The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-01-01

once heard the word thief pronounced. =
oh, Eversd had told the story Of my crime
How could he! No, no, twas the tailol
who had told it, for my employer would new
er have told it. Yet it was known. IStOp
ped, and suddenly the thought Of fight oe
cured to me. Why had not thought O.
it before! Why should I stay longer where
shame. and shame only, could be minei
turned to fee; and then my sister came
rushing after me, with her hair floating in the
morning air, and her face as pale as death
fOh, Charles" she cried, "coms with me
at once. Come, come, cur mother is dy,
ing" r % na '
My sister seized my hand, and by force
dragged me away. | reached my home,
know not how, for reason had almost leIt
me. Into the little bedroom Lucy dragged
me, and there lay my mother stark and cold.
sob, Charles, you have killed her" Sob
bed Lucy, as she threw herselfupon the bed.
"She could not stand your disgrace"
One moment gazed upon that pale, cold
face, and then wild unearthly cry broke
from my lips. | plunged madly forward up
on the bed. ....
"Charles! Charles!"
! started up. Ilelt heavy hond upon
my shoulder, and again my name was called.
"What is the matter! Come, rouse up
For mercy sake what ails you!"
Ii was Evered who spoke. Twas still sit
ting on the stool behind the counter, but my
head had fallen forward upon pile fgoods
that lay heaped up before me. Instinctively
cast my eyes upon the money drawer, and
slowly the truth worried itselfi into my mind.
A cold, clammy sweat was upon my brow, a
pain in my limbs, and | trembled like an as
pen. ~. .5 ..-ae d.
"What ,ails you, Charles" Mr.. Evered
kindly asked.
"My soul, such dream!' / involuntari.
ly gasped.
swell, well--if it's nothing worse than
that am glad. But come, want to have
a few words of conversation with you before
you CO."
Twas fully aroused now. l looked at the
money drawer though, many times before I
could realize that was safe. The tempter
had come, but an angel had come and beat.
en- him away. The doors and shutters were
closed, and then my employer sat down by
my side. -.........
"Well, Charles" he commenced, "Julia
has been telling me this afternoon that you
wholly support your mother"
eyes, sir" tremblingly answered, "my
sister thus far has been able to support her.
self, and the rest comes on me-"
"But how do you get along! Surely your
salary here s not sufficient"
alt has been sufficient, sir, to find US in
food and fuel. For--for clL thing have"
"Run in debt, eh!"
eyes, sir; but will 60 ragged, II need
be, but will not run in debt again"
"Right, right, my boy. But we will fix
that all right now. / have been thinking
OF increasing your pay, and l will do SO now
NOT only SO, but will put it back to when
| first thought of it, aud that was three months
ago. Let's see. Three dollars a week for
thirteen weeks would be thirty nine dollars" !"
he said. "WilI that square you up!"
"Ch, yes, and more too! ,
"Then you shall have that, and hereafter
you shall have that amount each quarter"
He said something more about making me
his head clerk sometime, butI did not fully
understand him. received the money, paid
the tailor, and when | had reached my home,
| had become calm and happy. told my
mother and Lucy Of my good fortune, and
they wept for joy.
Yet could not help shudderiDg fearfully
whenever thought of that terrible vision
which came upon me while the tempter was
within me. But-let me say it again-'twas
an angels visit. 2 i4a
Years have passed away since that time
Mr.. Evered is an old man--my children are
bis grandchildren, and the store that was his
is now half mine. He has retired, and the
other half Of his extensive building belongs
to Lucy's husband. My mother still lives,
and thank God, can ye: bless her son that he
has never yet called one drop Of sorrow to
her life cup. Jsa