Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-06-20
FIRST OFFENCE.
- -
"A story calculated 10 do murh good.

!
ty was assembled to celebrate his birth
day. \ very animated discussion had
been carried on tor some time, as 1"
whether the first deviation from integrity
should be treated with severity or leh'ep-
cy. Various were The oplnions, and
numerous the arguments brought for
ward To support them. The majority
appeared to lear To the side of "ciush
2l oRenesa in tie bud" when n warm
hearted old gentleman exclaimed, "po-
! pend upon it, more young people are
| lost to society from first oilrnc" being
| treated with injudicious severity. than
from the contrary cxlremr Not that
would pass over even the slightest dey,n'
tion from integrity, either in word or
decd that would certainly be mistaken
! kindness but on the other hand, neither
would punish with severity an offence
committed, perhaps, under the Influence
of emptalion--lemp too, that wa
ourselves, may have thouehilcssiy
placed in the way, in such manner as
10 render it irresistible. For instance,
lady hires q servant tho g'r' h"'
hitherto borne a good character, but 1t
is her first place her honesty has never
yet been put to the test. Her mistress,
aii.ont thinking Of the continual temp
tatlon to which she is exposing ieiIow
: creature, is in the habit of leaving small
sums Of money, generally copper, lying
about in her usual sitting room. After
time, she begins to think that these
sums are not always found exactly IA she
lief, them. Suspicion falls upon the girl,
whose duty it is tc clean the room every
morning. Her mistress, however, ,thinks
e she will be quite convinced before she
y brings forward her accusation. She
c counts tho money carefully at night, anc
d the next morning some is missing. N:
ID one has been in the room but the g'rl
her guilt is evident. Well, what does
ID her mistress do Why. she turns the
= oirl out of her house at an hours notice;
cannot, in conscience, give her char
acter tells ali hcr friends how dread
fully distressed she is declares there Is
nothing but ingratItude to be met with
i among servants, &c. ; lamcn,s over
re the depravity of human ua'uIe; aud
IDever dreams Of blaming herself for her
wicked-yes, it is wicked-though'iess-
iIress in thus constantly exposing TO temp
tation young ignorant girl ; one most
- likely whose mind, it not cnyclopcd IN
Of total darkness, has only an imperfect
y, twilight knowledge whereby to distn-
Is, guish light from wrong. Atwh"se doc. /,
:, ! ask =" continued he. growing warmer.
he "will the sin lie, il that cir! sink into the
IN lowest depths oryce and misery : Why
n oo a, the door Of her who, after placing
nd temptation in her very path, turned he'
rH into the pitless world deprived of thf.
n, which constituted her only means OF OIL
tlning an honest livclihood-her char
acter and that without one effort to re
- claim her-wilhout affording slnglf
opportunity of retrieving the past, am
&c. resainng, by future good condlcl, ih'
al confidence Of Der enp. .oyer'
"rhere is, fear, too much truth II
what you say" remarked our benevo
lent host, who had hitherto taken NJ
u mart in the conversation and II re
minds me of a circumstance that occu'
rcd in the earlier part of my life, which
ses as il may serve to illustrate the suhlec
, ,,n' you have been discussing ] will reh'e.
rip There was general movement OF ut
Ut ,ention for il was n well known tact
THAT no manufacturer in the town Oh
wns surrounded with so many old MI
,Iy faithful servants rs our friend Stevet
'Pn son.
ard,
Pa. "In the ou,set my business career.
.,In .,u'' said he, 81 took into my employment
c 2 young man TO I'LL the situation of und'
80 clerk and, according To rule la
aud laid down whenever a stranger en,er'
'nv' my service, his duties wrr" 81
,oje nature to involve us lllile respon'
/, bilny as possible, until sd.lie,ent TN tan
bad been given to form correct e''
- mate nfhs character. THIS young ~"
whom shall call Smith, was OF r
spectacle family He had lost hls lai"c
aud had mother and sister IN az"
measure dependent upon hun Al
he had been short time IN my empl"
mpnt, 1t happened iha, my eonhden''
clerk. whose duty !, was to receive .
money from The baoh fot the pawn