no idea of the

icago brick. Did you

from St.

Just enter these items, and give me a bill of them," he rattled on, taking a me

en, and stoo

pleton gets here. Now, charge,

es

e added, looking at the page of the sales book where I had entered it. "'Pon my word you did, though! These

as tolerably familiar even with German proper names. It is a good plan for a young

erms of the trade, with the evident intention of bothering me; but I was posted, and did

an, as he glanced at the bill. "I cou

what a villanous hand he wrote, and what blots and blunders he had inflicted upon the innocent white pape

me to the counting-room?" I asked

uch of the time. Some days the old gentleman looks in about elev

situation was novel, but it was pleasing. It was Des

n was behind the desk in this room. Separated from it by a partition composed mostly of ground glass windows was the other apartment, whose interior I had not yet seen. As Mr. Whippleton was the bookkeeper, and had the general char

-room, each attended by a customer, to whom he had sold a bill of lumber. They had been informed by Land of the debut of the new entry clerk, and they read off their sales to

, Philip," said he, as he

beginning. I was lookin

ed he, in a manner which indicated

great deal of building in the city. Business was very driving, and I had all I could do. It was th

med his senior that he had engaged an entry clerk. I did not see the dignified partner again till he left the counting-room at two o'clock. He did not even glance at me this time, and probably had no suspicion that he

r a beautiful sail-boat, which attracted my attention. It was about thirty feet long, and had quite a

, as Land Limpedon joine

ater bird, and in the summer he spe

river?" I asked, glanc

, and goes off for a fortnight in

d take it into his head to invite me some time to sail with him. I went to dinner with the image of the boat's sharp bow and graceful lines lingering in my mind.

e second day, I saw Mr. Collingsby, senior. Like his dignified son, he took no notice of me. Possibly he asked my name in the private office; but I never knew whether it gave them any uneasiness or

it often occurred to me, as the weeks passed by, that I was doing nothing to accomplish my great mission in Chicago. My father answ

engaged passed off, and I hinted to t

an go on just as

on any farther at six do

do you

ht,

ak to Mr. C

or a year. I was satisfied I was earning that amount, and Mr. Whippleton