“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.

“Well, well, a great pity! a werry great pity!  Ma wanted one of our boys to go to college.  Ma, sez I, what on earth should Corlaer go to college for?  To get learnin’, pa, sez ma.  To get learnin’! sez I. I’ll get him learnin’, sez I, down to the store, Werry well, sez ma.  Werry well, sez I, and so ’twas; and I think I done a good thing by him.”

Mr. Van Boozenberg talked at much greater length of his general intercourse with ma.  Mr. Boniface Newt regarded him more and more contemptuously.