Weekly Trinity journal., 1870-01-08
My Great Temptation.


bankers, but had for several years paid such
strict attention to my business, been pune
tual at my post with the greatest willingness,
that my employers placed the strictest confidence
in me. was young and an orphan, dependent
on my own exertions for living, and do you
wonder that without mothers tender, loving
care and gentle counsel (for she died at my
birth), fell into temptation2
had often been at my employers mansion,
and had seen and loved his only daughter,
Emile Blake, but had never hoped that pas
sion was returned, for felt that there was
insurmountable barrier between us but still
could not help building aIr-castes, in which she
chiefly figured. Perhaps the remembrance of
her sweet and beautiful face ought to have with
held me from sinking so deep into the abyess of
crime; but found it easy to yield to tempta-
tion so surrounded by vice was |, that love and
duty we thrust aside.
! write this true through strange history Of
my lte not merely for the purpose of the
nance which it contains, but from conscientious
motives, with the hope that it may prove les
son to some one who may not perhaps, be ever
placed in the same situation as but who, never
theless, may be led to think of the import of
those words, Lead not into temptation,"
and be guided by the admontion, "Look not
upon the wine when it is red ~
fell into bad company; and this, let me say,
is one of the worst evils for young men. One
must be very discriminating in his choice of
companions, and possesses n true spirit and firm
will of his own, to resist surrounding tempta-
tions, and the thorns and snares that infest his
pathway through life. | made the acquaintance
of Harold Blake; handsome, noble-hearted and
kind, he won all hearts, and by these simple and
natural arts, won mine. must confess that my
affection for him made greater by my love
for his sister, which never disclosed to him.
Though possessing every quality of nobeness
n nd m he Un pan nrulI and al y
influenced. do not wish it understood that my
acquaintance with him of totally fatal
character, though it really was through his
instrumentalty that fell into temptation. He
frankly told me that he liked me. These
his words
Eugene Falkland, am no hatterer, l do not
praise others to gain their favor; always give
people my opinion of them without hesitancy,
and it does me great pleasure to say to you that
of all my associates like you the best. You
are every inch gentlemen. Shake hands upon
it," And laughing jovially, he grasped my
hands and then our friendship sealed.
We became very intimate. He took me among
several of his " best friends, " he called them.
They are right good jova fellows, " he said,
" and you cannot help liking them"
! found them to be that he had described but
did not understand then that it was a sad'step
took when consented to join them. did not
know the difference between the right and the
wrong-at least, did not pause to consider.
did not think that the wine drank my
worst foe. 1t is true that conscience did reprove
me more than once but senced it with the
remark that it only friendly glass took
in honor too the health Of such and such per-
son. All little considered that in drinking to
the welfare of others was only running my
own.
This went on for some time. In the mean
while ! had become reckless and neglectful.
L.1 a.,
else HerOld was as kind-hearted as ever, but
could not help noticing that change had come
over him but this, thought was owing to
some secret indispostion on his part, so did
not trouble myself much about it,
Reader, what have to say is painful to me.
Have you never thought of the import, the awful
import, | may say, of those words, " Lead us not
into temptation ~ do not wish in the midst of
narrative to deliver you lecture, but what
have said was naturally prompted by an event
which ! shall attempt to describe
had become, as | said, reckless-totaly so.
The gaming. table held charms for me, but by it
lost great deal and one night found myself
poorer than ever before. Nothing daunted,
played on until lost all then, maddened with
the truth of this, which stared me firmly in the
face, | left the halls of pleasure, dertermined to
retrive all that had lost. ! was tempted then,
God knows, but did not resist the temptation.
rushed blindly along, with no care, no thought
of the consequences. | robbed my employers
at first of a small amount, but, by degrees, APP
propriated so much to my OWE use that at last
became frightened. Guilt seemed to me to be
written upon my brow and Innocence hid her
face. All was discovered this was the truth,
though then only imagined 1t. felt that often
during the day my employers eyes were fixed
upon me, and when at times looked up from
the long rows of figures which now possessed no
interest for me, met his cold, keen gaze, much
to my discontinue.
But one day overheard conversation be-
tweed Mr.. Blake and his assistant, which con-
frmed my worst fears. Flight seemed to be my
only expendient, and Immediately acted upon
the resolution had made. II must be neces-
sarily brief in my narrative, let it, therefore,
suffice to say that left the city, and that il
with feelings of pleasure, mixed with regret and
sorrow, that for the first time in six years
again greeted the place of my birth, which had
once been a small unpretending village, but had
considerably grown and fourshed. | wandered
here and there, undetermined what to do.
was tired Of life-sick and weary of everything