Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-07-21
EVENING STAR.
THE CRIME OF DELAY

no one SnOulu ever Know the reason of NV So
| hcitude concerning him, or why his death has
affected Inc 50 deeply. But he is dead now.
and lest you should miscoustrue my interest in
him to ny prejudice, sill tell you frankly
/ all that know of him, 20 far as it affects my
! self r.
| L was not always, you are aware dcar jim,
the man you have recently known me- / once
had position and influence, and when you first
! knew me had never done any act to bring n
blush of shame to the cheek Of friend or rela.
1 tive.
| But Of this enough. II suficeth that one
year ago, or there abouts, as 1 went to my Office
| on beautiful morning in March, I noticed
| boy walking down the street, just ahead of
| me, looking pale, emaci-t d, and yet beauti-
ful There was peculiaI-an exceedingly
| anxious look, that [ had never seen before
There was the face of boy with the anxiety
OF man. 1t struck me as peculiar at the fil st
glance, and L stopped to look at him. per-
| ceived that it was with difficulty he could re-
strain himself from sobbing aloud. When he
| saw me he repressed bis emotion, and spoke
up with an obvious effort of unconccrn.
Please, sir, are you the editor OF the"
~ am, said 1, my fine fellow, what can
do for you li'
Mothers sick, sir, and we are very poor,
| and l want to get place To work"
"What can you do 2'' said
90, will try to do anything" he replied
but l don't know what can do, for al
| ways went to school before came to Califor-
MIA; l will try to do anything"
The boy interested me, and though I am
calious man, whom buffsting with the world
has hardened prematurely, could not allow
him to leave me, till had given him word
of comfort
my fine fellow said /, "can You ocme to
my office at o'clock this evening"
- will, he answered. will do any,
thing to earn come money for my poor sick
| mother,
took FIVE dollar piece from nv pocket
| and put il into his hand. Had L right to do
it !? I had often said l ought to pay nv honest
| debts, before l thought Of charity. Had 1 a
| right to do it? Yes.
The boy looked at the money, then he looked
| at me, and then burst into tears.
Dear Jim, believe me, I had n great mind
to cry, too. Said he, did / act like little
| beggsr! 20 As L spoke the word '-beggar,' -
! he burst cut again, and the tears gushed forth
| afresh.
10, my lad" said L. "but take that to
your mother, and this evening viii have a
place for you, 50 that you can earn the money
and when you have enough of it, perhaps you
| can pay me back
He held the coin toward me, and said /:
| lake the money; l am no beggar, and as
my father who ID dead, and my mother who Is
dying, told me to starve sooner than beg-I
| shall not take it,
He was so earnest, that to have refused
would have offended him more, and SO request
| Ing him 70 call on me at seven o'clock In the
| evening, told him TO 20 hone TO his mother,
and tell her he had found a friend who would
! get him a situation.
He tripped away with a lighter heart
| went my way, thinking how could and would
| befriend him. Ii was only the day before that
| a friend had told me he wanted n boy Of about
MS years, and If lie was faithful and trust
| worthy, would pay him liberal salary. I
resolved in my own mind that would 60 and
see him immediately after breakfast. But
The tightly purpose is near o'ertook,
Unless the deed 20 with it.
| At the. breakfast table got engaged in an
angry political discussion. The Senatorial
election was on the sapts, and we had got news
that morning that reverend Senator, belong
| ing TO cur side, had scld out and gone over 10
| the enemy. l wont down after breakfast TO
| learn the facts of the matter. I talked with
| pre and another till the case of the poor boy
was quite driven out of NY head. Before
| returned the dispatches began TO arrive from
the capital. and what with talking to inter-
ested friends, and writing for the next morn
| Ing paper, quite forgot the pale faced boy
| and his dying mother.
At seven O'Clock be came. My heart smote
ne when saw him, for L had neglected and
forgotten my promises. But L told hini-not
50 much for the deception as the neglect-tha;
could not see the man whom / thought would
employ him, but il he would come the next
day at two o'clock would get him the situa-
ton, and pay him the first month q salary in
advance. Detected, he turned upon his heel
and left the Office. The mex; morning went
to my friend : store; he was cut for a few min
utes. While was standing in bis door, an
acquaintance, with a fEe horse and buggy,
l-..xl 4.
the Mission. at once consented thinking to
call as came in. We went to the Mission,
from there to the race course. Time few
swiftly, and before / was aware of il two
% clock had passed. and l came home TO find
that the boy had been TO sec me and had gone
away. L did not suppose l would see him
again that night, and would put off the mat
ter-so important to him-till the next morn
ing. But he came again in the evening and
had TO tell him that l had been away. The
next day, at twelve, however, should see him
in his new place. 1t was nearly twelve of the
next day when 1 bethought myself of nv
promise. / fastened down to see nv friend,
and found that l was too late the vacancy
had been filed about an hour before Con-
science smitten, returned TO my office. and /
met the boys anxious look as entered the
door. told him had just been to see about
the promised situation, and it was taken; vet
1 thought | could get him place soon He
thanked me, but his heart was bursting
saw that an anxiety, terrible for one SO young,
was wearing his life away.
The next day found him place, and en-
gagged 1t for him. l sat in my office writing,
when the door softly opened, and he entered.
He was pale, but calmer than had before
seen him.
"Well, my fine fellow said I, esI have
got you place at last. You are to have twen-
ty-fve dollars a week, and you shall have a
whole months salary in advance, if you
like"
He came toward mo and handed me a slip
OF paper. Ii was notice for the newspaper,
and announced the death Of his mother,
have had many severe crosses, my dear
jim. have felt that all was lost, and that
my life was not worth a rush. / have seen
MY fondest hopes crushed by one fell blow,
and L have felt to cry out in my agony at the
cruel fate that pursued me. But all that |
eyer suffered was nothing to what felt when |
looking on that pale, calm, Intellectual boy, |
with his hri2ht biz blue eve pa1irn xnno.