The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-01-29
NUMBER a.


quitting home for Savannah, left in this
desk undor your charge five hundred dol
lars, and desired you to copy the letter
book here instead OF copying it at the
cOunting-room. Thus I gave you ready
access to the money My suspicious, alas!
are confirmed. You may charge me with
laying temptation in your way I did
so to save myself in the future from injury
if you should prove card-player. l did
no wrong to y'u. If you had been a
young man of integrity, you were safe. If
you proved to be otherwise, I was saved.
left SO large an amount, that, if you were
guilty Of taking it, you might not easily
replace it before I returned. This sad,
sad proof Of your guilt is deeply distressing
to me. What have you done with all the
money -
" 1t has been all lost at play, sir.
confess that have long been a card
player. have lost and won the three
years past good deal of money. A week
after your departure lost hundred dol
lars more than all possessed, and the gen.
tleman to whom l lost it insisted on baing
paid the next day, as he was to leave for
New York. | went the next morning and
told him 1t was out of my power to pay
him. He swore, sir, that he would cxpose
me unless he had it before night. In a
state bordering on phcrenzy l came hither
and took a hundred dollars from the
pocket-book and paid him. hoped to be
able to restore it"
How - asked Mr.. Hawley, in the
same calm manner in which he listened to
this development of guilt.
. will conceal nothing from you, SIR"
answered the young man, with an aspect
Of the deepest remorse and humility. "I
hoped to be able By rinaiing at plan to
realize the sum. But was not successful
| lost still more, and inccurl ed debts to
those l played with. To resort to the
pocket-book again and again, after had
once drawn upon it, was less difficult than
at first, and in few days 1 had emptied
it of its contents. In despair, | borrowed
money and fed to the gaming-table in
hopes Of retrieving my losses and replacing
tn: money. But lost still more. At
length the day for your return drew nigh,
and feared to meet you. I was even
tempted to set your house on fire to con-
ceai my crime. But, thank God was
kept from this horrible deed. Each hour
became more and more wretched. T
thought Of fying-I thought of suicide!
At length, this evening, when | heard that
'ou had come in the ears, I was driven
nearly insane with my fears of exposure.
" hen your servant came for me l was in
ny ro IN struggling between a desire to
a>t myself on your clemency and a tempt
uon to turn aside suspicion by suggesting
. You that the slcreta; y had been robbed.
even wickediy thought Of placing the
ey in Findley's pocket, and fastening sus-
icon upon hm, have him searched.
anne mere, sir, resolved to DO this though
'hen saw how kindly you met me, and
your natural goodness of
cart, L was constrained to confess all to
ou. But the dread of acknowledging to
ou my guilt caused me to resort to miser-
bic faIsehood. Sir, have mercy upon me.
am sincerely penitent, and if you will
pare me from public exposure, for my
lther's sake, | am ready to bear any
unishment you may see fit to infict upon
le.n
Thus ending his humiiating confession,
he young man threw himself at the feet
his employer, and burying his burning
ice in his hands, awaited his decision.
lr. Hawlcy remained for a few moments
azing down upon him with looks in which
lcre was more grief than anger. He had
iscovered with pain that the young man
whom he had placed so much confidence
I'd whom he was about to elevate to
gher degree of responsibility, was un-
orthy. F."
" This is a crime, Proctor, which you
I've been guilty of. 1t will send you To
e States Prison
j" know it, sir--I deserve it--but for
y mothers sake 20 te.
sk IL uau lii MT 4L;nl of Lnx suhar IA.