The Cash Boy

JOHN WADE

A tall man, with a sallow complexion, and heavily-bearded face, stood on the deck of a Cunard steamer, only a few miles distant from New York harbor.

“It’s three years since I have seen America,” he said to himself, thoughtfully.  “I suppose I ought to feel a patriotic fervor about setting foot once more on my native shore, but I don’t believe in nonsense.  I would be content to live in Europe all my life, if my uncle’s fortune were once in my possession.  I am his sole heir, but he persists in holding on to his money bags, and limits me to a paltry three thousand a year.  I must see if I can’t induce him to give me a good, round sum on account—­fifty thousand, at least—­and then I can wait a little more patiently till he drops off.”

“When shall we reach port, captain?” he asked, as he passed that officer.

“In four hours, I think, Mr. Wade.”

“So this is my birthday,” he said to himself.

“Thirty five years old to-day.  Half my life gone, and I am still a dependent on my uncle’s bounty.  Suppose he should throw me off—­leave me out in the cold—­where should I be?  If he should find the boy—­but no, there is no chance of that.  I have taken good care of that.  By the way, I must look him up soon—­cautiously, of course—­and see what has become of him.  He will grow up a laborer or mechanic and die without a knowledge of his birth, while I fill his place and enjoy his inheritance.”

At six o’clock the vessel reached the Quarantine.  Most of the passengers decided to remain on board one night more, but John Wade was impatient, and, leaving his trunks, obtained a small boat, and soon touched the shore.

It was nearly eight when John Wade landed in the city.  It was half-past eight when he stood on the steps of his uncle’s residence and rang the bell.

“Is my uncle is Mr. Wharton—­at home?” he asked of the servant who answered the bell.

“Yes, sir.”

“I am his nephew, just arrived from Europe.  Let him know that I am here, and would like to see him.”

The servant, who had never before seen him, having only been six months in the house, regarded him with a great deal of curiosity, and then went to do his biding.

“My nephew arrived!” exclaimed Mr. Wharton, in surprise.  “Why, he never let me know he was coming.”

“Will you see him, sir?”

“To be sure!  Bring him in at once.”

“My dear uncle!” exclaimed John Wade, with effusion, for he was a polite man, and could act when it suited his interests to do so, “I am glad to see you.  How is your health?”

“I am getting older every day, John.”

“You don’t look a day older, sir,” said John, who did not believe what he said, for he could plainly see that his uncle had grown older since he last saw him.

“You think so, John, but I feel it.  Your coming is a surprise.  You did not write that you intended sailing.”

“I formed the determination very suddenly, sir.”

“Were you tired of Europe?”

“No; but I wanted to see you, sir.”

“Thank you, John,” said his uncle, pressing his nephew’s hand.  “I am glad you think so much of me.  Did you have a pleasant voyage?”

“Rather rough, sir.”

“You have had no supper, of course?  If you will ring the bell, the housekeeper will see that some is got ready for you.”

“Is Mrs. Bradley still in your employ, uncle?”

“Yes, John.  I am so used to her that I shouldn’t know how to get along without her.”

Hitherto John Wade had been so occupied with his uncle that he had not observed Frank.  But at this moment our hero coughed, involuntarily, and John Wade looked at him.  He seemed to be singularly affected.  He started perceptibly, and his sallow face blanched, as his eager eyes were fixed on the boy’s face.

“Good heavens!” he muttered to himself.  “Who is that boy?  How comes he here?”

Frank noticed his intent gaze, and wondered at it, but Mr. Wharton’s eyesight was defective, and he did not perceive his nephew’s excitement.

“I see you have a young visitor, uncle,” said John Wade.

“Oh, yes,” said Mr. Wharton, with a kindly smile.  “He spends all his evenings with me.”

“What do you mean, sir?” demanded John Wade, with sudden suspicion and fear.  “He seems very young company for——­”

“For a man of my years,” said Mr. Wharton, finishing the sentence.  “You are right, John.  But, you see, my eyes are weak, and I cannot use them for reading in the evening, so it occurred to me to engage a reader.”

“Very true,” said his nephew.  He wished to inquire the name of the boy whose appearance had so powerfully impressed him but he determined not to do so at present.  What information he sought he preferred to obtain from the housekeeper.

“He seemed surprised, as if he had seen me some where before, and recognized me,” thought Frank, “but I don’t remember him.  If I had seen his face before, I think I should remember it.”

“Don’t come out, uncle.” said John Wade, when summoned to tea by the housekeeper.  “Mrs. Bradley and I are going to have a chat by ourselves, and I will soon return.”

“You are looking thin, Mr. John,” said Mrs Bradley.

“Am I thinner than usual?  I never was very corpulent, you know.  How is my uncle’s health?  He says he is well.”

