Retiring from Business CHAPTER 15.
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A NEW ENTERPRISE.
Months elapsed, but there came not a word of tidings from Edwin. The bills to which he had forged his father's name, amounting to ten thousand dollars, were cashed the same as if they had presented a genuine signature. Few understood that a crime had been committed, and a heavy loss sustained in order that it might be concealed.
Clarke & Ashwell, the gentlemen who had purchased Mr. Franklin's manufactory, had been permitted by the creditors to continue in business under an extension of two and three years, they giving their notes without endorsement, for fifty cents on the dollar, of the claims held against them. This made a certain loss to Mr. Franklin of ten thousand dollars more, besides putting the ten thousand to be paid by Clarke & Ashwell, in an exceedingly doubtful position.
Early in the ensuing spring, the model farm was sold for eighteen thousand dollars; seven thousand less than it had cost originally, to say nothing of what Mr. Franklin had expended in improvements and experimental farming. This latter outlay, had been nearly five thousand dollars. Added to all this, came a loss of twelve thousand dollars invested in the stock of some railroad or steamboat company, the directors of which wasted the entire capital, without effecting the objects for which the company had been chartered.
Thus, in his agricultural experiments, from losses in the sale of his manufactory, and from other causes just stated, one half of Mr. Franklin's handsome fortune had been lost in a little less than two years; while a third of what remained, was in Pennsylvania stocks, upon which the payment of interest was suspended until the State could have time to replenish her exhausted coffers. But a little over thirty thousand dollars of productive property remained, and the income from this was not more than sufficient to meet one half of his expenses.
What a change had two years wrought in everything that concerned the retired gentleman! Property had passed from his hands so suddenly and in so unexpected a way, that no time for prudent anticipation of the result was given. His children had gone astray — one of them, he feared, hopelessly. The health of his wife, under the painful affliction she had suffered, was sadly broken; and his head, in which few lines of silver lay when, in the vigor of manhood, he sought ease and retirement — was so marked with white, that every old acquaintance whom he chanced to meet, observed it. And the home — how sadly was that changed! Once, every evening was a pleasant reunion. Now, the members sat silent when they met; or, with an oppressive sense of disquietude, passed hours in the solitude of their own rooms.
Florence remained in the family, now permanently removed to the city. The true character of her husband showed itself more and more plainly from the first. He had married her from the basest of motives, and had used gross deception in order to obtain her hand. It was not possible for him long to hide from the family of his wife, the real quality of his mind. He was thoroughly unprincipled and selfish, and this none could help seeing. Mr. Franklin only tolerated him from a kind of necessity. Immediately upon the fact of his having married Florence becoming known, there were enough to inform the father of his character, and thus confirm all his worst suspicions.
Only a few months rolled away before Florence had evidence, not to be mistaken, of the sad truth, that her husband was not all he had pretended to be — and evidence of a still sadder truth, that he had never loved her with the deep devotion so long and tenderly avowed. Coldness and neglect followed quickly on his discovering that Mr. Franklin was not worth one dollar — where he had supposed him worth five; and that there was but little hope for him, even in what he did possess. His eagerness to get money through Florence, on one pretense and another, in due time made it apparent to her eyes that he had deceived her in regard to his wealth; and the fact that he talked no more of his family in the South, and never received letters from them, made it very doubtful to her mind if he had any relatives there whatever.
Still LeGrand, for very shame, kept up a certain appearance in the family of Mr. Franklin. He had been deceived; or rather, he had deceived himself. He had entered into amarriage speculation, certain of the highest success; but the speculation, considering the character of his anticipations, had turned out a failure. He was united for life to a young and silly girl, with whom his mind found no companionship; and the connection brought none of the external advantages, without which it could not be anything but intolerable. In order to supply himself with the means of self-indulgence, he found it necessary to pursue still his old trade, and this, with other causes, took him from home frequently, and prolonged his absence, when away, sometimes, for weeks.
To his absence, neither the father nor mother of Florence had any objection, for his presence to them grew every day more and more intolerable. But Florence, even though she felt that he did not love her truly, looked even with anxious hope for his return.
LeGrand had not yet made any direct application to Mr. Franklin for money. During the first few months, he had contented himself with ascertaining, as nearly as possible, the precise extent of his wealth, and calculating the chances in favor of his obtaining a liberal supply of cash for his own purposes. But after the lapse of six or eight months, he thought it time to make an effort to reap the advantages, if any were to come from his marriage. The occasion of putting this determination into practice, was one calculated to modify very greatly the feelings of Mr. Franklin.
By some accident LeGrand, while on a short professional tour at the South, discovered that Edwin was in Mobile. He immediately sought him out, made known the relation which he bore to him, and used such arguments and persuasions as finally induced the young man, who was acting as a sort of stool pigeon to a noted gambler, and who was by this time, heartily sick of the life he was leading, to return home. Immediately LeGrand wrote to the father of Edwin, and magnified to the utmost extent the trouble he had taken, at the same time that he pictured most vividly, the condition in which he had found the young man.
Naturally Mr. Franklin was grateful, and when LeGrand returned with his long wandering but now repentant son, it is not astonishing that there should be a considerable change in his feelings. He looked upon LeGrand as a benefactor; and in this new light he could see, or imagined he could see, higher and more generous traits of character in the young man, than he had before believed him to possess.
LeGrand was quick to perceive the impression he had made, and he understood very well how to take advantage of it. No one, not even the father, could be more watchful over the repentant Edwin, who, having tasted some of the bitter fruits of evil, was little inclined for a second meal of the same. He was home a great deal, and made all possible efforts to win good opinions from every member of the family.
After awhile, LeGrand began to talk about the necessity of Edwin's being in some business. All agreed in this. Then, at a fitting moment, he mentioned the fact, that he had been for five years in an exchange broker's office, and was thoroughly acquainted with the business. By well directed approaches he got Mr. Franklin to feel an interest in the subject of money and stock exchanges; and related numerous instances of fortunes having been made in an almost incredible space of time. Finally, when he saw his way clear, he suggested to Mr. Franklin, the propriety of putting him and Edwin in the business.
The losses which Mr. Franklin had sustained, produced two effects. It made his mind less clear by disturbing it, and created a desire to recover himself, by some shorter waythan he had at first arisen to wealth. He was, therefore, prepared to listen to LeGrand 's representations, and to ponder them seriously.
"How much capital will it take?" he at last inquired of his son-in-law.
"Ten thousand dollars will be ample," was the prompt answer.
"Would twenty thousand double the profit of the business?" further asked Mr. Franklin of his son-in-law.
"It would triple it," was answered as promptly.
"You are certain of that?" said Mr. Franklin.
"We cannot be absolutely certain of anything. But such is the relation between capital and profit in this business. The heavier the capital — the larger the productive ratio. But ten thousand dollars is, perhaps, as large a cash capital as it would be prudent to operate with at first. As we grow familiar with the business as it now stands, more might be brought in and used as occasion offered.
LeGrand gained his object. Mr. Franklin advanced the capital for to place Edwin and his son-in-law in business, on condition that he was to have a third interest for the use of his capital, and to be an irresponsible and unavowed partner in the concern.
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