Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-12-12
4 NeiC York CIcIH.


a yCung man by the name of Ames
was a clerk for a merchant in New
York, and was entrusted with bills of
large amount to collect, which he per.
formed honestly. so far as his employer
did discover; but Mr.. Smith-that was
he merchants name-was Il very eau
tious man, and often laid traps" to
catch his clerks in defrauding him, and
see if any of them were not proof
against dishonesty. In this way be as
certained which of them could be trus--
ed, and when he found one of them dis
honest he would discharge them.
Mr.. Smith kept wholesale and retail
dry goods store, doing an immense bust
ness, and after he had accumulated a
fortune and began to think of letiring
from business, he said,-
"Now / am going to give up my bu-
siness to such of my clerks as l know to
he no est. l shall test them one by
one, and to-mOrrC w I'm going to see
what Ames is--an honest young man or
q rascal"
The next morning he called on a
friend whose son was intimate with
young Ames, and arranged a trap" to
test his honesty. He had arranged a
large number of accounts to collect that
day, and Ro Jert D-)Mr. smiths
friends SOM, was to meet him by acct
dent. and propose to spend some of the
money collected for nuts, oranges, ice
cream, DC.
and fad d large roll Of bills a nd "lots''
of fl ctiona currency, when the follow
ing conversation ensued =
"Goo morning, Ames-been out col
Letting? Got lots of money, I sup
pose 20
Eyes, Ive over a thousand ollars
and must hurry back 10 the store as Pm
AFRAID l may get robbed. One don't
know who may be logging his steps in
such a city as New York, to rob him
even in the day time"
DON'T be in hurry. Let's go into
Tay Ior's."
They went in and sat down to a
beautiful marble table.
Nov Ames, said Rol ert, "you have
a pocket full of moLey, and am rather
short ; just take dollar out of that roll
greenbacks, and pay the bill. Nobody
need know about it. You can turn the
money over to the cashe and if he dis
covers it short one dollar you can say,
can't account for .it--som, mistake?
some mistake somewhere" Such en-
rors 0ccrr often, you know, and nobody
thinks one is dishonest. / toll YOU
Ames, such chaps as you don't oct
more than half paid for their services
and 1t would not be wrong occasionally
to take few shillings when it is done
without detection. / know young fe
low who pays all his small bills, such
as Juleps, cigars, and going out to the
theatres, in that way, and has done so
for years; and his employer never sus-
pected him of dishonesty
" No, sir" re olied Anes, ~ cannot
comply with your request. A dollar
short in lay cash may be considered and
overlooked; hut there would come q set
Element with conscience which could
not be got over very easily. My father
used to say to me, Johnny, when you
grow to be man remember that Hon
e'ty is the best policy He's dead and
gone now, but these words will never be
forgotten. | know I'm working for low
wages, but ! agreed to WORK Tor what I
receive, and have no right to use nv
employers money Oh that account. No. |
Robert, refuse your request with scorn |
and Indignation. l am poor, but, thank
GOD, l have never yet taken money that
didn't belong to me, and trust [ never
shall and if this is the way you seek to
turn young men from the path of recti.,
tuuo, uesiIS meyer % meet you again" |
Ames then arose and left Robert. and
returned to the store. II next day Mr..
Smith called his clerks into his office
and told hem to be seated. They all
starred at each other in wonder one md
all EXPECTING to be discharged.
"Roys," said he. ~ am going to re-
tire from tusiness. | have III ide nv
fortune -.ere, an now propose to loan
my entire stock in trade-some $3.50. OoO
IN amount-and the good will of my Gus.
toners, 10 such OF you as / feel / can
rust. Ames, Stanton and Danford-
Il document 10 Ames-heIe is
he bill of sale. You will, If agreeable.
AXE immediate possession, and The pay
nents may G made at your convenient
'e. ! have tested your honor, eaon of
you, no matter how, and / have no
loubt that you believe honesty is tho
pest policy. Good morning, gentlemen,
taking up his hat), lavish you prosper
" In trade,o
The firm of Ames, Stlnton & Dapford ,
8 one OF the wealthiest of New York.
Ames is married, lives in Fifth Avenue
md is worth half a million; and all the :
esults OF his refusal 10 embezzle dollar ,
# his employers money,