The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-07-13

|my companions enjoying. For lon
weeks together | have been without
penny in my pocket, and at such times
have felt much shame in view of my eS
IRENE poverty My father has given m
1 two dollars-one when he left me here
and one when he came to visit me. Blu
what of that? Nearly all of it went 70
mall articles I absolutely needed Lee
lures concerts, and various other kind
Of healthy entertainments were visited
| by my companions, but could not go
At length the fatal knowledge was mine
that others of my station had money TO
such things-money that they took from
their employers without leave. / pom
dered upon it long and deeply, and il
bordering was lost. Yesterday took
two-dollars-"
Here the poor boy burst into tears
but the merchant said not word. In &
few moments Gilbert resumed:
"You know the worst now. took it
and a part of it | used last night; but o
[ want no more hours of agony such as
have passed ssince that time. Here is {
dollar and half, sir. Take it, and when
[ get home will send you the rest O
let me go, for [ cannot say where temp
tation haunts me- Away in he solitude
of my fathers farm shall not want the
III )ney | cannot have. You may say thai
II have had experience; but alas that
experience only tells me that while / re-
main here the tempter must be with me-
would not long for what | cannot pos
'sess. While I have wants and desires
the wish must be present to crafty them
Let me go, sir; but oh, tell not my
shame!"
Til" boy stopped and bowed his head,
aud during that time variety of shades
passed over his countenance.
colbert" he said at length, in a low,
kind tone, "you must not leave me. For
a few moments [ will forget the differ
ence IN our stations, and speak as plainly
as you have spoken. have been in the
wrong, l freely confess. l should have
known that temptation was thrown in
your way-a temptation that should not
be cast in the way of any person, much
less an inexperienced youth Since you
have been so nobly frank, I will be
equally SO. Forgive me the situation in
which l placed you, and the past shall
be forgotten. Until this moment never
thought seriously ofthis subject; l never
before realized how direct was the temp
tation thus placed before the apprentices
of Cur houses. But see it all now. l
know that to poor boy, who has no
money, the presence of both money and
costly amusements must be too fearful a
temptation for ordinary youths. But
you shall not leave.
From this moment | shall trust you
implicitly, and l shall love you for your
nozzle disposition and fine sense Of honor.
shall not fear to trust you henceforth,
for you shall have pecuniary recompense
somewhat commensurate with the labor
you perform. I have often blessed the
hour that brought you to my store, for |
have seen in you valuable assistant (;
and if have ever held a lingering doubt
of your strict integrity, I shall hold it no
more, for it requires more strength of
moral purpose to acknowledge, unaskcd,
crime, than it does to refrain from com
hitting one. Never again will accept
the labor of any person without paying
him for it, and then if he is dishonest no
blame can attach to me. You will not
leave me, Gilbert? p :.
The boy gazed up into his employers
face, but for while tearsand sobs choked
his utterance. Mr.. Phelps drew him to
his side and laying his hand upon the
youths head, he resumed:
If blame you for this mOmentary de-
parture from strict honesty, the love l
bear for your noble confession vastly
more than wipes it all away. Hence
forth you shall have enough for all your
wants, and when tue year is up we will
make an arrangement that can but please
you. What say you, will you stay!"
"IE-if-I only knew that you will
never abhor me for this"
"Stop, Gilbert, have spoken to you
the truth and you need have no fear. /
will pay you three dollars a week for
your own amusement and instruction, and
when you want clothes and other matters
of like necessity, if you will speak t., me
you shall have them. ALI the past il
forgotten, save your many virtues, and
henceforth know you only for what you
shall prove"
Gilbert tried in vain to tell his graft
tude, but the merchant saw it all; and
with tears in his eyes, he blessed the
boy, and then babe him 60 about his
work
The year passed away, and another
boy came to take G;lbert's place; for the
latter took his station in the counting
room. But the new boy came not as
boys had come before. The merchant
promised to pay him so much per week,
onouoh FIR ali nractical nurnOses and
then he felt that he should not be re-
sponsible for the boys honesty.
At the age of seventeen Gilbert Good.
win took the place of one of the assistant
book keepers, and at nineteen he took his
place at the head of the counting room;
for to an aptness at figures and an I'M