Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
||||
CHAPTER 18Miss Ophelia’s Experiences and OpinionsOUR friend Tom, in his own simple musings, often compared his more fortu- nate lot, in the bondage into which he was cast, with that of Joseph in Egypt; and, in fact, as time went on, and he developed more and more under the eye of his master, the strength of the parallel increased. St. Clare was indolent and careless of money. Hitherto the providing and mar- keting had been principally done by Adolph, who was, to the full, as careless and extravagant as his master; and, between them both, they had carried on the dis- persing process with great alacrity. Accustomed, for many years, to regard his master’s property as his own care, Tom saw, with an uneasiness he could scarcely repress, the wasteful expenditure of the establishment; and, in the quiet, indirect way which his class often acquire, would sometimes make his own suggestions. St. Clare at first employed him occasionally; but struck with his soundness of mind and good business capacity, he confided in him more and more, till gradu- ally all the marketing and providing for the family were intrusted to him. “No, no, Adolph,” he said, one day, as Adolph was deprecating the passing of power out of his hands; “let Tom alone. You only understand what you want; Tom understands cost and come to; and there may be some end to money, by and by, if we don’t let somebody do that.” |