Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-05-24


thought my employers manner towards
me began to Change. lie began TO treat
me more coolly, and finally | was SURF
he watched my movements with distIu>itul
glances. became nervous and uneasy,
for feared had offended him. But the
Thing came TO head at length.
One evening when | was alone in the
store engaged in making up my account,
MIR. Wharton came TO me with Il troubled
look, aud spoke. His voice was tremulous,
and ! could see that he was deeply affected.
" George" said he, | am sorry for the
conviction which has been forced upon me
II fear YOU have not been treating me MS
you should"
managed in spite Of my astonishment
to ask what lie meant.
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 chief aim and study
how TO serve him most faithfully | do not
remember what | said first--l only know
that tears came into my eyes-thst my lips
trembled-and that my utterance was al
most choked. How long had he held such
suspicious / asked him, and he told me
for more than two months.
Heavens You have suspected me
thus and still left me in the dark? Afer
serving you so long--atler giving TO your
interests all my energies-aficr striving for
faith and honor that | might win your love
and esteem-to suspect me in secret TO
look upon me as thief, and yet not tell
mel Oh | would not have believed it +"
Let US talk this matter over calmly"
said the merchant, his old kind tone coming
back. He was touched by my agony, and
/ could see he was wavering.
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?" | asked.
Have you not built house 7"
Yes strand paid for it too--and have
thus given my mother comfortable home"
Mr.. Wharton was staggered for a mo-
ment by my frank and feeling reply; but
pretty soon he asked
" What did the house cost you z"
just fifteen hundred dollars. My moth
er owned the land. And ! supposed you
would know where got the money. You,
sir, learned me how TO save il. | have been
with you six years. The first year you
paid me fifty dollars, and laid up twenty
five of it. The second and third years you
gave me hundred dollars, and OF that |
laid up sixty dollars year. The fourth
! year you made me clerk, and gave me
five hundred. My mother wss able to feed
me, and as our little cot answered for the
time, got along that year upon an expense
of seventy-fye dollars. The next year you
paid me six hundred, on condition that |
would help 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 | had pre-
viously invested, SO that the thousand was
not touched. OF course my mother worked,
but she wished to do it. have paid fif-
teen hundred dollars for my house, ard
have FIVE hundred in the savings bank
That is plain statement of my affairs"
My employer seemed more puzzed than
before.
"Now," said !, /" / have given you an
honest statement, and will you be equally
frank and tell me all that has happened to
excite this suspicion !? +"
81 WILL" he replied, taking seat near
me.
Within the last year | must have lost
more than two thousand dollars 1t must
have been taken from the store. ! know
this, for know the amount of goods which
has been sold, and | know how much cash
have received. | began to be watclful
four years ago. Two months ago a man
paid TO me in the afternoon, five hundred
dollars. pat it III the drawer and on the
next morning before you came in, looked
at your cash account and found only two
hundred of that set down. From that time
have been very watchful, and have de-
tected dozen similar cases. | have no.
ticed every dollar that came in after the
bank account was made up, and have also
taken note of the amount entered upon the
book, aud during that time there has been
a leaking of over seven hundred dollars
Now who has access to that drawer and to
tue safe
was asionisbed. | could only assure
my employer that | knew nothing of it
and saw thar he wanted to believe me. /
asked him il he had spoken of this to any
one else. Not living .oul but me, he re-
piled. | pondered a few moments and then
said -
Mr.. Wharton, could be made to be-
lisve that even ignorantly, had wtoneed
you to the value OF dollar, should not
feel The perfect consciousness of honor,
now feel. There must be a thief some
where. Some of the clerks may find ac-
cess to the money. But are you willing to
let the matter resi- for few days! / will
strain every nerve TO detect the evil doer."
lie finally consented 10 let me try my
hand at detecting the thief. lie promised
not TO lisp word upon the subject 70 any
one else, and also TO leave the matter whol- /
ly in my hands for one week. He gave
me a warm grasp when we separated, and
said he hoped ] would succeed.
On the following morning entered the
store with all my energies OF mind eentered
upon the work before me.
There were four clerks or statesmen, and I
one boy, in constant attendance besides my
self, and all money received had TO pass /
through my hands. Sometimes | made up (