OR,
THE MAN WHO COULDN'T GET ALONG IN THE WORLD.
JACOB JONES was clerk in a commission store at a salary of fivehundred dollars a year. He was just twenty-two, and had beenreceiving his salary for two years. Jacob had no one to care for buthimself; but, somehow or other, it happened that he did not lay upany money, but, instead, usually had from fifty to one hundreddollars standing against him on the books of his tailors.
"How much money have you laid by, Jacob?" said, one day, themerchant who employed him. This question came upon Jacob rathersuddenly; and coming from the source that it did was not anagreeable one--for the merchant was a very careful and economicalman.
"I haven't laid by any thing yet," replied Jacob, with a slight airof embarrassment.
"You haven't!" said the merchant, in surprise. "Why, what have youdone with your money?"
"I've spent it, somehow or other."
"It must have been somehow or other. I should think, or somehowelse," returned the employer, half seriously, and half playfully."But really, Jacob, you are a very thoughtless young man to wasteyour money."
"I don't think I waste my money," said Jacob.
"What, then, have you done with it?" asked the merchant.
"It costs me the whole amount of my salary to live."
The merchant shook his head.
"Then you live extravagantly for a young man of your age andcondition. How much do you pay for boarding?"
"Four dollars a week."
"Too much by from fifty cents to a dollar. But even paying that sum,four more dollars per week ought to meet fully all your otherexpenses, and leave you what would amount to nearly one hundreddollars per annum to lay by. I saved nearly two hundred dollars ayear on a salary no larger than you receive."
"I should like very much to know how you did it. I can't save acent; in fact, I hardly ever have ten dollars in my pocket."
"Where does your money go, Jacob? In what way do you spend a hundreddollars a year more than is necessary?"
"It is spent, I know; and that is pretty much all I can tell aboutit," replied Jacob.
"You can certainly tell by your private account-book."
"I don't keep any private account, sir."
"You don't?" in surprise.
"No, sir. What's the use? My salary is five hundred dollars a year,and wouldn't be any more nor less if I kept an account of every halfcent of it."
"Humph!"
The merchant said no more. His mind was made up about his clerk. Thefact that he spent five hundred dollars a year, and kept no privateaccount, was enough for him.
"He'll never be any good to himself nor anybody else. Spend hiswhole salary--humph! Keep no private account--humph!"
This was the opinion held of Jacob Jones by his employer from thatday. The reason why he had inquired as to how much money he hadsaved was this. He had a nephew, a poor young man, who, like Jacob,was a clerk, and showed a good deal of ability for business. Hissalary was rather more than what Jacob received, and, like Jacob, hespent it all; but not on himself. He supported, mainly, his motherand a younger brother and sister. A good chance for a small, butsafe beginning, was seen by the uncle, which would require onlyabout a thousand dollars as an investment. In his opinion it wouldbe just the thing for Jacob and the nephew. Supposing that Jacob hadfour or five hundred dollars laid by, it was his intention, if heapproved of the thing, to furnish his nephew with a like sum, inorder to join him and to enter into business. But the acknowledgmentof Jacob that he had not saved a dollar, and that he kept no privateaccount, settled the matter in the merchant's mind, as far as he wasconcerned.
About a month afterward, Jacob met his employer's nephew, who said,
"I am going into business."
"You are?"
"Yes."
"What are you going to do?"
"Open a commission store."
"Ah! Can you get any good consignments?"
"I am to have the agency for a new mill, which has just commencedoperations, besides consignments of goods from several smallconcerns at the East."
"You will have to make advances."
"To no great extent. My uncle has secured the agency of the new millhere without any advance being required, and eight hundred or athousand dollars will be as much as I shall need to secure as manygoods as I can sell from the other establishments of which I speak."
"But where will the eight hundred or a thousand dollars come from?"
"My uncle has placed a thousand dollars at my disposal. Indeed, thewhole thing is the result of his recommendation."
"Your uncle! You are a lucky dog. I wish I had a rich uncle. Butthere is no such good fortune for me."
