Weekly Trinity journal., 1870-12-24
EAVERVILLE, CALIFORNIA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER "a, 1870

while yoI add it up"
replied that " would be most happy to do
so - and the book was handed to me, a sheet of
paper being doubled over the total at the bot
| tom.
had always thought myself good hand at
this sort of thing, but felt little excited as
! viewed the awful colums, some of which had as
| many ms seven figures in n row. Taking pen,
| set to work as fast rs could to cast them up
and in about ten minutes had done one side of
the page. soon finished the other, and handed
over the total to Mr.. Blair feeling quite conf
dent rs to the result.
To my dismay he said " Five thousand ont,
Mr. Jordan. You are n little too hurried TO do
it correctly"
replied that hardly ever failed to be cor
rect in such things, and that, with due def
crence to him, thought that was so now.
But, my dear sir it's impossible this is last
years ledger, closed and balanced long ago.
You must be wrong"
"I'll try it again sir, but feel confident the
result will be the same, said, as turned to
it, and soon finished it again. with the same re-
suit.
M. Blair began to look at me rather depre-
catingly, but At my urgent request he took the
ledger, and cast up the two pages himself, to his
great astonishment arriving at the same amount
as had done.
Looking at me, he said
"This is, indeed, an extraordinary thing, Mr..
Jordan. II send for the books from which
this was posted, and We'll go over them to-
gether."
We did so, and the search proved the accounts
to have been talsifed by the cashier then lcay-
ing
left, with request from Mr.. Blair to say
nothing of what had happened, and to come
again on the morrow.
With what feeling | walked home I'll leave
you to imagine. Here was |, by two extraordi-
nary slices of good luck, about to obtain n first
class appointment and good salary, for didn /
doubt for n moment but that should have the
place.
The next day we found out other errors and,
on taking my leave of Mr.. Blair that evening, he
| said
I" Mr.. Jordan, owe you a deep debt of graft
tude, and shall not forget you Come every day
and we soon go through all these accounts.
want it kept very quiet, for ! must tell you that
| am much alarmed, not at the amount that he
has probably embczzled, but at the idea that
such thing should be done in this establish
mcnt, where | have been, man and boy, forty
years"
sympathized deeply with him. for | could
see how deeply he felt it. A friendship was
rapidly springing up between this gentleman
and myself, for was the only person who knew
his trouble, and he felt really gratifed to me for
the part had played in bringing the matter to
! light.
| Yes, there it was in black and white. The
| cashier had falsifed his accounts again and
again, and we were really approaching large
deficit.
Day by day we worked on in the bank porlor
to the astonishment of the clerks who won
dercd who could be, to be at once taken into
confidence in so extraordinary manner.
] noticed the cashier eye me furtively when
| ever he saw me. OF course, he knew what books
we took iuto the parlor, but the object of our
doing so, | am convinced, he never guessed, or
he would not have remained as he did while we
were prosecuting our search.
Two weeks went by, and still we were at work.
Sometimes would go through the work of II
whole month, and find no error, and then come
upon an amount really startling. BY the aid OF
the old check-books, we found out most of them.
still visited Mr.. Deschamps quite frequently,
and found him most kind friend and in an
swer to his inquiries as to whether Mr.. Blair
| could do anything for me, always replied that
was to have an appointment as soon as n va
cancy occurred.
At length we were approaching the accounts
kept shortly after the cashiers arrival in the
firm of Blair Lumsden & Co., and from thence
no errors were found
At Mr.. Blar's request made out statement
ofevery amount, together with the date, and
when taking leave of him that evening, he said ;
" Mr.. Jordan, am going to dine with Mr..
Deschamps this evening, and | take upon my
self to invite you so, don't fail to be there.
intend to tell Dcschamps all about this sad affair
and ask his advice, for don't think | ought to
let the fellow escape, even though his conyc-
ton would affect the house"
At the appointed hour, repaired to the house
of Mr.. Deschamps and was at once shown into
the library whore Mr. Blair and Mr.. Deschamps
were sitting.
We talked over the matter Cor n long time, Mr..
Blair prasing me to Mr.. Descbamps and saying
how glad he should be to give me an appoint
ment rs soon as the affair was settled.
We had very pleasant evening, notwith-
standing Mr. Blairs misfortune, and he even
seemed to shake Off his trouble as the evening
wore on.
We played whist and chess we sang and
talked, and drank tea, and were, indeed, very
happy party.
When the time came for our departure, the
snow was so Deep that, at Mr.. Blairs desire, |
rode home with him, and s:aid at bis house that
night.
lie treated me with the greatest kindness, and
soon drew from me the whole Of my history, in
cuding my engagement to the "jolliest girl in
merry England.
The next day :he thunderbolt fell At about
eleven Mr.. Blair asked me to summon Mr.. Woods,
the cashier. | did so, and when he had seated
himself, Mr.. Blair turned 10 me and said
"Mr. Jordan, that list please"
handed it to him, and he wrote over the
amounts the words, Particulars of the deficits
in Mr.. Woods accounts" and then handed it
without a word to the cashier.
! saw the man look at the heading, and, drop
ping the paper, he regarded his wrongcd en-
ployer with a stony stare, his face as white AS
death, and his mouth twtching with the con
vulsive efforts he made to moisten his lips.
" Mr.. Woods said his employer sternly, {" /
have found out your viany, you see but il
was quite by accident. know all now, and
| have merely sent for you to tell you to give
over your books and papers to Mr.. Jordan.
While you doing so shall send for an OIL
Ger and give you in charge, for | intend to pros
ecute this matter to the utmost"
Ea allinn ON Liz knees the wreIched man oasnel