, 1862-10-18
The Left Handed Thief


The Left Handed Thief.
"How many young men have been Injured and
perhaps ruined by false suspicion" remarked my
mercantile friend, as we were conversing upon
the subject of the panic, few evenings since
Suspicion is like an assassin in the dark 1t stabs
its victim, and he knows not whence the blow
comes Or it may be more like the keen frost
which sezes upon the ears, cheeks or nose, freez-
ing the flesh or driving back the life-blood, and
yet the poor man is totally ignorant of his situa-
ton till lie comes in contact with the heat and be-
gins to feel the singing pain. But l believe l
never told you of the only instance of suspicion
of evil being fastened upon me. 1t has nothing
to do with the subject under consideration, though
it serves to show how merchants sometimes lose
money.
When mere youth was placed in the store
of Jacob Wharton, a merchant doing a good
business. was frugal, industrious and faithful,
and at the age of twenty-one was advanced 10
the post of book-keeper, with good salary.
tried to DO my duty faithfully, and think, sue
ceeded. Mr.. w. was close, methodcal man,
with quick eye and ready understanding OF
business and as fancied he was satisfied l felt
much pleased.
had been book keeper fer year, when |
thought my employers manner toward me began
to change. He begun to treat me more coolly,
and finally l was sure he watched my movements
with disrustful gances. became nervous and
uneasy, for feared l had offended him. But
the thing came to a head at length.
One evening when was alone in the store en-
gagged in making up my cash account, Mr.. Whar-
ton came to me with troubled look, and spoke.
His voice was tremulous, and could see that he
was deeply affected.
"George," said he, 81 am sorry for the convic-
ton which has been forced upon mel fear that
you have not been treating me as you should"
managed, in spite of my astonishment, to ask
what he meant. 49,
81 fear that 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. 1 do not remember what 1
said frst-I only know that tears came to my
eyes-that my lips trembled-that my utterance
was almost checked
How long had he held such suspicious?
asked him, and he told me for two months.
"Heavens! You have suspected me thus and
still left me in the dark ? After serving you so
long-after giving your interests all my energies
after striving for faith and honor that might
win your love and esteem-to suspect me in Sc
cret Ito look upon me as a thief and yet not
tell me 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 1 could see he
was waveriug.
felt at first like telling him that he should
have done this before; but as he seemed ready
to reason now, could find no fault.
''You have spent considerable money of late" {"
he began.
"Howp" asked
"Have you not built houseP"
ayes, sir, and paid for it, too, and thus given
my mother a comfortable home"
Mr.. Wharton was staggered for moment by
my frank and feeling reply, but pretty soon he
asked:
"What did the house cost?"
"Just fifteen hundred dollars. My mother
owned the land. And 1 supposed you would
know where I got the money. You, sir, learned
me how to save it. l 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 l laid up sixty dollars year. The fourth
year you made me clerk, and gave me five hun
dred. My mother was able to feed me, and as
our little cot answered for the time, got along
upon seventy-fve dollars The next year you
paid me six hundred, on condition that l would
help keep your books. saved five hundred dol
lars of that. This last year you paid me one
thousand dollars, and have only spent the in
terest of what 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 for my house
and have five hundred in the savings bank. That
is plain statement of affairs"
Ny employer seemed mpre puzzled than be-
fore.
"Now," said 1, 81 have given you an honest
statement, and you will be equally frank and tell
me all that has happened to excite this sus-
piciOn ?"
81 will" he replied taking a seat near me.
"Within the last year have lost two thousand
dollars 1t must have been taken from the store.