The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-11-13
THE ACCUSED CLERK.
.BY sYLvANUs COBB. JR.

spent an evening with Mr. Lamson ;
and ar or lea the conversation turned up
on the subject OF Honesty, as applied TO
business: | advanced the idea that some
merchants made their stores schools OF
Dishonesty. They taught their clerks
ALI the tricks Of trade for their own bene'
IL; and, tbs clerks, thus educated, would
In after times, practice those same tricks
for themselves. Mr.. Lamson admitted
the, truth Of the assertion; and then. with
= smile, assured me that he could moi
plead guilty to the charge.
'"BGb" said he, II have committed
errors IN business, and l have committed
e. errors in my Judgement upon my fellows
WhenI was young | was taught TO loot
upon all species of dishonesty with aire'
ing of horror, 'tGdl grew up 10 manhood
with that same feeling in possession o
ma. | do no, behave that real virtue
can be carried too far; but believe tba
- afty line of conduct may he carried so Ia
as TO cease 30 be a virtue. | can lool
back now and see that. in my ex'rem
ideas Of rigid honesty. ! became self
rivbtsogs aud .unforgiving. In short,
forgot that greatest Of the heavenly grac
ss-CnAmrY." @-
LET Inc rell you a little story 1t ha
not So much to do with the moral OF tn
subject We have been discussing; hnt
has to do with the fraity of mans judg
ment. aud is, althe same time, interest
! -. ing."
. "Thirly years agor-mcrcy how Tim
3, fliesE LAook George Sayers to be one
my clerks. He was then sixteen yeal
old and one ,of the mus; active, ,intelligen
sod efficient clerks | ever employed ID
mother was widow. and he wss an oDl
son. Hs had one sister, Two years oid'
.. than himself. who have been brought u
with him. Mrs. Sayrrs was an excelle'
woman, and knew that she had endea'
ore to rear her children in the way
virtue and slrictesl honor, Ellen Saye
--the sister-was one of the iairest mai,
ems in our town, snl one OF tie res
She was kind and gentle, and everybol
loved her. The widow was vety g'HIet
when took her son into my employ'g
ing him at once lhc,4tlVe situatlon vii
out submitting him to the appleuti esh
Of lower service
"Tims passed on, and at the end
year gave George Sayers charge
my books. During that year there h
bsen several small sums OF money MI
ing of which no account could pe gl''
Gsorgs was in situation where he col
have taken them had he been SO dispose
but | did not suspect him. l !
then no particular rerson to susp
him" ...l 81. .-'i t"'
ii had at that time number OF age
10 different parts Of the country, y,who "
in tive llaSit of remitting money TO him
mail. Que agent OF the name OF GiNs
was travelling in Vermont In Janu
Gibson mailed letter at Montpelier. G
tainlug Eve hundred dollars--6ve o
hundred dollar notes. That letter aEl
ed safely in my coanting,room; becau'
saw it, and saw the money that was in
My oversight of that letter happened
culiarly. | was engaged during the
, in another partOf the town, in supe
tending the alteration of some machien
in my. wooden mill. In the afternot
:, hat occasion 10 60 tony store, and
entered my counting room just after
boy had brought ina batch OF letters f
the posr.office. Among those letters
two or three of private nature, and |
.tbpm away when had read them. q
letters from Gibson, containing the
hundred dollars, folded neatly up sg
andywas sure that Ilpu' it, with the o
business letters, beneath a heavy ]
upon the desk. George was not in
g. time, but ! supposed he would return
ry shortly. Il turned the key ip the co
ing-roOm door ss came out, and