Of course they must. Where should we be if every rich merchant's daughters were at the mercy of his clerks? I'm sorry for all this. It's sad, you know. It's positively melancholy. It troubles me. Ah, yes! where was I? Oh, I was saying that money is the respectable thing. And mark, Abel, if this were the Millennium, things would be very different. But it isn't the Millennium. It's give one and take two, if you can get it. That's what it is here; and let him who wants to, kick against the pricks." Abel hung his legs over the arms of the office-chairs in the counting-room, and listened gravely. "I don't suppose, Sir, that 'tis money _as_ money that is worth having. It is only money as the representative of intelligence and refinement, of books, pictures, society--as a vast influence and means of charity; is it not, Sir?" Upon which Mr. Abel Newt blew a prodigious cloud of smoke. Mr. Boniface Newt responded, "Oh fiddle! that's all very fine. But my answer to that is Jacob Van Boozenberg." "Bless my soul! here he comes. Abel put your legs down! throw that cigar away!" The great man came in. His clothes were snuffy and baggy--so was his face. "Good-mornin', Mr. Newt. Beautiful mornin'. I sez to ma this mornin', ma, sez I, I should like to go to the country to-day, sez I. Go 'long; pa! sez she. Werry well, sez I, I'll go 'long if you'll go too. Ma she laughed; she know'd I wasn't in earnest. She know'd 'twasn't only a joke." Mr. Van Boozenberg drew out a large red bandana handkerchief, and blew his nose as if it had been a trumpet sounding a charge. Messrs. Newt & Son smiled sympathetically. The junior partner observed, cheerfully, "Yes, Sir." The millionaire stared at the young man. "Ma's going to Saratogy," remarked Mr. Van Boozenberg. "She said she wanted to go. Werry well, sez I, ma, go." Messrs. Newt & Son smiled deferentially, and hoped Mrs. Van B. would enjoy herself. "No, I ain't no fear of that," replied the millionaire. "Mr. Van Boozenberg," said Boniface Newt, half-hesitatingly, "you were very kind to undertake that little favor--I--I--" "Oh! yes, I come in to say I done that as you wanted. It's all right." "And, Mr. Van Boozenberg, I am pleased to introduce to you my son Abel, who has just entered the house." Abel rose and bowed. "Have you been in the store?" asked the old gentleman. "No, Sir, I've been at school." "What! to school till now? Why, you must be twenty years old!" exclaimed Mr. Van Boozenberg, in great surprise. "Yes, Sir, in my twentieth year." "Why, Mr. Newt," said Mr. Van B., with the air of a man who is in entire perplexity, "what on earth has your boy been doing at school until now?" "It was his grandfather's will, Sir," replied Boniface Newt.