Litchfield enquirer., 1861-05-09
THE LEFT-HANDED THIEF.

and perhaps ruined. by false suspicion" remark ed my mercantile friend, as we were conyersine upon the subject of the "panic," a few evenings since. Suspicion is like an assassin in the dark 1 It stabs its victim, and he knows not whence the blow comes. Or it may be more like the keen frost which seizes upon the ears tht cheeks or the nose, freezing the flesh, and dri wing back the life-blood, and yet the poor man totally ignorant of his situation till he comes in contact with the heat. and begins to feel the stinging pain. But believe l never told you of the only time that suspicion of evil was ever fastened upon me- It has nothing in particular | to do with the subject under consideration, though it served to show how merchants some | times lose money.
 When mere youth I was placed in. the store 1 of Jonas Warton, who was a merchant doing good business. was frugal, industrious and faithful, and at the age of twenty-one, 1 was ad- vanced to the post of book-keeper with good salary. had charge of the books and the safe and all the money left over after banking hours was also in my care. 1 tried to do my duty faithfully, and think succeeded. Mir. War ton was a close, methodcal man, with quick eye and ready understanding of business, and as fancied he was satisfied, felt much pleased. l had been book keeper a year, when thought my employers manner toward me be- gan to change. He seemed to treat me more coolly, and finally, 1 was sure he watched my movements with distrustful glances. 1 became nervous and uneasy, for 1 feared had offended him. But the thing came to head at last. One evening when was alone in the store, en- gagged in making up my cash account, Mr. War ton came to me with troubled look and spoke His voice was tremulous, and could see that he was deeply affected.
 George said he, II am sorry for the con- | q. 1,,, I (, you have not been treating me as you should" managed in spite of my astonshment to ask what he meant.
 Il fear you are not honest !" was his reply.
 Had a thunderbolt fallen upon me, could not have been more startled. Not Honest! And there had been for years making it my chef aim and study how to serve him most faithful ly! do not remember what 1 said at first. only know that tears came into my eyes, that my lips trembed and that my utteIance was al most choked. How long had he held such sus- picions? asked him, and he told me for more than two months.
 "Good God You have suspected me thus aid still left me in the dark After serving you so long. after giving to your interests al my energies after striving for faith and honor that I might win your love and esteem-to sus- pect me in secret Ito look upon me as thief, and vet not tell me Oh! would not have be- leved it!
 Let us talk this matter oyer calmly said the old merchant. his old kind tone coming back. He was touched by my agony, and could see that he was waverng
 I felt at first like telling him that he should have done this before; but as he seemed ready to reason now, found no fault.
 You have spent considerable money of late, :" he began.
 How 2" asked
 Have you not built house?'
 Yes, sir-and paid for it too, and have thus given my mother comfortable home."
 Mir. Warton was staggered for moment by my frank and feeling reply but pretty soon he asked
 "What did the house cost you?"
 Just fifteen hundred dollars. My mother owned the land. And l suppose you would know where got the money You, sir, learn- ed me how to save it. l have been with you six years. The first year you gave me fifty dol lars and laid up twenty-five of it. The sec ond and third year you gave me hundred and of that laid up sixty dollars a year. The fourth year you made me clerk and gave me five hundred. My mother was able to feed me, and as our little cot answered for the time, got along that year upon an expense of seven- ty.fve dulars The next year you paid me six
 
 keep your books. saved five hundred of that. This last year you have paid me one thousand dollars. and have spent only the interest of what I had previously invested, so that the thousand was not touched. Of course my mother has worked, but she wished to do it. have paid fifteen hundred dollars cash for my house. and have over five hundred in the Sa- wings Bank That is plain statement of af fairs"
 My employer seemed more puzzled than be- fore.
 "Now," said I. q have given you an honest statement, and will you be equally frank and tell me all that has happened to excite this suspi- cion ?"
 II he replied, taking seat near me. :" Within the last year must have lost more than two thousand dollars! It must have been taken from the store. I know this, for know the amount of goods which have been sold, and know how much cash have received. l be- gan to be watchful four months ago. Two months ago a man paid to me in the afternoon five hundred dollars. 1 put it in the drawer, and on the next morning before you came, l looked at your cash account and found only two hundfed of that set down. From that time l have been very watchful, and have detected q dozen similar cases 1 have noticed every dol lar that came in after the bank account was made up, and have also taken note of the amount entered upon the book; and during that time there has been a leaking of over seven hundred dollars! Now who has access to that drawer and to the safe?"
 I was astonished. I could only assure my employer that knew nothing of It and saw that he wanted to believe me. asked him if he had spoken of this to any one else. Not a living soul but me. he replied. pondered few moments, and then l said
 "Mr. Warton could be made to believe that even ignorantly had wronged you to the value of dollar, l should not feel the perfect con sciousness of honor I now feel. There must be a thief somewhere. Some of the clerks may find access to the money. But are you willing to let the matter rest for few days? wil, strain every nerve to detect :he evil doer
 He finally consented 10 let me try my hand at detecting the thief. He promised not to lisp syllable upon the subject to any one else, and also to leave the matter wholly in my hands for separated and said that he hoped should sue ceed.
 On the following morning I entered the store with all my energies of mind centered upon the work before me. There were four clerks or salesmen. and one boy, besides myself, in con stant attendance, and all money received had to pass through my hands. Sometimes I made up my cash accounts at night, and sometimes not till the next morning. In the latter case gen rally put the money drawer into the safe, and locked itnp. The key to this safe was kept in a Small drawer to which there were two keys, one of which kept. while Mir. Warton kept the other The only other person who ever helped us in the store was Henry Warton, cur employers only son. youth twenty years of age. He was preparing for college, under