National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-04-09
to return the half dollar to his EN- +
ployer, and it was on his lips to say,

'1Ou nave gwen me TOO much, sir,
when the unforgotten words, Let
people look after their own mis-
takes, daShing upon lis thoughts,
made him hesitate. To hold par
ley with evil isto be overcome.
Il must think about this said
James, as he put the money into his
pocket. If it is true in one case it
is true in another. Mr.. Carman
don't correct mistakes that people
make in his favor, and lie can't com
plain when the rule works against
him.
But the boy was far from being
in a comfortable state. lie felt
that to keep half dollar would be
a dishonest act. Still lie could not
make up his mind to retuan it, at
least not then.
James did not return the half
dollar, but spent it for his own
qualification. After he had done
this it came suddenly into his head
that Mr. Carman had only been
trying him, and he was filled with
anxiety and alarm.
Not long after Mr.. Carman re
peated the same mistake. James
kept the half dollar with less hest
tation.
Let him correct his own Mistakes
said he resoutely; that's the doc
trinc he acts on with other people.
and he can't complain if he gets
paid back in the same coin he puts
in circulation. | just wanted half Il
dollar
From this moment the fine moral
sense of James Lewis was blunted.
He had taken an evil counsellor
into his ncart. stimulated a spirit Of
covetouSneSS--latcut in almost
every miud-which caused him to
desire the possession of things be-
yond his ability to obtain.
James had good business qualili-
cations, and SO pleased Mr.. Carman
10y his Intelligence, industry, and
tact With customers, that he ad-
yanced him rapidly, and gave him,
before he was eighteen years old,
the most reliable position i'll his
store. But James had learned
something more ftom his employer
than how 10 do business we'll. He
, had learned to be dishonest. He
had never forgotten the first lesson
he had received in this bad science :;
he had acted not only in two instan
ces, but in a hundred. and always
to the injury Of Mr.. Carman. lie
had lohg since given up waiting for
mistakes to be made in his favor,
but originated them i'll the varied
and complicated transactions of a
large business in which he was trust
ed implicitly; for it never occurred
to Mr.. Carman that his failure to be
Just to the letter might be snare
to this young man.
James grew sharp, cunning and
/ SkillfIl, always ON the alert, always
( bright and ready to meet any ap-
proacheS toward a discovery Of his
wrong doing by his employer who
held him in the highest regard.
Thus it went on unit! James was
in his twentieth year. when the mer
chant had his suspicious aroused
! by Il letter which spoke of the
, young man. as not keeping the most
respectable company, and as spend
! ing money too freely for clerk on .
moderate salary.
Before this time James had re
moved his mother into Il pleasant
house, for which he paid Il rent OF
four hundred dollars. His salary
was eight hundred dollars. but Ii,
deceived his mother Ivy telling he
that il was fifteen hundred dollars
Every comfort that she needed wa
fully supplied. and she was begin
ming to think that after long an,
painful struggle with the world he
= happieSt days had come.
James was at his desk when tn,
, letter was received by Mr.. Carmau
He looked at his emf loyer and saw
, him change countenan"e suddenly
He read it over twice, and jaime
| saw that the contents prodnced dis
turbancc. Mr.. Carman glance,
\ toward the desk, and their eyes me
5 il was only for moment, but tn
lool, that James received made hi
/. heart stop beating.
There was something about ia
movements of Mr.. Carman for th
/; rest of the day that troubled th
f young man. 1t was plain to hil
: that suspicion had been aroused h
I that letter. q, how bitterly did il
repent, in the dread of discover
- and punishment, the evil of whic
= he had been guilty! EXpoSm
:" would disgrace and ruin him, an
: bow the head of his widowed mott
= or even to the grave.
- 'Ioa rcnot well this evening
- said Mrs. Lewis, aS she looked ,
" her sons changed face across Il
!, table, and noticed that lie did u,
, eat
g My head achcs.'
# Porhaps tea viii make it feel be
=. ter
I'll lie down or the sofa in Il
II paror u short time
Mrs. Lewis showed him into Il
70 parlor, and sitting down on the 40
n upon which he was lying, plac,
r. her hand upon his head. All,
d would take more than the loviI
: uunn.llnn Of n mnIlnl's hnul In on