Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-04-07
THE GAZETTE.
OEDAR FALLS, APRIL 7, 1871.
BY A VERY OLD MAN.

such story of themselves: But /
am convinced that IL will afford q
suggestion of mercy toward such as
do fall, and some may be turned
away from temptation by its recital.
had been an under clerk in
large establishment for many years.
Naturally economical, my savings
had attained to such q respectable
sum that ventured upon married
life, quite as much as q refuge from
the monotony of my inexpensive
style of living as in obedience to
those yearnings OF nature, which a
man is either very foolish or very bad
not to heed in due season. Like
most men, however. whose adven-
turesof this kind are not followed by
the comfort and ease which depend
upon money for their possession, in
the course of time i came to repent
the undertaking; for was in debt,
my family had increased, while my
income had not kept pace with my
expenses. My wife lacked the cour-
age to practice the proper self.denial
which would be consequent upon
retrenchment Of our expenses. /
was daily annoyed by duns. bad
borrowed money in every available
quarter, and walk in the public
streets was literally denied to me by
the fear of encountering some one to
whom was in debt for house ex-
penses.
Returning home late one night,
jaded by listless stroll through the
town, / found the junior member of
the firm awaiting me. The house
had received intelligence, after busi-
ness houIs, of transaction entered
into on their account, which secured
the immediate transmission TO All
isolated inland town of several thou
sand dollars, together with certain
papers and statements necessary to
conclude the affair. 1t was too i'm
portant matter to be entrusted to
the insecurity and uncertainty of the
mail at that time. Upon q consulta-
ton Of the members of the firm, ]
had been elected to perform the
necessary two days journey. / ac-
cepted the mission with alaerity, for
tho reason, among others, that il
would be such recreation as would
divert my thoughts for time from
the perplexities Of my miserable con.
| dition.
With the usual foresight of the
frm, everything necessary to my
prompt departure had been prear-
ranged. The ueedful papers and nc
counts and the Indispensable money
requisite to finish the transaction
were placed in my hands in ali en-.
velope addressed to the gentleman
who had acted as agent of the con-
cern in the matter. A letter of in-
struction WAS likewise inclosed.
remember we'll the bright Sep
tember morning on which started
on horse back and alone on my
Journey, of which / accomplished
half the first day, arriving at a farm
house, whose occupant unhesilating-
ly granted my petition for "a share for
the night, in its humble hospitality
The weather had grown colder as
the evening came on, and by the
time L had reached the house ex
perienced q sensible chill. / had
with me flask of liquor, and was
furnished at my request, at bed time,
with small quantity of hot water,
with which to compound u sort of
punch, as an antidote TO the cold
apprehended having taken.
had removed the package of
money from my pocket. and laid IL
on the table, with view OF putting
it under my pillow before going to
bed. AS it lay OH the table, the adj
dress was uppermost, on the left
hand upper corner was a memoran-
DUN, "S5 900 inclosed," l was
standing with my back to the door.
Succeeding a few moments of my
entire silence, / heard step behind
me, and | almost think breath up-
on my face. Turning suddenly, /
beheld my host with the hot water
L had called for In tumbler in his
hand. He was quite beside Inc,
and his eyes rested, or fancied they
rested, on the package on the table.
must confess was seDsibly startled
by this incident. My concern was
not diminished by observing that he
had removed his boots from his feet
and was then standing as he had
come up in his stockings. My first
impulse and act was to take the wat
er out of his hands. Not being quite
ready to use 1t, put the envelope of
money on the top of 1t, as the most
convenient thing to keep it hot. l
did not turn the superscription down
because / feared it would betray the
suspicion which now positively en-
tertained, of evil intentions on the
part of my entertainer, who had
quilted the room as noiselessly as he
hsd entered. / imagined great
many ways in which he could have
become acquainted with the cause OF
my journey, and came rapidly 10
the conclusion that my employer 4
funds were in danger. That they
were actually so became evident be-
fore the night had passed. Ireealled
the mans countenance vividly to
recollection, and examined from
memory his features, SO as to make
some estimate of his character with
which i had to deal. Physically
he was a great deal more than my
equal.
| When / first alighted at the house,
1t struck me that / had seen him be-
fore, and after some moments of fur
tber profound reflection, distinctly
recalled him to my mind as mer-
chant who dealt with our firm, dur.
ing my earlier connection with 1t,
and had failed, through the dishon>
esty of some friends whom he had
assisted.
/ remembered him as having been
spoken Of as disgusted with trade,
and having sought home in the
wilderness with his family, and
/ aovu;,o N l;y,pp litaralIxy n. tLa