Page:Once a Week June to Dec 1863.pdf/349

. 19, 1863.] the Thames Street firm. At this time, the chief partner in the house of Allbone, Grizzle & Co., was a man named Cohen. Who he was or what he was nobody knew, beyond the fact that he was a Stock Exchange speculator, and that he was worth money. When my father purchased Colyton Priory, he announced to a few of his City acquaintances his intention of selling his interest in the firm of Allbone & Co.

One day, whilst he was busy in his private office, the chief clerk brought my father intelligence that a gentleman wished to see him. At the same time he handed my father a card. On this card was the name, or rather the names, of Mr. Israel Jerusalem Cohen, Mincing Lane, and Terrace, Holloway. My father granted an interview to Mr. Israel Jerusalem Cohen; and during the interview, Mr. I. J. Cohen proposed to become the purchaser of my father’s very considerable interest in the firm of Allbone, Grizzle, & Co. My father’s terms, after a little demur, were agreed to, and Mr. Cohen became the head of the old established firm of Allbone, Grizzle, & Co.

I have thought it necessary to mention the fact of my father having disposed of his share in the mercantile firm over which he had presided for so many years, because it will explain the inferior position which he held in the firm after he had returned to it. I say inferior position, because he was quite subordinate to Cohen; and although he, my father, was anxious to have some other occupation besides his usual pursuits, still he was not so indefatigably industrious as to attend every day at the offices in Thames Street, as he used to do in former times. He would generally content himself with going to London on the first of every month, and inspecting the books of the firm. Everything was left to the management of Cohen, and, as my father found out to his cost, he managed things in a way not peculiar to himself.

Asking pardon for this rather lengthy digression, I continue my narrative. It was a lovely evening towards the end of August; the sun was slowly sinking behind the dark elms and the shrubberies, and tinging the foliage with a deep golden hue; the park looked beautiful with its extensive woodland; and as for the lake, I could not resist the temptation to have a good swim; and having indulged in that healthy and invigorating pastime, I thought I could not do better than take a little refreshment in the shape of a glass or two of port wine, and a veal cutlet, or some such dainty. Our dinner hour was four, but I generally had lunch at one, and dinner in my own room at six. I was wending my way towards the house when I heard my name called; looking round I saw James, our footman, accompanied by a boy, and they were both coming towards me at a quick walk.

“Telegraphic message, sir,” said James, touching his hat.

“From London, sir,” repeated the boy, producing a printed paper from a leather bag which he wore at his side, and which was fastened to a leathern strap suspended from his shoulders.

I took it, and read: “Mr. Frank Trussell is to come immediately to, Thames Street, City.”

The sender of this laconic message was my father. Inquiring when the next train would start, I learnt that I had nearly two hours to spare, so I resolved to get something to eat whilst my portmanteau was being packed.

It was late at night when I arrived in Thames Street, but late as it was, I found my father busily occupied with books and papers appertaining to the transactions of the firm. I ventured to remonstrate with my parent for applying himself so assiduously to business when there was no occasion for it.

“No occasion!” replied my father, in a mournful voice; “my dear boy, there is every occasion, for to-morrow it will be too late; to-morrow all our books and papers will be in the hands of the bankruptcy officials; for we are insolvent, Frank. Yes,” continued he, “the firm of Allbone, Grizzle, & Co., once among the most extensive and most respected in the City, is insolvent.”

“By what means has this been brought about?” I asked. “I thought your affairs were so firmly placed that nothing could shake them.”

“So they were, and had it not been for the villany of Cohen, in abusing the confidence with which I entrusted him, all would have been well.”

The next day, as my father rightly surmised, the bankruptcy messenger came and affixed his seal to everything and anything that he could put a seal upon.

By disposing of his estate and mansion, called Colyton Priory, my father realised sufficient to pay the debts of the firm, and so avoid the discredit of a bankruptcy; but it left him a ruined man, and there was nothing to support us except my mother’s jointure of 10,000l. Certainly there was a further sum of 5000l. settled upon each of my four sisters, but they could not touch that until they became of age, or married; and the interest and compound interest of those sums was to accumulate for their benefit. True, we were enabled to live very comfortably, but all idea of my leading a life of luxurious independence was gone, and it only remained for me to obtain some suitable appointment, so that I might become possessed of an income of my own, for my fortune was engulfed along with my father’s in the failure of the firm of Allbone, Grizzle, & Co.

Having paid his creditors in full, my father had nothing to reproach himself with, but rather the contrary; still he made up his mind not to speculate any more, but to rest content with whatever he could collect of the debts of the firm, which were considerable, and live as comfortably as he could upon the income of his wife’s jointure. In one respect, however, he never lost heart, nor lacked zeal, and that one all-engrossing object was, to obtain for me a lucrative appointment in some house of business. Through his indefatigable exertions, I was appointed to the management of the branch house of Messrs. Screwer, Grindem, & Co., who were in the same line of business as my father. The branch of which I was to take the management was situated in St. Petersburg, and as the remuneration was to be most liberal, I eagerly accepted the post offered to me. Everything being concluded, I booked