Retiring from Business CHAPTER 18.
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Into Business, and Again Useful And Happy.
Less than five years had elapsed, since Mr. Franklin retired from business, possessing a fortune of over a hundred thousand dollars.
He was now a poor man, and what was worse, utterly spiritless and despondent. The moment he understood that he was totally ruined in fortune, his hands fell listlessly by his side, and there they continued to hang.
Poor Florence! With the rest of the family, there had come to her a restoration of confidence in LeGrand. He had changed much since business proved successful; and as her mind matured into womanly strength, it fixed itself with a deeper affection upon him, as her husband. The birth of a child, threw a new and stronger chord around her heart, and bound her to the father of her babe with a purer love than she had ever known.
And the mother of Florence. She, too, had felt the reviving sunshine. A happier prospect for the children, who had strayed from the right way, was opening. The clouds which had threatened to break in desolation upon their heads, had passed over — and a blessing of promise was in the sky.
Upon all this love, and hope, and fond anticipation for the future, came a blasting shock. On Florence, who had grown older, and could realize, in its fullest extent, the calamity that had fallen upon them — its effects were of the saddest kind. For a short period, her reason yielded beneath the pressure of grief; and when her mind grew clearer again, she sunk into a melancholy state, from which no efforts could for a time arouse her. The mother, too, gave way for a while to despondent feelings; but the conduct of Edwin soon brought back her mind to a healthier state, and she nerved herself for the new duties that new circumstances had brought.
The spectacle that his father presented, after the full extent of the wrong they had suffered from LeGrand was known, touched the heart of Edwin, and filled him with a desire to sustain the family, if possible, by his own unaided efforts. He comprehended to some extent, the terrible disappointment he had suffered in the loss of his property; and the sight of his drooping form, and fixed, almost passionless face — as if all hope in the world were gone from his heart, affected him deeply.
After the affairs of the late business were settled, one of the creditors, who had observed the young man closely during the progress of the trying scenes through which he was obliged to pass, saw that he possessed not only a good knowledge of money, but was quick and intelligent. Being in need of just such a person, he offered him a situation in his office at a salary of eight hundred dollars, which Edwin gladly accepted.
The humbled and spiritless family had retired from their elegant home, into a part of a small house, where it might almost be said, as literally true, they shrank together in silence and tears. Their only income was Edwin's salary, and this the young man faithfully devoted to their support. To the heart of the mother, such a change in her son from what he had been two years' before, was like dew to the parched ground, and it strengthened her to bear the many burdens now laid upon her.
"If this were needed to save him," she said to herself, while reflecting on the subject, "then I welcome the loss as a blessing."
Such being her feelings, Mrs. Franklin was not long in rising into something like a cheerful state of mind, though all around her was so sadly changed.
Six or eight months elapsed, before the prostrate mind of Mr. Franklin began to rally. The burden of supporting the whole family was upon Edwin, and one day when the mother alluded to this fact, Mr. Franklin said,
"He is a good boy. But it isn't right to let all rest upon his shoulders. I can yet do something. My mind is still clear and my health unbroken; I ought not to be idle. No man can be happy in idleness. Oh! If I had comprehended this five years ago."
There was an instant glow in the heart of Mrs. Franklin. Her husband was coming back into a more healthy state, and she felt that all might yet be well with them.
"If all were to do something, his burden would be lighter," returned Mrs. Franklin. "One should not be made to sustain the whole."
Mr. Franklin said nothing in answer to this; but his thoughts took a new direction.
A few days afterwards, an old business acquaintance met him on the street. Mr. Franklin was about passing on, but the man stopped him.
"What are you doing now?" was almost the first inquiry.
"Nothing," replied Mr. Franklin. "Nothing!" said the old acquaintance, in a tone of surprise. "A man who has nothing to do, cannot be happy!"
"I am not happy," was replied with more feeling than Mr. Franklin intended to exhibit.
"You were one of Clarke & Ashwell's creditors?"
