Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-03-07

! 'nein' GNU AoSVi'Ou ehdt newer again
would | buy anything that could moi
pay for on the spot. But that could no,
help the case. 5
| One evening / sat alone in the store
1t was Saturday evening, and the day had
been busy one. We had sold grea,
quantity of goods, and the money drawer
was well filled. Slowly demon rose be-
fore me and began to advise me. Point.
ed to the money-drawer and whispered
There are the means for paying your
debts 7 / knew that Mr.. Everard had
no knowledge of the money there, for he
knew not how much had sold. Icould
take fifty dollars, even, and he might
never miss it, for | had sold a great guam
tity of stuff which he had no account of
I had promised the tailor that he should
have the money that very night, and ]
planned for Mr.. Evered to advance me
the necessary sum. had not been spend
ing money foolishly, but from my poor
pittance supported my mother, and that
ate it all up.
For long while I sat and looked upon
the drawer, and all the while the tempter
was persuading me. I knew that young
clerks often did such things, and neces-
sity compelled it-at least so l then
thought How could Inject my creditor
again. without the money? could not,
and at length I resolved and re-resolved
that would not. opened it and saw
the bank notes that had been fairly jam
med in there-I counted out twenty dol
lars /! My hand trembled, and my heart
beat quickly. thrust the notes into my
pocket, and then fastened back to my
seat, and ere long afterward my employ
er entered.
We'll, Charles, said he, Il guess well
shut up now.'
/ arose and went out and put on the
shutters, and when came back l found
him engaged in counting out the money.
As | approached him, he eyed me with a
sharp, searching look, and l trembled
like an aspen.
What ails you 2 he asked
Nothing, SIR / answered, trying to
compose myself
But there must be something the mat
ter he resumed, for you look as pale as
a ghost
l am tired, said.
We'll, well, you have worked hard to-
day, and you may go. will attend to
the rest
With desperate effort to compose my
self, | thanked him for his kindness, and
then seized my hat and left the store.-
The fresh air revived me somewhat, and
| hurried on to the tailor's. l paid my
bill, and for a moment my heart was
lighter but it was only for moment.
When reached home pretended to be
sick, and retired at once. But my moth
er, sick and weak herself, came up to my
bed, and wanted to fix me some medi-
cine. She gave me a simple preparation,
drew up the clothes about me, and hav-
ing kissed me, she said:
Be careful, Charles, for it would be
painful, indeed, to have you sick. God
keep and bless you. Good night
0, how these last words rang in my
ears. What would my mother say-how
would she feel if she knew her son was a
Mig! 1t was long while before I could
give the word shape or form. Thief!
Mief! rang in my soul until an agony was
upon me so intense that all other concep-
tions of pain were as nothing The night
passed away in sleep|ess, phantom-mak-
ing restlessness /; and when the morning
came, l arose and walked out before my
mother or sister, so that little remark was
made upon it. But the worm was gnaw-
ing at my heart.
That forenoon / went with my sister to
meeting as entered the church met
the gaze of Mr. Evered He watched
me sharply, and l saw marks Of pain up
on his face. After the services were
over, saw him in conversation with the
tailor. l noticed how earnestly he spoke
and once noticed the tailor point his
finger at me. l felt sure, then, that all
was discovered
For mercy's sake, Charles, what is
the matter p cried Lucy. as she caught
my arm.
Hes faint! he's faint 7 heard low,
tremulous voice, and, on turning, saw
Julia Eyered. She was frightened-and
that moment came the conviction that she
loved me. But that other thought came
with it and then l knew that ere long
she would despise me
Sick and faint, / hurried away, and to
all the anxious inquiries of Lucy, only