The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-06-08
A CONFESSION.
By A VERY OLD MAN.

such q story of themselves. But an
convinced that it will afford an sugges
tion of mercy toward such as do fall, ano
some NAV be turned away from tempta
tion by its recital.
had been an under clerk in large
establishment for many years. Natural
lv economical, my savings had attained
to euch a respectable sum that Ventured
upon married life, quite as much as a
Tefi1oe from the monotony of my inexpen-
sive style of living SIS in obedience to
those warnings of nature, which man Is
werv foolish or very bad not to heed IN
due season. Like most men, however,
adventures of this kind are not followed
bv the comfort and ease which depend
upon money for their possession: In the
course of time came to repent the I'M
dertaking, for was in debt, my family
had increased, while my income had not
kept pace with my expenses. My wife
lacked the courage to practice the self-de-
NAL which would be consequent upon a
retrenchment of our expenses. | was
daily ANNOYED by duns. I had borrowed
money in every available quarter, and a
walk in the public streets was literally
denied to me by the fear of encountering
some one to whom I was indebted for
my house expenses.
Returning home late one night, jaded
bv O. listless stroll through the town, l
found the Junior member of the firm
waiting for me. The house had received
intelligence, after business hours, of
transaction entered into on their account,
which REQUIRED the instant transmission,
TO an isolated inland town, of several
thousand dollars, together with certain
papers and statements necessary to con-
cIude the affair. It was too important
a matter to be entrusted to the delay and
uncertainty of the mail at the time.
Upon a consultation of the members of
the firm, I had been selected to perform
the necessary two days journey. I &C.
cepted the mission with alacr1ty, the
reason, among others, that 1t would bel
such recreation as would divert myl
thoughts for time from the perplexi-
ties of nv miserable condition.
With the usual foresight of the firm,
everything necessary to my prompt de
parture had been pre-arranged. The
needfU1 papers and accounts, and che In
dispensable money requisite to finish the
transactions were placed In my hands In
an envelope addressed to the gentleman
who had acted as agent OF the concern
in the matter. A letter of instruction
was likewise enclosed.
I remember we'll the bright Septem-
Der morning on which started on horse
back and alone on my journey, OF which
I accomplished half the first day, arriv,
ing at farm house, whose occupant un-
hesitating by granted my petition for a
share for the night, in its humble hos
pitaiity.
The weather had grown colder as the
evening came on, and by the time [ had
reached the house experienced sensi-
bic chill had with me flask of liq-
uor and was furnished, at my request, at
bed time, with small quantity of hot
water with which to compound a sort
of punch, as an antidote to the cold l
apprehended having taken.
[ had removed the package OF money
from my pocket, and laid it on the table,
with view Of putting it under my pill
low before | went to bed. AS it lay on
the table the address was uppermost, on
the left hand upper corner was memo
randum, "$5, 900 inclosed." I was stand
ing with my back to the door. Succeed
ing a few moments of entire silence, l
heard step behind me, and | almost
think breath upon my face. Turning
suddenly round, beheld my host with
the hot water I had called for in tumb-
Ter in his hand. He was quite beside
me, and his eyes rested, or fancied they
rested, on the package on the table. l
must confess was sensibly startled by the
incident My concern was not diminish
ed by observing that he had removed
his boots from his feet and he was stand
ing as he had come up, in his stockings
MY first impulse and act was to take the
water out of his hand. Not being quite
ready to use it I put the envelope of
money on top of it, as the most conve-
nient thing to keep it hot. It did not
turn the prescri ption downward because
I feared it would betray the suspicion
which / now positively entertained, of
evil intentions on the part of my enter
tainer, who had quilted the room as
noiselessly as he had entered | imagin-
ed a great many ways in which he could
have become acquainted with the cause
of my Journey, and came rapidly to the
conclusion that my employers fundsaWere
in danger. That they were actually so,
became evident before the night had
passed. recalled the mans countenance
wildly to my recollection, and examined
from memory his features, SO as to make
some estimate of the character with which
had to DEAL Physically he was more
than my equal. When | first alighted
at the house, it struck me I had seen
him before, and after some moments of
further and more profound reflection,
I distinctly recalled him to my mind as
a merchant who had dealt with our firm
dnrino NV early connection with it. and