"Yes. But they won't pay anything. I joined in the extension and reduction granted them; but even the first payments under this arrangement, have not been made."
"Do you still hold their paper?"
"Oh yes. But it is not worth a penny."
"I am not so certain of that. I saw Clarke only this morning, and he spoke of you."
"Of me? What had he to say of me?"
"Why, for one thing, that it was a great pity you, who understood the business so well, and was conducting it so successfully, should ever have given it up."
"We agree in that view," replied Mr. Franklin. "It was the greatest folly I ever committed; and severely have I been punished for it."
"He said, moreover, that he and his partner had determined to abandon it; and are now preparing to call another meeting of creditors, in order to resign everything into their hands."
"Ah?"
"Yes. And he said, further, that if you had not parted with your claim against the firm, it was, in his opinion, the best thing the creditors could do to place the whole establishment in your hands, at a fair valuation, and let your claim of ten thousand dollars go cent per cent in part payment; and I as one of the creditors, fully approve the suggestion. You canrestore the business, because you understand it; and, besides saving your debt of ten thousand dollars, pay the other claimants a great deal more than they would otherwise receive."
A proposition so unexpected, bewildered the mind of Mr. Franklin, when first made.
"Are you agreed to such an arrangement?" said the man.
"It would be strange if I were not," replied Mr. Franklin. "But you will not find the other creditors as ready as you to make it."
"It would be strange if they were not," was answered with a smile. "But leave that to me. Just say that you are willing to take hold of the business again upon the best terms that can be made for you, and I will push through an arrangement that will be satisfactory to all parties."
"You can depend upon me," said Mr. Franklin, with a brightening face. "Give me back my old establishment, and I will be a happy man again!"
"And a useful man. Very well. In a week or two, I hope to see you at work again, and in a fair way of retrieving your fallen fortunes."
"That I have no expectation of doing. A man who, at my age, loses his property, rarely recovers it again. But it will give me the ability to make my family comfortable. Beyond that, my desires at present, do not go very far."
Almost like a dream passed the events of the next two or three weeks. The creditors of Clarke & Ashwell met, and without a dissenting voice, agreed to the proposition made in regard to Mr. Franklin. The establishment was valued at a certain price, and sold to its former owner on easy terms, the claim he still had being admitted in part payment.
How changed, soon, became everything about Mr. Franklin and his family. Once more engaged in a useful employment, the countenance of the former lost in a short time, its drooping, troubled aspect. The returns of his labor were not, at first, very great, for the whole business had been sadly run down, and all the machinery and appliances of the establishment were in disorder. Many expenses not anticipated, had to be incurred, which took all the profits that were for some time made. But the mind of Mr. Franklin was so much interested in what he was doing, and he saw so clearly a prosperous result of his labor, that these draw-backs brought no discouragement.
At the end of a year, he was able to pay the first installment of purchase money, as agreed upon, and to remove his family into a more comfortable home. Before the end of another year, the second payment was anticipated, and the business had so grown upon his hands, that he found the service of a clerk necessary, and took his son James, now in his eighteenth year, into the establishment. Edwin had given so much satisfaction to his employer, that about the same time he was offered an interest in the business. Under the advice of his father, the offer was accepted.
Slowly but steadily, the family, through useful industry, rose again into the enjoyment of all the true comforts that wealth can bring. Time gradually brought back to Florence, that peace of mind to which she had long remained a stranger. As her mind grew calm and clear once more, she was able to extinguish the regard she had once felt for a man whose base heart possessed no quality that a woman could love. Towards her child, a beautiful boy, she turned the whole current of her affections, and love here met an adequate return. LeGrand never came back to trouble her.
Mr. Franklin is still pursuing his business with ardor and success, which is rapidly growing under his hands. He is once more a useful and happy man; and while strength of mind and body are given, will never think of retiring. A remembrance of the unhappy period in which he sought rest from labor, will ever remain too vivid in his recollection to leave him in danger of again committing that folly.
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