Page:New-York Organ (June 19, 1852).pdf/1



BROGNARD &

small country town of H, in which I reside, is a bustling, thriving little place in the western part of the State. Among other evidences of its prosperity it exhibits an unusual number of respectable shops. Being a small community, we, like all small communities, take sometimes a very great interest in very little matters, especially when of a local nature. It is also said, and cannot well be denied, that we are a little given to scandal. We know what every body in our little town is about, and everybody canvasses every other body’s affairs with the greatest freedom. Yet the old established inhabitants have a sort of clannish regard for each other, and we do not usually treat any with severity, except strangers who may be endeavoring to obtain a settlement among us.

Some years ago, one of our principal shopkeepers died in a state of insolvency, and his shop was shut up, to the great disfigurement of the town, as it occupied a very conspicuous place near its centre. Every one felt concerned at the dulness which its closed windows gave to the street; but the predominant feeling was curiosity as to who should be its next tenant. On this point a variety of rumors were set afloat. One day it was confidently asserted that the shop was taken by a great tea merchant from the capital; the next, an extensive dry goods dealer from an adjacent city was said to be the man. At length a tenant did appear—a native of England—a mild, gentle looking man, of somewhat slender form, and about forty years of age. Strange to say, nobody knew or could learn anything about him, neither whence he came nor what were his means. It was only seen that he opened shop as a grocer, under the name of Johnson.

The public remained in this ignorance for a few weeks; but at length a rumor got abroad that Johnson was a person of doubtful character. By and by specific charges were heard of. It was said that he had once committed an extensive forgery, and only escaped the penalty of the law through the forbearance of the parties whom he had injured. Another charge was, that he had deserted his wife and three children, who were now starving in a remote and obscure village in England. He was also said to be a fraudulent bankrupt, having robbed his creditors to a large amount. He was, lastly, a person destitute of religious principle.

I cannot say that we were much grieved at learning all this of the new-comer, for we had a decided prejudice against him, and would have much preferred seeing his shop occupied by one of the native inhabitants of our town. Some went so far as to entertain a decided wish to drive Johnson from amongst us, and with this view did not scruple to give currency to the scandals which had been raised against him. The consequence of their efforts was that Johnson obtained no business. Three weeks elapsed from his opening shop, without his being known to have obtained a single customer, except for the most trifling articles.

Curious to know how he felt under the treatment he was receiving, I and another shopkeeper availed ourselves of the opportunity presented by our undertaking to collect subscriptions for the widow—herself dying—and small family of a respectable townsman, a tanner in business, who had died suddenly, and in poor circumstances, in consequence of certain heavy losses he had recently sustained. Provided with this apology—for we had no hope whatever of obtaining a contribution from Johnson—we entered his shop; my friend winking significantly to me as we did so. To our surprise, we were received with the utmost kindness of manner. We had expected blustering hauteur and insolence, from which my companion hoped to derive some amusement. But the very opposite conduct was exhibited, and I must say it threw nus out. In order to draw him forth, we asked how he had found business since he came to H; to which he replied, that he had as of yet done nothing, but it was not surprising, as he was wholly a stranger, and no doubt it was natural for every one to prefer old acquaintances. He hoped, however, that by and by, when the people should know him a little better, they would favor him with a share of their custom. “And,” he added, with a significant expression, but with the same gentle smile and the same mild tone, “when the good folk here know me a little longer, and consequently a little better, they will, I hope, see cause to change the opinion they have formed of me, and will be sorry, dare say, for having believed—still more sorry for having taken any share in propagating—the absurd stories about me that have been raised by falsehood and malice.”

My friend and I were confounded both by the matter and manner of these remarks. We clearly enough perceived that Johnson was perfectly aware, not only of the reports that were in circulation against him, but of the share we had in propagating them. We did not make any reply, but proceeded to the ostensible purpose of our call. We laid the subscription paper before Mr. Johnson, at the same time explaining the circumstances of the case.

Having glanced at the paper, he, without saying a word, went to a little desk at the head of the counter, raised the lid, thrust in his hand, withdrew it, returned to us, and—still without speaking a word—laid five dollars upon the subscription paper. It was the largest sum which had yet been contributed by any individual. “Poor woman,” said Johnson, in a voice which, from another, I should have said was that of true compassionate feeling, “I trust she will yet recover. I hope she is properly attended to, and that the sum which may be collected will be sufficient to put her in some little way of doing.”

