The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-12-08
S|Mistellatteo1ts,
THE LEFT-HANDED THIEF.
BY sYLvANUs COBB, JR.

How many young men have been injured,
and perhaps ruined, by false suspicion remark
ed my mercantile friend, as we were conversing
upon the subject of the "panic'' few even
ings 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, the
cheeks or the nose, freezing the flesh and driv-
ing back the life blood, and yetleaving the poor
man totally ignorant of his situation till he comes
in contact with heat, and begins to feel the sting
ing pain. But believe never told of the only
time that suspicion of evil was ever fastened upon
me. 1t has nothing in particular to do with the
subject under consideration; though it served to
show how merchants sometimes lose money
d'When mere youth was placed in the store
of Jonas Warton, who was merchant doing a
good business. | was frugal, industrious and
faithful, and at the age of twenty-one ] was ad-
vanced to the post of book-keeper, with a good
salary. had charge of the books and the safe,
and all the money left over after banking hours
was also in my care, ! tried to do my duty
faithfully, and think l succeeded. Mr.. War.
ton was a close, metheodical man, with quick eye
and ready understanding of business, and as |
fancied that be was satisfied l felt much pleased.
| had been book keeper year, when | thought
my employers manner towards me began to
change. He seemed to treat me more cody, and
finally, was sure he watched my movements
with dstrustful glances became nervous and
uneasy, for | feared l had offended him. But
the thing came to head at length. One even
ing when was alone in the store engaged in
making up my cash account, Mr.. Warton came
to me with tronbled look, and spoke. His voice
was tremulous, and could see that he was deep
ly affected.
George said he, l am sorry for the convic-
tion which has been forced upon me. fear you
are not treating me as you should
managed, in spite of my astonishment, to
ask him what he meant
fear you not honest = was his reply.
Had thunderbot 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 at first. | only
know that tears came into my eyes-that my lips
trembled-and that my utterance was almost
choked. sHow:long had he held such suspicious?
asked him, and he told me for more than two
mouths.
Good God You have suspected me thus,
and still left me in the dark After serving you
so long-after giving to your interests all my
energies-after striving for faith and honor that
might win your love and esteem j---to suspect
me in secret Ito look upon me as a thief, and
yet not tell me Oh would not have believed
merchant, his old kind tone coming back. He
was touched by my agony, and could see that
he was wavering.
/ felt at first like telling him that he should
have done this before but as he seemed willing
to reason now found no more fault
You have spent considerable money of late,
he began.
How p I asked.
Have you not built house p
Yes, strand paid for it oo,-and have thus
given my mother comfortable home
Mr. Warton was staggered for moment by
my frank and feeling reply but pretty soon he
asked
What did the house cost you p
Just fifteen hundred dollars My mother
owned the land. And l suppose you would
know where got the money. You sir, learned
me how to save it. / 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 and of that
l 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 as our little
old cot answered for the time, got along that
year upon an expense of seventy-fve dollars, SO
that saved four hundred and twenty-five doll
lars. The next year you paid me six hundred
on condition that | would help to 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 investe d, so that the thousand was not
touched, Ofcourse my mother has worked but
dollars cash for my house, and have over five
hundred in the Savings Bank. That is a plain
statement of my affairs