Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-07-02
TIE LEFT-HANDED THIEF.
A STORY OF MERoHANTILE LIFE

How many young men have been in
jured and perhaps ruined by false sus
picion, remarked my mercbantile friend
as we were conversing upon the subjec
Of the "panic."a few evenings since
Suspicion is like an assassin in th'
dark. 1t stabs its victim. and b
knows not whence the blow comes
Or it may be more like the keen fros
which seizes upon the ears; cheeks o.
nose, freezing the flesh, and driving
back the life. blood and yet the poo
man is totally ignorant Of bis situation
til be comes in contact with the hea
and he begins to feel the singing pain
But l never told yoa Of the only time
that suspicion Of evil was ever fastened
upon me. 1t has nothing to do with
the subject under consideration, though
it serves TO show how merchants some.
times lose money.
When mere youth, was placed in
the store OF Jacob Wharton, a merchant
doing good business. / was frugal,
industrious and faithful, and at the age
of twenty-one I was advanced to the
post of book k-keeper, with good salary.
/ had charge of the books, and the
safe, and all the money left over bank
ing hours was also in my care. / tried
to do my duty faithfully, and l think 1
succeeded. Mr.. Wharton was a close
methodical man, with quick eye and
ready understanding OF business. and
as fancied that be was satisfied / felt
well pleased.
l had been a book-keeper a year
when thought my employers manner
toward me began to change. He be-
gan to treat me more coolly, and final
ly was sure be watched my move
ments with distrustful glances.
One evening when l was alone In
the store, engaged in making up my
cash account, Wharton came to me
with a troubled look and spoke. His
voice was tremulous and l could see
that he was deeply affected.
George" said he, 81 am sorry for
the conviction which has been forced
upon mel fear you have not been
treating me as you should"
l managed. in spite of my astonish-
ment, to ask what be meant.
II fear you are not honest" was his
response.
Had a thunderbolt fallen upon me l
could not have been more startled.
Not honesti And there l 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-that my lips trembled, and that
my Inference was almost choked.-|
How long had he held such suspicion?
/ asked him, and he told me for more
than two months.
"Heavens! You have suspected me
thus and still left me in the dark At
ter serving you so long-after giving
to your interest all my energies-after
striving for faith and honor. that 1
might win your love and esteem-to
suspect me in secret! to look upon me
as thief, and yet not tell mel Oh, i
would not have believed it."
"Let us talk this matter over calm
ly," said the merchant, his old kind
tones coming back. He was touched
by my agony, and could see he was
waveriDg.
felt at first like telling him that be
should have done this before, but as
he seemed ready to reason now, l found
no fault.
"You have spent considerable money
of late," he began.
"How?" l asked.
"Have you not built house?"
Eyes. sir, and paid for it, too, and
have thus given my mother a COM
Portable home"
Mr.. Wharton was staggered for a
moment by my frank and feeling reply,
but pretty soon be asked:
"What did the house cost you?"
"Just fifteen hundred dollars. Ny
mother owned The land, and supposed
you would know where / 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 yeu
gave me hundred dollars, and / laid
up sixty dollars year. The fourth
year you made me clerk, and gave me
FIVE hundred. Ny mother was able
to feed me, and our little cot answerin o
for the time, / got along that year at
an expense Of seventy-6ve dollars
The next year you gave me six hnn-
dred on copdifie. tbat would help
keep your books. l saved FIVE hun
dred of that. This last year you have
paid me one thousand dollars, and
have spent only the interest Of that
previously invested, SO that the one
thousand dollars was not touched
or course my mother has worked but
then she wished to do it. / have paid
fifteen hundred dollars for my house.
and have FIVE hundred in the savings
bank. This is q plain statement of af-
fairs"
My employer seemed more puzzled
than before.
'sNow," ssid I, al have given you
sn honest statement, and will you be
equally frank and tell me all that has
happened to excite this suspicion?"
IL will" he replied, taking 8, seal
near me.