With feelings which I should not find it very easy to describe, I took up Johnson’s contribution, wished him good morning, and accompanied by my friend, left the shop. The conduct of the man altogether puzzled us. The gentleness of his manner, and the patience and mildness with which he spoke of his want of success in business, and of those who had traduced him, confounded us. We came to the conclusion that he was, after all, merely a consummate hypocrite, and that there was no doubt he would shortly appear in his true colors.

One forenoon, some little time after, my neighbor Manson, the person who had accompanied me in my call on Johnson with the subscription paper, and who had, I must say it, been particularly industrious in spreading the evil reports, called me into his shop and put a letter into my hands. It was from Johnson. Here it is:

“,—It is with very sincere regret I have learned that you have been circulating reports highly prejudicial to my character, and utterly ruinous to my interests. This is a very serious charge; but I beg of you to understand that I do not bring it against you without having sufficient proof of its truth. Such proof I could command as would at once obtain for me large damages in a court of justice. But it is not my intention to adopt such a course with you; I mean rather to appeal to your reason and your better feelings, and to try whether I cannot, by such a proceeding, bring you to a sense of the injustice you have done me.

“I now, sir, make this appeal, and am very sure that a little reflection will point out to you the impropriety of your conduct towards me, and induce you at once to express your regret for it, and to desist from it in time to come. Please to remember, that I have never done you the smallest injury, either, by word or deed, either directly or indirectly. Why, then, this unprovoked hostility towards me? Allow me, in conclusion, to say, that it would afford me inexpressible happiness could I by any means induce you to think better of me than you at present do. I would do much, sir, to gain your goodwill, if I might not aspire to your friendship. In the meantime, have the kindness to desist from farther injuring me. I am, sir,” &c.

“Well, Manson,” said I, after having read the letter, “what do you think of it?”

“Why, that its writer is a mean-spirited, sneaking, canting fellow, and a most accomplished hypocrite,” replied Manson.

“Then, upon my word,” said I, “I cannot agree with you; neither can I help beginning to entertain a somewhat different opinion of this man. I now doubt the truth of much that has been said against him. I do not know how it is, but this unalterable gentleness of his has a strange effect on me; it is beginning to make me feel somewhat ashamed of myself, as regards the part I have noted towards him. In truth, this mildness of spirit, with all its seeming inertness, appears to me to possess an extraordinary power. Had he given us bad language that day we called with the subscription-paper, my prejudices would have been confirmed; but his suavity has completlycompletely [sic] disarmed me. What do you mean to do, Manson, with regard to that letter?”

“Why, to take no notice of it. I do not mean to answer it: I wish to have no correspondence with such a character.”

About a week after this, we had a subscription-ball in H, got up by some of our gayer and wealthier townsmen. Amongst those present were Johnson and his sister, a lady-like girl of about two-and-twenty, to whom, it was said, her brother was extremely kind and attentive. On this occasion, Johnson and his sister were treated with marked discourtesy on all hands. Some, as if studiously to insult them, turned their backs on them when they approached; others, got out of their way with offensive haste; while others, again, sneered at them while they passed. I could observe that Miss Johnson felt keenly the treatment to which her brother and herself were subjected. She looked pale and agitated; and, occasionally, as a more than usually marked instance of disrespect occurred, a blush would hurry over her fine, intelligent countenance. Johnson, again, though apparently not less sensible of the contumely to which he and his sister were exposed, met it differently; his demeanour as he perambulated the ball-room, with his sister leaning on his arm, was calm and collected, while a gentle and significant, but almost imperceptible smile played about his rather handsome mouth. I really could not help admiring his calmness and self-possession under these trying circumstances.

Greatly struck by what had fallen under my observation, I could not help reflecting, as I went home, that surely he must be no common man who could thus maintain his temper under such trying circumstances; and I began to feel a friendship for him taking possession of me. Being now anxious to be convinced of his worth, I determined on stepping into his shop now and then, and having some conversation with him. Let me here parenthetically remark, that, in spite of the rumors that had been circulated against him, and in spite of the efforts of a clique to injure his business, or, rather, to prevent him obtaining any, Johnson was gradually acquiring