AUGUSTUS LOWELL. G39 



On getting home he began his career in State Street, going into the 

 counting-room of Bui lard & Lee, East Indian merchants, to learn the 

 business. His quickuess of body as well as of mind here procured him 

 a questionable distinction. From his father he had inherited consider- 

 able athletic ability, and it was soon discovered in the office that he was 

 fleet of foot. In consequence he was promoted to the post of messenger, 

 with the duty of carrying the foreign business letters to the mail. Now 

 Mr. Lee was addicted to lengthy epistles, to extreme peculiarity in com- 

 pleting them, and to never finishing on time. As the mail was incon- 

 siderate of their importance, he eagerly embraced Lowell's pedestrian 

 possibilities. In consequence it soon became the regular thing for young 

 Lowell to be seen standing, watch in hand, waiting while Mr. Lee com- 

 pleted his last page, folded the foolscap down methodically with his 

 large thumb, and elaborately sealed it. Meanwhile the minutes slipped 

 by with the young man calculating if he still had time to catch the post. 

 It was midsummer and hot. Nevertheless the human Mercury was kept 

 standing within, regardless of how its metallic namesake stood without. 

 Finally when only running at his topmost speed would suffice to get the 

 letter in he would hint that there were but six minutes more before the 

 mail closed. " How many did you make it in last time, Augustus? " Mr. 

 Lee would ask. " Five and three-quarters, sir, but I had to get it in the 

 back way." " I think you can do it this time then." And he did. 



This little episode occurred as regularly as mail day. After it had 

 been cheerfully going on for some months, Mr. Bullard, who had been 

 abroad, came home and one afternoon happened in on it. lie said 

 nothing at the time ; but when Lowell, hot and breathless, had returned 

 once more successful he called him into his private office. " Does what 

 I saw this afternoon occur often, Lowell ? " he said to him. '• Every 

 mail day, sir," the young man answered. "It shall not occur again," he 

 said. And it never did. With tact equal to his considerateness, Mr. 

 Bullard, on the ground — if I am right — of preferring to do it him- 

 self, from that day took the foreign correspondence into his own hands. 

 Perhaps — after Balzac's phrase — this episode may be put between 

 leads and given the air of a thought : the young man who goes quickly 

 will go far. 



After two years spent with Bullard & Lee Mr. Lowell's father 

 thought it advisable the young man should learn another line of business, 

 — one in which the family was interested. Francis C. Lowell, the elder, 

 who was the founder of the cotton manufactures of New England and 

 after whom Lowell — their chief seat — was named, was the uncle of Mr. 