This was the conclusion of Jacob Jones, who made himself quiteunhappy for some weeks, brooding over the matter. He never oncedreamed of the real cause of his not having had an equal share inhis young friend's good fortune. He had not the most distant ideathat his employer felt nearly as much regard for him as for hisnephew, and would have promoted his interests as quickly, if he hadfelt justified in doing so.
"It's my luck, I suppose," was the final conclusion of his mind;"and it's no use to cry about it. Anyhow, it isn't every man with arich uncle, and a thousand dollars advanced, who succeeds inbusiness, nor every man who starts without capital that isunsuccessful. I understand as much about business as the old man'snephew, any day; and can get consignments as well as he can."
Three or four months after this, Jacob notified the merchant that hewas going to start for himself, and asked his interest as far as hecould give it, without interfering with his own business. Hisemployer did not speak very encouragingly about the matter, whichoffended Jacob.
"He's afraid I'll injure his nephew," said he to himself. "But heneedn't be uneasy--the world is wide enough for us all, the oldhunks!"
Jacob borrowed a couple of hundred dollars, took a store at fivehundred dollars a year rent, and employed a clerk and porter. Hethen sent his circulars to a number of manufactories at the East,announcing the fact of his having opened a new commission house, andsoliciting consignments. His next move was, to leave hisboarding-house, where he had been paying four dollars a week, andtake lodgings at a hotel at seven dollars a week.
Notwithstanding Jacob went regularly to the post-office twice everyday, few letters came to hand, and but few of them contained billsof lading and invoices. The result of the first year's business wasan income from commission on sales of seven hundred dollars. Againstthis were the items of one thousand dollars for personal expenses,five hundred dollars for store-rent, seven hundred dollars for clerkand porter, and for petty and contingent expenses two hundreddollars; leaving the uncomfortable deficit of seventeen hundreddollars, which stood against him in the form of bills payable forsales effected, and small notes of accommodation borrowed from hisfriends.
The result of the first year's business of his old employer's nephewwas very different. The gross profits were three thousand dollars,and the expenses as follows: personal expense, seven hundreddollars--just what the young man's salary had previously been, andout of which he supported his mother and her family--store rent,three hundred dollars; porter, two hundred and fifty; pettyexpenses, one hundred dollars--in all thirteen hundred and fiftydollars, leaving a net profit of sixteen hundred and fifty dollars.It will be seen that he did not go to the expense of a clerk duringthe first year. He preferred working a little harder, and keepinghis own books, by which an important saving was effected.
At the end of the second year, notwithstanding Jacob Jones'sbusiness more than doubled itself, he was compelled to wind up, andfound himself twenty-five hundred dollars worse than nothing.Several of his unpaid bills to eastern houses were placed in suit,and as he lived in a state where imprisonment for debt stillexisted, he was compelled to go through the forms required by theinsolvent laws, to keep clear of durance vile.
At the very period when he was driven under by adverse gales, hisyoung friend, who had gone into business about the same time, foundhimself under the necessity of employing a clerk. He offered Jones asalary of four hundred dollars, the most he believed himself yetjustified in paying. This was accepted, and Jacob found himself oncemore standing upon terra firma, although the portion upon whichhis feet rested was very small; still it was terra firma--and thatwas something.
The real causes of his ill success never for a moment occurred tothe mind of Jacob. He considered himself an "unlucky dog."
"Every thing that some people touch turns into money," he wouldsometimes say. "But I was not born under a lucky star."
Instead of rigidly bringing down his expenses, as he ought to havedone, to four hundred dollars, if he had to live in a garret andcook his own food, Jacob went back to his old boarding-house, andpaid four dollars a week. All his other expenses required at leasteight dollars more to meet them. He was perfectly aware that he wasliving beyond his income--the exact excess he did not stop toascertain--but he expected an increase of salary before long, as amatter of course, either in his present situation or in a new one.But no increase took place for two years, and then he was betweenthree and four hundred dollars in debt to tailors, boot-makers, hislandlady, and to sundry friends, to whom he applied for small sumsof money in cases of emergency.
