Retiring from Business CHAPTER 10.
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SOME OF THE FRUITS.
The reader will not be surprised to hear that in all these agricultural experiments, Edwin took but little interest. Far more of his time was spent in hunting and fishing than in studying into the mysteries of corn and potatoes. We doubt very much if at the end of the season he knew whether wheat were planted in the autumn or spring, or whether potatoes were propagated from seed or the tubers. But in matters of woodcock and pheasant, bass and trout, he was becoming an authority.
Emancipated from the slavery of a counting room, he felt a high sense of freedom, and enjoyed the new life that had opened before him with a keen relish. Mr. Franklin, from the very habit of his mind, entered into everything appertaining to the farm, and left Edwin but little to do; and that little was of but trifling importance. Sometimes when he happened to get a few new ideas, and happened at the same time to be communicative, he would give his son a lecture on agricultural chemistry or physiology, which was understood about as well as if spoken in Hindoostanee. The next hour would find the young man buried in the Mysteries of Eugene Scrivner, Dumas, or some other French novelist of like attractions; or, with his gun on his shoulder, making his way with light footsteps towards the fields and woods.
As for companionship, Edwin enjoyed nearly as much of that as he did while residing in the city. His gunning and fishing expeditions were not conducted on the solitary principle. Scarcely a week passed that some young friend from New York did not come over and spend a day or two with him, and scarcely as long a period went by without his managing, on some pretense or other, to pass a night or two in the city. Florence, likewise, had her congenial visitors, and nearly as often as Edwin enjoyed an evening in New York. The pretext for these city visits was, usually, the pleasure of an attendance at some concert given by a musical star, or the enjoyment of some other attraction. Mrs. Franklin never gave her consent for Florence to go on these occasions, except on the stipulation that Edwin should accompany her to the theater, concert room, or other place of public amusement. Little did the mother, so solicitous and so fearful in regard to her children, imagine, that by mutual consent, both Edwin and Florence separated as soon as they reached the city, and only met at the time appointed for return. Florence went to the house of some one or other of the young ladies who reciprocated her visits, and her brother went among those congenial to his taste and feelings. Usually, the morning found him with all the sad evidences of a night's dissipation too plainly visible to any attentive eye.
And thus the summer passed away, Mr. Franklin too deeply absorbed in his model farming operations to have any eyes for the rank weeds that were springing up thickly over the ground of his son's mind, and threatening to choke every good plant whose leaves were vainly trying to lift themselves up into the pure light and free air. The mother was not blind. She saw the evil in a part of its fearful magnitude; but, though she often alluded to it, she could not arouse her husband to a sense of the real danger.
"I know it is not good," he would say. "A young man like Edwin should not have so much idle time on his hands. But we must hope for the best. I will soon find plenty for him to do."
And thus he would put her off, and hide from his own mind the real aspect of things.
But evil weeds, though so feeble when they first spring up, that a child may pull them from the soil — soon push their roots deep into the earth and spread forth their deforming branches seemingly in a single day, to be seen and known by all. And so it is with evil principles when they enter the mind. If met in their incipiency, and thoroughly eradicated by a judicious application of the right means, and good seed planted and well-cultured at the same time, they will remain inert and harmless. But, left to themselves, they will quicken into life, and take entire possession of the soil to the destruction of its better products.
In due time, even Mr. Franklin saw that weeds, instead of healthy plants, had overgrown the garden of Edwin's mind; and when he put his hand upon them to draw them from the soil which they burdened and deformed, alas! he found the roots too deeply imbedded; he swept his hand among them vigorously, and the spreading branches fell on all sides; but in falling, they cast their millions of seed into the ground, while their roots still remained, to shoot forth under the warming sun, and fertilizing rain. It was too late now.
