The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-06-16
MISCELLAN EOUS.
THE FALSE STEP.
BY ELIZA A. CHASE.

"Come, James. 90 with me 10 huy some
matches. Mr.. Bradley wants sone," said
Joseph Wright 10 his school-maie, one
night after school.
81 am busy," returned James; can't
you 20 alouel"
40, Iwani YOU 10 20 am going to buy
something. MIR. Bradley gave me ien-
cent piece, and told me il would ge, a
paper OF matches and thee cents worth of
charcoal, might have the rest. So I'll buy
a top with the siypence."
And so pleased wits Joseph with his spec.
ula,ion, iha, he took out his money 10 look
al il again.
"James, look here ~ he exclaimed in
astonishmen,, as he held up gliliering
golden coin t..
"Mr. Bradley has given j, 10 you ry
mistake" said James. ?" How much Is
im
"a quarter eagle! Wha, a lucky fellow
ami"
"But you will no, change that for four
cents We must 50 back 10 MIR. Bradley and
tell him."
AGO back and tell him Why The mon-
cy is mine; he gave il TO me-"
But he did no, know il was gold, so 1t
was no, yours. You surely will return H."
al surely will not do such thing. He
gave me The money, and sail iha, alter
buying the coal and matches might have
wha, was left SO j, is mine, you see i"
IL do not see, Joseph. Mr.. Bradley
made mistake, am .ure. The blinds Of
the school.room were closed he did not see
j, was gold he was giving you, and the size
deceived him.
"Well, that's his affair, no, mine. If he
made mistake, it was his misfortune, aud
my gain. But say nothing about il, and |
will give YOU dollar Of the money. Mr..
Bradley will never know it,
"What would you have me do, Joseph
1t is dishonest, and cannot Join you in
robbing my good teacher"
Robbing! II is not robbing, for the
money is mine tell you he gave tito me.
Blu, hark you, James, don't you say a word
about this 10 Mr.. Bradley, if you do, yonr
head will not be worth the wearing
81 will not promise you that, Joseph, Tor
think il is wrong 10 conceal such Thing !;
aud il Mr.. Bradley asks me anything about
il, cauno, tell him ialsehood. But why
will YOU not do right and return The money
Mr.. Brown will know something is wrong
when YOU offer him two and half dollars
TO pay for :hree cents worth Of charcoal" )"
II will no, offer il. have four cents in
my poke, which will just pay for wha, |
yet But remember you say not word
abou, this TO any one"
"Well, Joseph, il you are bent on doing
wrong, will not 30 with you; Tor il would
no, be right in me 10 go. wish you woLld
20 back 10 Mr.. Bradley"
Joseph iurued away, and James finding
further TemonsTance useless, went home,
sad aud troubled. II seemed iha, he oughl
To tell Mr.. Bradley. aud ye, he dreaded To
be- tale bemer. Al length he resolved 10
tell hi, mother, aud ask her advice.
On reaching home, he found his uncle
and cousins from Ohio had arrived at his
fathers house OF visit. In the Joy and
excitement ol the several days following,
joseph was forgotten, and when James
again wen, to school, he supposed the mat
Ter was all discovered aud settled, 50 he
said nothing abou, IL.
This incident, lriiling rs j, may seem,eN.
cried grea, influence on the character oil
the two bays in afer life James was
strengthened in correct principles, and
whenever any temptations arose, The thought
of the quarler-eagle came up TO banlsf
then.
Joseph, on the contrary, might date his
ruin from tha, evening.
/, so happened that Mr.. Bradley lost his
pocket book the next day, as he was pas
sing through the crowded streets OF The
city in which he lived, aud supposinS n
contained The quarter.eage, he never
thought Of asking Joseph abou, ii.
Having succeeded so well this lime, Inc
misguided boy grew more and more avali
cious, aud his better principles rapidly gave
way TO his inordina,e love of gain. Nalur
ally very quick and shrewd, he managed 't
escape detection. While very young ht
Obtained The situation as teller in bank,
and, obliged 10 render a sric, account oi al
moneys which passed through his hands,he
was forced 10 be homes, for lime.
One day gentleman called TO The hank
and said TO him. There was slight ms
take in the money ] received on a checS
yesterday. Your package OF 81 ,Ooo' con
iained only $500, aud have called 10 see
if YOU world reclify the mistake"
I" am very sorry for yor, sir, returned
JOSEPH, {" but our rule is, all mistakes mus
be reciified before leaving the bank"
Mus, then lose The len dollars asked
The gentleman. =,
al suppose you must; j, is not our loss"
Z" II is very hard, returned the gentleman
I" did 40, count the money, Tor am Sc
accustomed TO dealing with banks, aud ihi'
is the firs, time ever saw a mistake III
ihem.n
" Very sorry, sir but we cannot help
yon,' sand Joseph, turning away.
In shor, time the bank was noted Tor It's
mistakes. When people took the precau
lion to couu, The money before leaving
mistakes were promptly aud cheeriully rec
tilted, with the excuse ,ha, there had been
a change in iellers, or he had beeu i'll OF
absent, and person unaccos,omed 10 The
business had taken his place for time.
al wish TO deposit 81. 500 this morning.
said Mr.. Wise, gentleman who dealt ex
iensively with The bank.
Joseph ran over the bills rapidly, then
paused, colored, ,nd counted again, bu
more slowly.-"I beg your pardon, sir" he
said. but make only Sl,4SO. Will you
coun, with me ~
They counted once, twice, three times
bu, II ere was deficit oi twenty dollars.
Mr.. Wise looked confused. al canno, see
how made such mistake, for | counted
!, twice myself this morning; but here is
twenty 10 make up the full amount he
continued, laying another bill on The pile.
Complaints increased; buin ore could
find fault, for all mistakes discovered in the
bank, wete, as usual, promptly recliiled
and where deposits were found deficient,
the owner counted for himself, aud saw his