ential clerk. But here he touched a vital
principle in Mr. Burns's course of action, which was, to regard all who
served him as entitled to share according to their usefulness in the
benefits of the business or enterprise in which they were engaged. The
result was, that their wages or salaries were on a generous scale. A
further result appeared in the pleasing aspect of the village,
betokening a more diffused prosperity than is ordinarily observed.

Now, Hiram had early mastered the doctrine of making the many contribute
to the success and fortunes of the few. It had already become one of his
cardinal ideas. The reader will recollect that about the first thing
which impressed our hero on coming to Burnsville, was the fact that Mr.
Burns was not as rich as he ought to be considering the facilities he
had to make money. Here was a point beyond Hiram Meeker's comprehension.
Turn it whichever way he would, he failed to understand Mr. Burns in
this. You see, Hiram could have no more idea of his employer's large and
humanizing views than a blind man of colors. He could not attribute it
to lack of sagacity, for he saw such abundant proofs as compelled his
admiration and respect. It did not appear to grow out of any strict
religious theories, for Mr. Burns held mere professions in such low
esteem that he never _spoke_ of an act or of a course as dictated or
regulated by a sense of duty, so called. Since his wife died, he had
tried to obey her dying injunction, 'to live right,' which he soon
discovered had reference to the state of his heart, and thus to his
motives, while his actions were such as would naturally flow from such a
condition of the 'inner man.' Hiram, on the other hand, practiced on the
philosophical principle of 'means to ends.' He had two ends in view,
namely: To be SUCCESSFUL here, and to be SUCCESSFUL hereafter. He was
determined to omit nothing which could further these ends. But since
these (as we have before stated) had no reference to or connection with
any thing except _self_, the reader will readily see how Hiram failed to
understand Mr. Burns.

On other points there was no difficulty. And on his part, Mr. Burns
could not help being struck with the clear, rapid, comprehensive
business mind of the young man. Despite his prejudices, Hiram advanced
daily in his confidence.

* * * * *

There was one matter, and that an important one, in Mr. Burns's affairs
which was going w