in the shape of arithmetic. At school I was certainly never fond of it,
and since school my acquaintance with figures had been little more than
the adding up of long columns in huge books at the half-yearly
stocktaking in the stores department at St. Rollox, a thing I detested,
and which invariably gave me a headache. Well pleased was Mr. Wainwright
to see that statistics took my fancy. As general manager he had not much
time himself to devote to them, but the office was now well manned and we
were able to establish, and keep up, tables, statistics and returns
concerning matters of railway working in a way which I have not seen
surpassed. These statistics were of much practical use when considering
questions of economy and other matters from day to day.

My first year as general manager's clerk was, I have always thought, the
most important in my railway life. Certainly in that year I learned much
and acquired from my chief business habits which have stood me in good
stead since. Mr. Wainwright was a man of no ordinary nature, as all who
knew him will admit. He was a pattern of punctuality and promptitude,
never spared himself in doing a thing well and expected the same
thoroughness in others, though he would make allowance for want of
capacity, but not for indolence or carelessness. Straightforwardness,
honesty and rectitude marked all he did. His word was his bond. His
disposition was to trust those around him, and his generous confidence
was usually justified. High-minded and possessing a keen sense of honor
himself, he had an instinctive aversion to anything mean or low in
others. A man of great liberality and generous to a fault he often found
it hard to say no, but when obliged to adopt that attitude it was done
with a tact and courtesy which left no sting. In all business matters he
required a rigid economy though never at the expense of efficiency.

Intellectually he stood high, as I had ample opportunity of judging, but