While at Saratoga, evil seed fell into a rich and mellow soil, and the germination had been quick. But Mr. Franklin did not fully comprehend the danger that existed. He imagined that there had been some slight imprudence; but he did not dream, that the money spent so freely, had been lost among his young associates at gambling. But it was even so. He had lost over fifty dollars to one of his young companions, and then, in the hope of recovering himself, had staked his due-bill for fifty more, and lost again. It was to pay this "debt of honor," that he was so anxious to get fifty dollars from his father, before leaving Saratoga. For reasons sufficiently conclusive to himself, Mr. Franklin did not furnish the sum desired. The debt was, a few months afterwards, paid by Edwin. His failure to meet it at once, however, subjected him to an insult, that his hot blood could but ill brook, and came near causing a serious fight with the "honorable young gentleman" of twenty, who had played his cards so skillfully.
This trip to the Springs brought Edwin into an association with young men of a different stamp from any he had before met, and he was just weak-minded enough to be led captive by the boldness of their folly. Aping the fashionable vices of those who were older, they were vain enough to imagine that smoking, drinking, and playing cards, were manlyaccomplishments.
If Mr. Franklin had been in business at this time, he would not, in all probability, have taken his family to this fashionable watering place. But even if he had gone, on his return he would have had the means in his hands of guarding his son, to a great extent, from the dangers that now lay in his path. Having declined the study of law, he would have taken him immediately into his own establishment, and thus given him a chance to acquire a knowledge of business, with the encouraging prospect in his mind, of a profitable interest in that business, so soon as he reached his twenty-first year. But this, under the circumstances, could not be done, and Edwin was placed in a store where he became associated with young men, who soon drew him away from the path of safety. The daily useful work in which he was engaged, and the respect and deference that he naturally paid to his employers, had a restraining influence. But the moment he was set free, and for the first time in his life, impressed with the idea that he could do pretty much as he pleased; that he was, in fact, his own man — the dangers that had before hovered around him, became imminent. The mother felt this, but the father was too much interested in his new employment, to be able to think as seriously about his son, as the nature of the case demanded.
But sober action brought the mind of Mr. Franklin into a more reflective state. No longer so much absorbed in his agricultural doings, as to be unable to think about anything else, he became aware, among other unpleasant things, that Edwin was going fast astray. His appearance had changed very much in a few months, and he bore too plainly the marks of evil indulgence. Besides, his demands for money were so frequent, as to make it necessary at times to refuse his applications. When this was done, he generally exhibited a good deal of indignation, and sometimes went off to the city and remained away from home two or three days.
A request for seventy dollars, which came soon after Mr. Franklin's rupture with his overseer, and at a time when he was in a most dissatisfied state of mind, was the occasion of turning the father's thoughts more intently upon his son.
"Seventy, did you say?" inquired Mr. Franklin, in not a very mild tone of voice.
"Yes sir," replied Edwin.
"You spend a good deal of money for a young man whose bills for necessary articles are all paid," remarked Mr. Franklin, looking serious. "I have before said that I disapproved such prodigality; and have before done what I must do now, refuse to supply your demand. If I am not in error, you have spent four or five hundred dollars since we have been in the country — when a hundred ought fully to have satisfied you. I am afraid everything is not right. It doesn't look well."
"You are very suspicious!" replied Edwin, speaking in a tone of voice that his father felt to be insulting, and which caused an indignant rush of blood through his veins.
"Don't forget yourself, young man," said Mr. Franklin, sternly.
"I hope I shall never do that," was coolly answered, a toss of the head at the same time indicating the degree of respect felt by the son for his father.
Mr. Franklin was not very well prepared for anything like this. Even undue familiarity he had always been quick to repress in his children. Insult and contempt, so plainly exhibited as to leave no room for mistake, threw his mind into an excitement that destroyed all rational self-control.
"Leave my presence, instantly!" he exclaimed, stamping his foot upon the floor.
Edwin turned from him and left the house. A little while after, he was seen riding towards the city on horseback. Mr. Franklin was painfully disturbed.
"Has it come to this?" he said to himself, bitterly, as he leaned his head down upon his hands. "Has it indeed come to this! Not yet twenty years of age — and so far advanced on the road to ruin!"
Mr. Franklin avoided saying anything to his wife about what had just occurred. That could do no good, he reasoned, and would only make her unhappy. As for himself, from the moment of that interview, his peace of mind was gone. Edwin had exhibited disappointment and anger at previous denials, but he had never before shown a spirit like this. He had never before ventured upon insult!
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