One suit of well-made, well-cut clothes by some means or other he
managed to keep in a state of freshness and smoothness nothing short of
marvellous. Borrowing was his besetting sin, and he was always head over
ears in debt. Duns pursued him to the office and he sometimes hid from
them in a huge safe which the office contained. It was a wretched life,
but he brazened it out with wonderful effrontery, and, outwardly, seemed
happy enough. From all who would lend he borrowed, and rarely I believe
repaid. Once I was his victim, but only once. I lent him 3 pounds, and,
strange to say, he returned it. Of course he approached me again, but I
had read and digested the _master's_ wisdom and determined to "neither a
borrower nor a lender be."
Prominent amongst the principal clerks was David Cooper. When I left
Glasgow he succeeded me as assistant to the general manager. Now he is
general manager of the company himself. Recently he celebrated his 50th
year of railway service. Like me, he entered railway life in 1867; but,
unlike me, has not been a rolling stone. One company only he has served
and served it well, and for nearly a quarter of a century has filled the
highest office it has to bestow.
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