“He is pretty well, but he isn’t as young as he was.”

“I think he looks older,” said John.  “But that is not surprising—­at his age.  He is seventy, isn’t he?”

“Not quite.  He is sixty-nine.”

“His father died at seventy-one.”

“Yes.”

“But that is no reason why my uncle should not live till eighty.  I hope he will.”

“We all hope so,” said the housekeeper; but she knew, while she spoke, that if, as she supposed, Mr. Wharton’s will contained a generous legacy for her, his death would not afflict her much.  She suspected also that John Wade was waiting impatiently for his uncle’s death, that he might enter upon his inheritance.  Still, their little social fictions must be kept up, and so both expressed a desire for his continued life, though neither was deceived as to the other’s real feeling on the subject.

“By the way, Mrs. Bradley,” said John Wade, “how came my uncle to engage that boy to read to him?”

“He was led into it, sir,” said the housekeeper, with a great deal of indignation, “by the boy himself.  He’s an artful and designing fellow, you may rely upon it.”

“What’s his name?”

“Frank Fowler.”

“Fowler!  Is his name Fowler?” he repeated, with a startled expression.

“Yes, sir,” answered the housekeeper, rather surprised at his manner.  “You don’t know anything about him, do you?”

“Oh, no,” said John Wade, recovering his composure.  “He is a perfect stranger to me; but I once knew a man of that name, and a precious rascal he was.  When you mentioned his name, I thought he might be a son of this man.  Does he say his father is alive?”

“No; he is dead, and his mother, too, so the boy says.”

“You haven’t told me how my uncle fell in with him?”

“It was an accident.  Your uncle fell in getting out of a Broadway stage, and this boy happened to be near, and seeing Mr. Wharton was a rich gentleman, he helped him home, and was invited in.  Then he told some story about his poverty, and so worked upon your uncle’s feelings that he hired him to read to him at five dollars a week.”

“Is this all the boy does?”

“No; he is cash-boy in a large store on Broadway.  He is employed there all day, and he is here only in the evenings.”

“Does my uncle seem attached to him?” asked John.

“He’s getting fond of him, I should say.  The other day he asked me if I didn’t think it would be a good thing to take him into the house and give him a room.  I suppose the boy put it into his head.”

“No doubt.  What did you say?”

“I opposed it.  I told him that a boy would be a great deal of trouble in the family.”

“You did right, Mrs. Bradley.  What did my uncle say?”

“He hinted about taking him from the store and letting him go to school.  The next thing would be his adopting him.  The fact is, Mr. John, the boy is so artful that he knows just how to manage your uncle.  No doubt he put the idea into Mr. Wharton’s head, and he may do it yet.”

“Does my uncle give any reason for the fancy he has taken to the boy?” demanded John.

“Yes,” said the housekeeper.  “He has taken it into his head that the boy resembles your cousin, George, who died abroad.  You were with him, I believe?”

“Yes, I was with him.  Is the resemblance strong?  I took very little notice of him.”

“You can look for yourself when you go back,” answered the housekeeper.

“What else did my uncle say?  Tell me all.”

“He said:  ’What would I give, Mrs. Bradley, if I had such a grandson?  If George’s boy had lived, he would have been about Frank’s age.  And,” continued the housekeeper, “I might as well speak plainly.  You’re my master’s heir, or ought to be; but if this artful boy stays here long, there’s no knowing what your uncle may be influenced to do.  If he gets into his dotage, he may come to adopt him, and leave the property away from you.”

“I believe you are quite right.  The danger exists, and we must guard against it.  I see you don’t like the boy,” said John Wade.

“No, I don’t.  He’s separated your uncle and me.  Before he came, I used to spend my evenings in the library, and read to your uncle.  Besides, when I found your uncle wanted a reader, I asked him to take my nephew, who is a salesman in the very same store where that boy is a cash-boy, but although I’ve been twenty years in this house I could not get him to grant the favor, which he granted to that boy, whom he never met till a few weeks ago.”

“Mrs. Bradley, I sympathize with you,” said her companion.  “The boy is evidently working against us both.  You have been twenty years in my uncle’s service.  He ought to remember you handsomely in his will.  If I inherit the property, as is my right, your services shall be remembered,” said John Wade.

“Thank you, Mr. John,” said the gratified housekeeper.

“That secures her help,” thought John, in his turn.

“She will now work hard for me.  When the time comes, I can do as much or as little for her as I please.”

“Of course, we must work together against this interloper, who appears to have gained a dangerous influence over my uncle.”

“You can depend upon me, Mr. John,” said Mrs. Bradley.

“I will think it over, and tell you my plan,” said John Wade.  “But my uncle will wonder at my appetite.  I must go back to the library.  We will speak of this subject again.”