Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1857-02-18

ssPerhapsI on. I,
s.Won't Mr. Mason lend ron soAas he
has been very kind 70 Jon, and seems %
be very much interested IN you.
II shouldn't like to ask him.
{ s.Why not
II should have TO expose my sfairs TO
him.
I'm tell you what I'll do
aWhat p
III will write to Aunt Hannah. You
know how fond she is of me. ] will ask
her to lend me hundred dollars. She is
rich. and perhaps she will give i to me. !"
William did not like to have her do SO.
but the perils in his path finally induced
him to consent. On the strength Of the
letter, he could put Spike of !, week or
two.
There was something hope for atleast,
and William ate his breakfast and felt
much easier. He did not consider that
borrowing the money to pay a debt, was
transferring not cancelling it. But he
looked only to the present. If he could
only escape his importunate creditors this
time he did not fear for the future.
It was quarter of eight by the clock,
and he was required to be in the office as
soon as the porter opened the gate.
Mr.. Mason was the agent of the Bagg
Corporation, and a man Of large heart and
excellent feelings. He was little eccen-
| trio in some Of his ways. He had views
and opinions of his own he did his own
thinking; and perhaps that is what made
him seem so odd to some people.
He had found William Taylor III store
tying up bundles for twenty dollars a
month. He had taken fancy to him,
and knowing him to be q prompt and cor
rect accountant, industrious and attentive
to business, and Of excellent character, he
had given him his present situation. Will
liam had been married over year then,
and was the father of a little boy
Three hundred dollars looked like great
wages to William. So he took a better
house, put few articles Of neat furniture
into it, opened accounts with the butcher,
and grocer, the baker, and the keeper of
the livery stable.
On his present salary, he made up his
mind that he could live very handsomely;
and once or twice week he took Helen
out to ride. He was entirely devoted to
her, and she enjoyed riding SO much that
it never occurred to him to count the
cost.
Mr.. Mason, careful man, did count
| the cost. and made I'D his mind that Will
liam was little too fast His suspicious
we're confirmed by the livery stable keep
err, who came one day to inquire if the
corporation owed William anything
Others had asked the same question:
They did not say much, but enough for
Mr.. Mason to understand that his protege
was in debt.
Only few of the employees on the cor
poralion were paid quarterly. On the first
day of January, as Mr.. Mason, went to the
factory Just before eight o'clock, he saw
the deputy sheriff standing at the gate
He was waiting there, probably, 30 that
he could rush in and serve his writ upon
the co-portion, before the employees were
paid.
Mr.. Mason thought of William when he
saw the sheriff; so he went into the office,
opened the safe, took out some money, and
with the payroll under his arm left the
place.
just as our hero was putting on his hat
to 60 out, MIR. Mason entered his little
parlor.
"Here William, are seventy five dol.
Lars, your quarters salary Write your
name on the payroll said Mr.. Mason.
eyes, sir; but
''Never mind; sign your name"
aWhat docs this mean, sir! l hope
''Nothing Of the sort. There, that will
do. Pleasant morning. Mrs. Taylor"
beautiful, sir"
Mr.. Mason took the payroll under his
arm again, and departed.
William was astonished, and 50 was his
wife. 1t looked mysterious. Why did
Mr.. Mason do this ? They could not im-
asine.
On his way over, William paid the
butcher, the baker, and grocer, and had
twenty dollars left, which would just pay
the doctors bill AS the clock struck
eight, the porter opened the gate, aud he
took his place at the desk. Mr.. Mason
sat by the stove, reading the Boston pa.
per-
The first person that entered the public
side of the counting room was the deputy
sheriff. The head clerk had just taken
out the payroll, and prepared to pay of
the employees
The sheriff read the writ.
"Who 2" asked MIR. Mason.
"Spike VS.. Bagg Corporatiou-all mo-
ney due to William Taylor" replied the
heriff.
ave don't owe Taylor anything" re-
piled the agent, turning to his paper.
"Don't you 7"
| "Show me the payroll"
The head clerk turned to the roll, and
to his surprise found Williams signature
there.
every WE'LL" nodded the sheriff, 81
| thought was soon enough
Of course, Spike was mad when the
Sheriff reported to him. He was conf
dent that the business had not been con-
Quoted in the usual manner at the Office ;
so he decided to see Mr.. Mason at once.
That gentleman received him very kind
ly, and took him into his private office.
"You have been playing some game up
on me. said Mr. Spike, a little excited.
eve don't play games replied the
agent, with dignity.
"Did you not pay Taylor before the
usual time, so as to help him cheat me
oat Of my bill p
"No, sir"
"But he was paid off before the Office
was opened
"He was
! swell; what did you deny it for just
| now"
81 did not"
eyes you did,
"Re civil, Mr.. Spike, or shall have
nothing to say to you. say we did not
pay Mr.. Taylor before the time, to help him
cheat you.
give got bill against him."