The Republican journal., 1871-06-15
NUMBER 49,.
A Case Of Conscience.

city merchant, sat in his office gazing
with a pale and despairing eyes at the
spectre ruin which stared at him from nc
great distance. He had weathered the
storms of three brief years he had soon
hoped to weather this. but the loss Of a
thousand pounds held by a friend deprived
HIM OF the means of making payment
due IN three days, and he felt that AL was
indeed lost. for his efforts to negotiate n
loan in the present state of the money mar
kct had been worse than useless.
The prospect before him was not cheer
ing one. 1t is rather hard to begin life
over again at thirty, especially when one
has reached that age after wears Of power
ty, toll and selfeXertiOn. In his youug-
er days, Harry Tyndall had known want
in its cruclest, most savage form he had
battled its grim legions, and risen to in
dependence; and now, at the threseold of
q higher life, he was hurled back with
just Il glimpse of the enchanted grounds
within.
As he sat confronting the heap of papers
on his desk, the Office door opened and a
lady entered. Mechanically Harry rose
and placed Il chair; but as the lady threw
back her VEIL he exclaimed in surprise,
"Aliss Berwick -
Pardon my intrusion. Mr. Tyndall, +"
said the most musical of voices. 81 have
been on the upper floor looking for the
offices of Graves and Waldror, and was
told they We're on this floor | wish to
give Mr.. Waldron this package. May |
ask you to deliver it will remain here.
OF all the things | dislike to lose myself
IN these dark passages hunting for offices"
Harry took the package with alacrity-
was gone but moment, and on mis- return
found Miss Berwick standing by the win
dow idly looking down the street. She
turned at his entrance, thanked him with
q smile and bow and then took her
bright presence out of the room, and IIar-
ry was left to his meditations
II may just rs well give it up. | have
not friend who could help me in this
strait he muttcred, after halt IN hours
deep thought II will make IN assign
ment on 80 into bankruptcy, and then de
part for America, where toll is better re-
quited.'
And rs he spoke, he rose TO his feet, his
eyes falling OH the floor He was vague
ly conscious of some dark object at his
feet, stopped carelessly to lift it, and saw
that it was 4 pockct-book- leather, and
rather the worse for wear, but was very
llethorlc He sat down again, and open
ed it. There various compartments
but all of them We're empty save one.
That one contained Just ten one hundred
pound notes.
Just the sum that would save him from
rum. If it were his, he could pay that
bill falling due, sell off his stock. and seek
Il situation until the panic was past
He looked the pocllct-bool1 over again.
There was no clue to the owner; vet he
felt convinced that it must, of course. he
long TO Clara Berwick. She was the only
person who had been in his Office that
1t was 4 terrible temptation to
Hurry. Had his visitor been any other
than Clara Berwick, it is hard to say
consciousness or inclination
would have prevailed; rs it was con-
science won the day aad he started out
after Miss Berwick
She was not to be found, however; and
Harry concluded she had gone home 50
thithcr he bent his steps Clara was an
heiress and something Ola belle, too. She
was not classically beautiful but She was
Bn9MGn. .ana hR grey "eyctf," ana tdf2r.,enm=
dant hair; all of which good points She
I've is bound to DO She came down in
response 10 ilarry'S doubled knock, and
looked lute surprised, though she cnaeuy-
orel to conceal it.
When Harry showed her the pocket
book, she looked at it attentivcly, and
laughed a merry peal Of laughter
"Why, Mr.. TyndalI,' She cried, lyon
must think | have poor taste to own such
q purse rs that See that is my pocket
book and she drew out dainty purple
velvet purse, to which was appended u
gold chain
"But no one has been to my Office to-
day save YOU
Indeed tho pockct-book certainly is
not mine," She responded, very earnestly.
"Nhat shall do with it?" said Harry,
in pcrpleXity.
"Why, keep it, Of course" responded
Miss Berwick, with bright smile; and
she seated herself upon the sofa, and be
can to discourse Of something else.
She and Harry had often met in society
but he had never called on her before, and
when he rose from his chair to 90, she
said, "Rcally, Mr.. Tyndall, | ought to be
grateful to the owner OF that pockct-book
Since it gained me the pleasure Of a call.
May | hope that you will repeat it some
time when you have no stray articles to
dispose OFF,"
Harry blushed, murmured something
about the pleasure being on his side, and
hurried away.
80. DEAR he said TO himself,' she ac-
tually believes l trumped up that story of
the porket-book for an excuse to call ON
hcr. Wealth privileges her to be i'm
pertinent But oh, ii | only dared to use
it, and Just the amount too! Bat must
advertise it,
Harry Tyndall did not advertise the
lost pockct-book, and when, three days
later, his bill fell due, he paid it and was
Il free man.
1t is not necessary to recount the sue
ccssivc steps IN temptation which finally
led to the first dishonest act of 4 hitherto
spotlcss life. How the pocket-book came
there he could not even guess. But il
was there; it Just supplied his needs, he
appropriated it, and was hencetorth brand
cd u thief in his own eyes.
Those months Of financial embarrass-
mcnt that followed were safely tided over
and then he devoted himself to his busi-
ness with melancholy desperation born
of conscious guilt. He went little into
society, and especially did he avoid Clara
Berwick, who, with 4 perversity ofmock-
ing mischief, tortured him with allusionsto to
the lost pocket book whenever she chanced
to meet him. She was thoroughly good
naturcd about it, so utterly careless and
trining that he could not accuse her OF
malice; yet his own conscience was his
sharpcst accuser, he imagined knowledge
Of his guilt, when, in reality, there was
none.
lie did not conceal from himself that
the desire to remain in Miss Berwick's
sphere was the principal cause of his
rash act yet now that he was still where
he could meet her, he shrunk from max,
ing an avowal of his teelings-h he dared
not approach her with his love. so he
argued to himself, thinking he was strong
enough to withstand the temptation, al
though he knew he had yielded to less
cr one.
But, disguise the fact rs we may, we
are all creatures of circumstances. We
say, II will not do So" and 10. in Il month
or year we have done those very things
and it has become Il matter of course that
we should have done so. Even as, in