Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1857-03-18

! SEoaueu Tue iatfier. Inc sleeper started up,
and for a moment he felt revived, when be
found he only dreamed; but quickly came
the truth upon him, the trnth of the day be-
fore, the terrible certainty OF his thett-and
he gfoaned in the agony of bowed and con
trite heart. He started up from his bed and
paced the floor. It was one loig hour ere he
stopped. and then he was resolved on what
course be would Wursuc. He remembered
the off repeated words of his father: "a sir,
concealed IS seconed sin committed" 1t
was hard for him to make up his mind the
resolution he had taken, bat when once the
word had passed his lips, his soul was fixed.
+ I'm the fOiiossfng morning he entered the
store as usual. aud his duties were performed
silently and sadly. The clerks asked him if
| he was sick but he told them no.-Toward the
middle of the forenoon Mr. Phelps came in,
and entered his counting room Gilbert
watched him until he was alone, and then
| he moved toward the place. His heart beat
wildly, and his face was as pale as death, but
| he did not hesitate He entered the count
! ing room and sank into chair.
50 Gilbert what Is the Inatter?" uttered the
merchant kindly.
The boy collected all his energies, and in
/ low, painful tone, he answered
s. / have come to tell yen that | can remain
here no longer. sir. I-P'
What! Going to leave me? ~ uttered the
merchant in surprise, as the boy hesitated
/" No. no, Gilbert. If you are sick you
shall have good physician. | can't lose
you now"
Hear me SIR, resumed the boy, some
what euboldened by his masters kind tone;
bat yet speaking in great pain 's o L must
tell you all, and trust iu your generous soul
for pardon. But L cannot stay here. lis
70, - anJ bl,,,a NO &C 49,, all LII
me not yet lost. My father is poor, too poor
to keep me here have learned the ways
of the city, and have longel for some of
those innocent. healthy amusements which
have seen my companions enjoying. For
long weeks together, have been without
penny in my pocket and at such times / have
felt much shame in view Of extreme poverty
Ny father has giveR me two dollars-one when
he left me here, and one when be came to visit
me, But what was that. Nearly all of it
went for small articles which l absolutely
needed. Lectures, concerts, and various
places of healthy entertainment were visited
by my companions, but could not go. AT
length the fatal knowledge was mine that
others of my station had money for such
things money which they took, from their
employers without leave. pondered upon it
lorg and deeply and in pondering I was lost
L
Here the poor boy burst into tears, but the
merchant said not a word. In few minutes |
Gilbert resumed
'' You know the worst now. I took it. |
and q part of it [ used last Eight--but o, !
want such hours of agony as have !
passed since that time. Here is 4 dollar and !
a half sir. Take it and when [ get home /
viii send you the rest. Oh. let me go sir,
for cannot stay where temptations haunt me. |
Away in the solitude of my fathers barn, |
shall not want the money [ cannot have
You may tell me that have had experience
but alas the experience only tells me that |
while remain here The tonlpter must be with |
me I would not long for what L cannot pos
sess. White | have wants and desires, the |
wish must be present to crafty them, Let /
me go, sir; but ., tell not my shame .
The boy stopped and bowed his head
The lnerohaut gazed upon him awhile in 81 |
leDce, and during that time variety OF shades |
passed over bis countenance.
"Gilbert," he said at length, in low
kind tone, lyon must not leave me For I
few moments I will forget the difference in
our stations and speak as plainly as you have
spoken. ] have Eeeu IN the wrong. / freely I
confess. l should have known temptation was |
thrown in your way-a temptation which |
should not be cast il the way of any person.
much less in the way of an inexperienced |
youtn Since.you have been so nobly frank,
win be equally so Forgive re for the sit
ustion in which | placed you, and the past
shall be forgotten Until this moment [ never
thought seriously on this subject. [ never
before realized how direct is the temptation
thus placed be fore the apprentices ofour houses.
But sec it ali now--that to the boy that has |
no money, the presence of money and costly |
amusements must be too fearful temptation
fer ordinary youth. But you shal, not leave
F.om.this moment shall trust you implicitly
and love ycu for your noble disposition and
fine sense of honor. / shall not feal to trust
you heneeforth. for you shall have pecnniary
recompence somewhat commensurate with the
labour you perform | have often blessed the
hour that brought You to my store, for have
seen in you valuable assistant and if | have
ever held a lingering doubt OF your strict IN
tegrIty, shall hold it no more, for it requires
more strength OF moral purpose to acknowl-
edge, unniasaed crime, than it dose to re-
train from committing one. Never again will
| acct pit the labors Of any person without pay
sng him for it. and then if he is dishonest no
blame can be attached to ne. You viii not
leave me Gilbert ?'
The boy gazed up in his employers face
but for while tears and sobs choked his ut
erance. Mr.. Phelps drew him to his side,
and laying his hand upon the youth's head, he
resumed:
'.If blame you for this momentary depar-
ture from strict honesty, the love which |
bear you for your noble confession vastly more
than wipes it away. Henceforth you shall
orn, ,..I g. ocI han |