Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-02-20


escape from the presence of his mother
AZ last bis walk brought him near Mr..
Carman's store, and at passing he was
surprised at sosing light within.
what can this mean ~ lie asked him
sell, new fear creeping, with its shud-
derlng impulse into his heart.
lie listened by the door and windows.
but he could hear no sound within.
There's something wrong" he said !:
what can it be? If this is discovered
what will be the 0nd of IL? Ruin ruiu !
My poor mother ~
The wretchcd young man hastenod ON
walked the street for two hours. when
he returned home. His mother me, him
when he entered, and, with unconceaIed
anxiety, asked him it he were better
lie said yes, but in a manner that only
increased the trouble she felt, and passed
up hastily to his own room.
In the morning the strangely altered
face of James, as he met his mother al
the breakfast table, struck alarm into her
heart. He was silent, and evaded all her
questions. While they sat at the table
the door bell raOg loudly. The sound
startled James, and lie turned lis head TO
listen in nervous way.
"Who is ii :" asked Mrs. Lewis.
"A gentleman who wishes to sec Mr..
James, replied the girl.
James rose instantly, and went ont in
to the hall, shutting the dining room
door as he did 80. Mrs. Lewis sat wait.
ing her sons return. She heard him
coming back in n few moments but he
did not enter the dining room. Then he
returned along the hall to the street door,
and she heard it shut. All was silent
Starting up she ran into the passage. but
James was not there. lie had poue
away with the person who had called.
An, that was sad going away. Mr..
Carman had spent half the night in ex.
amining the accounts of james, and dis
covered frauds of over six thousand dol
lars. Blindly indignant, he sent an off
Ger to arrest him earl Y in the morning :;
and it was with this officer that he went
away from his mother, necer to return.
"The young villain shall lie in the bed
he has made for himself ~ exclaimed
Mr.. Carman, in his bitter indigmation.-
And he made the exposure complete
On the trial he showed an eager desire to
have him convicted, and presented such
an array OF evidence that the jury could
not give any other verdict than guilty.
The poor mother was in court, and
audible in the silence that followed camo
her convulSed sobs upon the air. The
presiding judge addressed the culprit.
and asked it he had anything to say why
tho sentence of the law should not he
pronounced against him. All ewes were
turned upon the pale agitated young man
who rose with an effort, and leaned
against the railing by which he stood, as
if needing the support.
"Will it please your honors," he said,
ito direct my prosecutor to come little
nearer, SO hat | can look at him and your
honers ut the same time 20
MIR. Carman was directed 10 conc for
ward to where the boy stood. James
looked at him steadily for few moments
and then turned to the Judges.
"What have to say To your honors is
this" (hc spoke calmly and distinctly,
'and it may in degree evtenuatc, tho
cannot excuse my crime. went into
that mans store All innocent boy, and if
he had been an honest man | would not
have stood before you to-day as a crimi-
nal"
Mr.. Carman appealed to the court for
protection against an allegation of such
an outrageous character but no was
persmptorily ordered 10 be silent. James
went on in firm voice.
"Only q few weeks after went into his |
| examined a bill 10y his di- |
i'm, i, 4 i
ty dollars"
The face of Mr. Carman srimsonsd.
"You remember it, see" said James,
Sand | shall have cause to remember it |
while live. The error was in favor of |
Mr.. Carman. asked if | should correct
the figures, and he answered, "No, let
them correct their own mistakes we
don't examine bills for other peoples
benefit" 1t was my first lesson in dis
honesty. / saw the bill settled, and Mr..
Carman take twenty dollars that was not |
his own. l felt shocked at first it seem
ed such a wrong thing. But soon after
he called me n simpleton for handing back |
a fifty dollar bill to the teller of Il bank, |
which he had overpaid me OH a check,
and then
May ask the protection OF the court"
said Mr.. Carman.
SIS it true what the lad says ?" asked
The judge.
MIR. Carman hcsitated and looked con-
fused all eyes were on his face; and
Judges and jury, lawyers and spectators,
rlt certain that lie was guilty of leading |
the unhappy young man astray.
mot long attcrward," resumed Lewis,
N receiving my wages found that Mr..
Carman had paid mo fifty cents too
much. was about to give it back to
lm, when | remembered his remark |
lbont letting people correct their own
mistakes, and said to myself 'let him
correct his own errors and dishonesty
Kept the money. Again the thing hap
Dened, and again l kept the msney
hat did not of right belong to me-
This was the beginning OF evil, and here
am. If he had shown any mercy i
might have kept silent and made no de-
enee."
The young man covered his face with
his hands and sat down oyerpowered