The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-06-01
ilom M" Columbian Magazine for FEBRUARY
The CVcr.Paid C!crh.
u 4 r y. AkGHUR.

''"' ~ say any lill'Ig HHcut H. SAID young
man named Wheeler to a fellow clerk ma
med Watson.
I'm no hand TO keep secrets, 50 YOU had
better not tell me- returned young Watson
80, yes, will; but you mu,tm't say any
thing about 1t. You know / bad a check
tor my quarters salasy to-day.
'NeS.'
1T was for three hundred dollars. Now,
look here And, as Wheeler spoke, he
opened a drawer Of the desk at which he
was writing, took out a small parcel Of
bank bills and commenced counting them
over. The whole amount was eight hun.
bred dollars.
There is what | received rormy check
said he in tone and with glance Of cx.
Initiation.
Eight hundred dollars said Watson,
with surprise.
sYcs.'
q thought your chece called for only three
hundred.'
80 did !. But it seems the teller thought
differently.
Then he over paid your check five hun.
dred doars|
lie did, and no mistake. Amt lucky {?
No errors corrected out Of the bank, you
know said Wheoler.
Bat YOU don't intend keeping themonry,
do yOuH
'Yc> do. Suppose the check had been
for eight hundred, aud he had paid me but
FIR three hundred, would he have rectifed
the error? No, indeed It's apoor rule that
wont work both vays.'
'Why, how could he have made such a
mistaken
easy enough, the counter was lined with
a dozen Of persons, waiting with their
checks, when handed up mine. You
know how curiously Mr., y makes
his figures It's no great wonder that there
should be mistakes sometimes. Now what
figure is that:'
The clerk pointed to bit Of paper that
lay on his desk.
lis the figure three
yet one might easily enough take it for
an eight, If in hurry
'Oh yes.'
'Just such another figure as that was on
my check
Then the teller was not so much to
blame for IT,
'oh no. The mistake is by no means a
, surprising one
But do you mean TO take advantage Of
I the error =
/ Il certainly do. If it had been on the
other side would he have corrected IT,"
'lhc loss Will fall upon himself
Il don't care where il falls. III get the
advantage. \ man dosn't meet with such
good luck every day
Indeed, Wheeler, think you are wrong
a. %, Il,
/ should never seek TO secure good to our.
selves through another's loss. The teller
will lose five hundred dollars. uusess you
20 forward and correct his mistake. and that
will be ScrionS matter with him. You
know he has large family
/ 'Lct him take better care another time.
-- don't believe the bank viii make him
lose IT,
Even if they should not the principle up,
on which you act is wrong.
'l'at tor the principle Swapping biz
fingers. 'Whrn man gets five hundred
dollars ~ his grasp, it takes large amount
oF principle 20 get the money out again
My principle is to hold on to all | can GET
The conversation between the young
men was interrupted at thi, point, aud they
separated to attend TO the various dutic,
that were required OF them.
Il hope you've thought better Of il, aui
intend returning tae five hundred dollar,
you drew cut Of the bank ia mistake sal,
Watson, when he had an uportunity o
speaking again With Wheeler. alone.
YOU'RE very much Mistaken was tn,
reply. Il intend no such thing. No cIror
corrected ont Of bank. This is the rule
and is as good on one side as on another
The banks make the rule; aud let then
abide by L. Didn't this very teller make
mistake OF fifty dollars, last winter, and re-
fused to correct it? know good man,
instances o! the same Kind. Now IN turr
the tables on him, and hen know how
feels
you're wrong, depend upon it your
wrong answered Watson. THE teller re
fused t. correct the mistakes. because HI
did not know them To be such. But vo'
hnow that you have received i've huudre,
dollars, not yuur Due, aud that the loss wi
fall upon the individual who committed IT,
error
'Nou aoCd not talk tome, Watson.
know what | am about. iu>twantcd iv
hundred dollars, aud the money has com
IN the nick of time
Wheeler was in earnest, MS mis- conlur
proved. lie kcptthc money, notwi,h>laud
ing sevcra! persons, who came oknow th
fact, urged him 10 do what was right. Bu
il proved Of no benefit to him, for he lost
, all, and three hundred dollars besides. in
= adventure made in one Of his employer,
ships, before the year was out.
About this time the firm in whose scryir
, he was, discovered that system of rrcu
laijou had been going on in their establish
mcut, but were unable 60 trace the wron
20 any particular clerk among the larg
number employed, whole pieces Of in
and costly goods disappeared myStcriouS,
. aud ON various occasions the cash prove
, to be unaccountabIy Short Under thc>
, circumstances, the firm was called, All
the matter taken up seriously,
: Il am afraid said one, during this int,
view, that the young man in whom "
have repo>cd somuch confidence, is not it
II uocfnt Of the natter
. 'lou don't mean Wheeler? inquired
r second member of the firm, eXhibiiingmuc
!. surprise.
Il do
D.. impcssiLlcn
so twouli have said so yesterday. Bn'
heard something this morning that has a
together changed my opinion of him.