One day, about this time, two men were conversing together quiteearnestly, as they walked leisurely along one of the principalstreets of the city where Jacob resided. One was past the prime oflife, and the other about twenty-two. They were father and son, andthe subject of conversation related to the wish of the latter toenter into business. The father did not think the young man waspossessed of sufficient knowledge of business or experience, andwas, therefore, desirous of associating some one with him who couldmake up these deficiencies. If he could find just the person thatpleased him, he was ready to advance capital and credit to an amountsomewhere within the neighbourhood of twenty thousand dollars. Forsome months he had been thinking of Jacob, who was a first-ratesalesman, had a good address, and was believed by him to possessbusiness habits eminently conducive to success. The fact that he hadonce failed was something of a drawback in his mind, but he hadasked Jacob the reason of his ill-success, which was so plausiblyexplained, that he considered the young man as simply unfortunate innot having capital, and nothing else.
"I think Mr. Jones just the right man for you," said the father, asthey walked along.
"I don't know of any one with whom I had rather form a businessconnection. He is a man of good address, business habits, and, asfar as I know, good principles."
"Suppose you mention the subject to him this afternoon."
This was agreed to. The two men then entered the shop of afashionable tailor, for the purpose of ordering some clothes. Whilethere, a man having the appearance of a collector came in, and drewthe tailor aside. The conversation was brief but earnest, andconcluded by the tailor's saying, so loud that he could be heard byall who were standing near,
"It's no use to waste your time with him any longer. Just hand overthe account to Simpson, and let him take care of it."
The collector turned away, and the tailor came back to hiscustomers.
"It is too bad," said he, "the way some of these young fellows doserve us. I have now several thousand dollars on my books againstclerks who receive salaries large enough to support them handsomely,and I can't collect a dollar of it. There is Jacob Jones, whoseaccount I have just ordered to be placed in the hands of a lawyer,he owes me nearly two hundred dollars, and I can't get a cent out ofhim. I call him little better than a scamp."
The father and son exchanged glances of significance, but saidnothing. The fate of Jacob Jones was sealed.
"If that is the case," said the father, as they stepped into thestreet, "the less we have to do with him the better."
To this the son assented. Another more prudent young man wasselected, whose fortune was made.
When Jacob received Lawyer Simpson's note, threatening a suit if thetailor's bill was not paid, he was greatly disturbed.
"Am I not the most unfortunate man in the world?" said he tohimself, by way of consolation. "After having paid him so muchmoney, to be served like this. It is too bad. But this is the way ofthe world. Let a poor devil once get a little under the weather,every one must have a kick at him."
In this dilemma poor Jacob had to call upon the tailor, and beg himfor further time. This was humiliating, especially as the tailor wasconsiderably out of humour, and disposed to be hard with him. Athreat to apply for the benefit of the insolvent law again, if asuit was pressed to an issue, finally induced the tailor to waivelegal proceedings for the present, and Jacob had the immediateterrors of the law taken from before his eyes.
This event set Jacob to thinking and calculating, which he had neverbefore deemed necessary in his private affairs. The result did notmake him feel any happier. To his astonishment, he ascertained thathe owed more than the whole of his next year's salary would pay,while that was not in itself sufficient to meet his currentexpenses.
For some weeks after this discovery of the real state of hisaffairs, Jacob was very unhappy. He applied for an increase ofsalary, and obtained one hundred dollars per annum. This wassomething, which was about all that could be said. If he could liveon four hundred dollars a year, which he had never yet been able todo, the addition to his salary would not pay his tailor's billwithin two years; and what was he to do with boot-maker, landlady,and others?
It happened about this time that a clerk in the bank where his oldemployer was director died. His salary was one thousand dollars. Forthe vacant place Jacob made immediate application, and was sofortunate as to secure it.
