They were at liberty to
go, however, as soon as they liked, but he desired them to know that
it would be with his best wishes for their future. A letter of
recommendation would be found attached to each pay envelope. He
regretted exceedingly that it was not in his power to supplement this
last payment by the addition of a well-deserved present to each of his
faithful servitors. Circumstances over which he had no control made it
impossible for him to give them more than the stipulated amount. In
concluding a brief, simple tribute to their loyalty as servants and an
expression of his sincere regret that they were so soon to part
company, Mr. Bingle said:
"You see before you, my friends, a man who is poorer than any one of
you. Yesterday I was a rich man, to-day I am as poor as Job's turkey.
Poorer, if anything, for Job's turkey at least possessed a home, such
as it was. To-morrow I shall receive official notification that
Seawood and all that goes with it, real and personal, is no longer
mine. The law has said so, and I must abide by the decision of the
highest court in the land.
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