Under other circumstances, Jacob would have refused a salary offifteen hundred dollars in a bank against five hundred in acounting-room, and for the reason that a bank-clerk has little or nohope beyond his salary all his life, while a counting-house clerk,if he have any aptness for trade, stands a fair chance of gettinginto business sooner or later, and making his fortune as a merchant.But a debt of four hundred dollars hanging over his head was anargument in favour of a clerkship in the bank, at a salary of athousand dollars a year, not to be resisted.
"I'll keep it until I get even with the world again," he consoledhimself by saying, "and then I'll go back into a counting-room. I'vean ambition above being a bank-clerk all my life."
Painful experience had made Jacob a little wiser.
For the first time in his life he commenced keeping an account ofhis personal expenses. This acted as a salutary check upon his badhabit of spending money for every little thing that happened tostrike his fancy, and enabled him to clear off his whole debt withinthe first year. Unwisely, however, he had, during this time,promised to pay some old debts, from which the law had released him.The persons holding these claims, finding him in the receipt of ahigher salary, made an appeal to his honour, which, like an honestbut imprudent man, he responded to by a promise of payment as soonas it was in his power. But little time elapsed after these promiseswere made before he found himself in the hands of constables andmagistrates, and was only saved from imprisonment by getting friendsto go his bail for six and nine months. In order to secure them, hehad to give an order in advance for his salary. To get these burdensoff his shoulders, it took twelve months longer, and then he wasnearly thirty years of age.
"Thirty years old!" said he to himself on his thirtieth birth-day."Can it be possible? Long before this I ought to have been doing aflourishing business, and here I am, nothing but a bank-clerk, withthe prospect of never rising a step higher as long as I live. Idon't know how it is that some people get along so well in theworld. I'm sure I am as industrious, and can do business as well asany man; but here I am still at the point from which I startedtwenty years ago. I can't understand it. I'm afraid there's more inluck than I'm willing to believe."
From this time Jacob set himself to work to obtain a situation insome store or counting-room, and finally, after looking about fornearly a year, was fortunate enough to obtain a good place, asbookkeeper and salesman, with a wholesale grocer and commissionmerchant. Seven hundred dollars was to be his salary. His friendscalled him a fool for giving up an easy place at one thousanddollars a year, for a hard one at seven hundred. But the act was amuch wiser one than many others of his life.
Instead of saving money during the third year of his receipt of onethousand dollars, he spent the whole of his salary, without payingoff a single old debt. His private account-keeping had continuedthrough a year and a half. After that it was abandoned. Had it beencontinued, it might have saved him three or four hundred dollars,which were now all gone, and nothing to show for them. Poor Jacob!Experience did not make him much wiser.
Two years passed, and at least half a dozen young men, here andthere around our friend Jacob, went into business, either aspartners in some old houses or under the auspices of relatives orinterested friends. But there appeared no opening for him.
He did not know, that, many times during that period, he had beenthe subject of conversation between parties, one or both of whichwere looking out for a man, of thorough business qualifications,against which capital would be placed; nor the fact, that either hisfirst failure, his improvidence, or something else personal tohimself, had caused him to be set aside for some other one not nearso capable.
He was lamenting his ill-luck one day, when a young man with whom hewas very well acquainted, and who was clerk in a neighbouring store,called in and said he wanted to have some talk with him about amatter of interest to both.
"First of all, Mr. Jones," said the young man, after they werealone, "how much capital could you raise by a strong effort?"
"I am sure I don't know," replied Jacob, not in a very cheerfultone. "I never was lucky in having friends ready to assist me."
"Well! perhaps there will be no need of that. You have had a goodsalary for four or five years; how much have you saved? Enough,probably, to answer every purpose--that is, if you are willing tojoin me in taking advantage of one of the best openings for businessthat has offered for a long time. I have a thousand dollars in theSavings Bank. You have as much, or more, I presume?"
"I am sorry to say I have not," was poor Jacob's reply, in adesponding voice. "I was unfortunate in business some years ago, andmy old debts have drained away from me every dollar I could earn."
"Indeed! that is unfortunate. I was in hopes you could furnish athousand dollars."
"I might borrow it, perhaps, if the chance is a very good one."
"Well, if you could do that, it would be as well, I suppose,"returned the young man. "But you must see about it immediately. Ifyou cannot join me at once, I must find one who will, for the chanceis too good to be lost."
Jacob got a full statement of the business proposed, its nature andprospects, and then laid the matter before the three merchants withwhom he had at different times lived in the capacity of clerk, andbegged them to advance him the required capital. The subject wastaken up by them and seriously considered. They all liked Jacob, andfelt willing to promote his interests, but had little or noconfidence in his ultimate success, on account of his want ofeconomy in personal matters. It was very justly remarked by one ofthem, that this want of economy, and judicious use of money inpersonal matters, would go with him in business, and mar all hisprospects. Still, as they had great confidence in the other man,they agreed to advance, jointly, the sum needed.
In the mean time, the young man who had made the proposition toJacob, when he learned that he had once failed in business, wasstill in debt, and liable to have claims pushed against him, (thishe inferred from Jacob's having stretched the truth, by saying thathis old debts drained away from him every dollar, when the fact washe was freed from them by the provisions of the insolvent law of theState,) came to the conclusion that a business connection with himwas a thing to be avoided rather than sought after. He accordinglyturned his thoughts in another quarter, and when Jones called toinform him that he had raised the capital needed, he was coolly toldthat it was too late, he having an hour before closed a partnershiparrangement with another person, under the belief that Jones couldnot advance the money required.
This was a bitter disappointment, and soured the mind of Jacobagainst his fellow man, and against the fates also, which he allegedwere all combined against him. His own share in the matter was athing undreamed of. He believed himself far better qualified forbusiness than the one who had been preferred before him, and he hadthe thousand dollars to advance. It must be his luck that wasagainst him, nothing else; he could come to no other conclusion.Other people could get along in the world, but he couldn't. That wasthe great mystery of his life.
For two years Jacob had been waiting to get married. He had notwished to take this step before entering into business, and having afair prospect before him. But years were creeping on him apace, andthe fair object of his affections seemed weary of delay.
"It's no use to wait any longer," said he, after this dashing of hiscup to the earth. "Luck is against me. I shall never be any thingbut a poor devil of a clerk. If Clara is willing to share my humblelot, we might as well be married first as last."
Clara was not unwilling, and Jacob Jones entered into the estateconnubial, and took upon him the cares of a family, with a salary ofseven hundred dollars a year, to sustain the new order of things.Instead of taking cheap boarding, or renting a couple of rooms, andcommencing housekeeping in a small way, Jacob saw but one coursebefore him, and that was to rent a genteel house, go in debt forgenteel furniture, and keep two servants. Two years were the longestthat he could bear up under this state of things, when he was soldout by the sheriff, and forced "to go through the mill again," astaking the benefit of the insolvent law was facetiously called inthe State where he resided.
"Poor fellow! he has a hard time of it. I wonder why it is that hegets along so badly. He is an industrious man and regular in hishabits. It is strange. But some men seem born to ill-luck."
So said some of his pitying friends. Others understood the matterbetter.
Ten years have passed, and Jacob is still a clerk, but not in astore. Hopeless of getting into business, he applied for a vacancythat occurred in an insurance company, and received the appointment,which he still holds at a salary of twelve hundred dollars a year.After being sold out three times by the sheriff, and having the deepmortification of seeing her husband brought down to the humiliatingnecessity of applying as often for the benefit of the insolvent law,Mrs. Jones took affairs, by consent of her husband, into her ownhands, and managed them with such prudence and economy, that,notwithstanding they have five children, the expenses, all told, arenot over eight hundred dollars a year, and half of the surplus, fourhundred dollars, is appropriated to the liquidation of debtscontracted since their marriage, and the other half deposited in theSavings Bank, as a fund for the education of their children in thehigher branches, when they reach a more advanced age.
To this day it is a matter of wonder to Jacob Jones why he couldnever get along in the world like some people; and he has come tothe settled conviction that it is his "luck."
THE END.
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