The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-03-19

ing living literally by the sweat OF his
brow.
There were but two bedrooms in the
house, both on the same floor, II passage
which commenced at the head OF the
stairs dividing them. While the thoughts
which have related were passing through
my mind, | heard voices in the other
bedroom, aud quietly opened my door,
which my host had closed behind him.
Standing out in the passage | could dis
tinguish mrns and womans voice. AT
first their language was unintelligible, but
gradually my ear became accustomed to
the duty I endeavored to put it to, and
could distinguish that the burden of
their talk was their domestic expenses,
and .hc general current of their thoughts
was the difficulty of getting througi with
certain undertakings which they had in
contemplation, or had commenced. 1t
was evident that the man was more hope
ful than the woman. My excited imag-
ination at once formed the theory that
the treasury in my possession was design
ed by them to solve this difficulty, and
that the reluctant man was being urged
on by the less scrupulous or braver wo-
man.
A sudden movement OF one of them to-
ward the door caused me to retreat into
my room. | heard the bolt of their door
move, and supposing it was to unfasteu
it, l hurried back to my own apartment
and caught at the envelope, intending to
hasten it out of sight. In my eagerncss
to grasp it, it fell tumbling with the wa
fered side uppermost and opened The
waters had been so far dissolved by the
heat and moisture as to split it in two,
leaving one half of each (there were
three) on the flap, and the other half OF
each on the body of the envelope. Mean
, while there was no sign or sound Of in
! road into my room, Of which had seen
it was impossible to fasten the door, save
by moving some of the furniture against
it. | became convinced that as yet ev-
erything was safe, and yielding to feel
, ing of curiosity, drew the money from
/, the incosure and counted it over. There
we're ten onc-thousand dollar bills was
| astounded, and for time forgot the fear
, that so recently harassed me. | looked
E at the memorandum on the back Of the
t envelope. 1t was "S5,000." The letter
was open before me. l read it over. 1t
= named five thousand as the sum inclosed.
= There was evidently an error. | counted
S it over again. Ten thousand dollars was
=. the sum before me Again and again
= counted it. had been used to handling
largo sums, and counted large sums OF
4 money daily; but actually found more
| difficulty III arriving at the actual count
!. of the ten bank bills before me, than
= ever before or since encountered in any
= sum, however large or however numerou:
t. the notes. Finally, ,butting chair against
l. the door, spread the notes out singy
i on the little table, in n row, and counted
n them with my finger then made two
l. rows of five notes each, and again count
a ed them, finally, though slowly, be
d came satisfied that | had in my posses
n sion double the amount Of money | wa
n expected to deliver to my employers
s. agent. Temptation entered my soul
10 Five thousand dollars would relieve mi
/. of all my debts Here it was within m,
e. grasp. had but to seal up the envelop
,r by re-wetting the wafer, inclosing hal
s. the money, and deliver it sealed to tn
agent, and my trust would be. to all ap
n, pearance, faithfully discharged. One
e. the thought occurred that possibly it wa
l. trap set for me by my employers. Blu
S. their confidence in me was unbounded
lie and the suspicion was dismissed. | d
in not attempt to glaze over the dishonest
IN of what l contemplated but | had bee
in so increasingly worried and annoyed b.
as domestic troubles arising from limite
resources, and so prosecuted by credit
cr ors, that | almost argued myself into tn
TX conviction that appropriating the none
C. was simply Authorized self-defense.
at would pay all my debts, get clear of tn
t. world once more, insisting upon m
or wige's adopting my views of living, sav
money, get into business for myself, an
he finally pay back the sum.
ad | concluded to leave the envelope vi
ST. fastened until morning, so as to give my
H. self that much more time before fnall
st, deciding upon an act which all my arg
ot ments with myself had not made entirel
of reconcilable. Arrived at this conclusion
p- my attention again turned to my ho
and his wife. | could hear his voice
ey lone now. 1t had been sounded along
le, a somewhat elevated tone for some In
il ments. crept quietly to the partitic
on dividing their apartments from the pa
on sage. The bright autumn moon, whic
To- was on their side of the house, shoI
ID through their window and through Il
ID spaces between the shrunken planks
the partition, and out into tho passag
,st and upon its floors, in brilliant bars
ng light. 1t was easy for me to see VIII
ith was passing within the room. Man al
lb- wife were kneeling at their bedside
de prayer-the man, with uplifted head al
ey closed eyes uttering an earnest supple
l tion, his wife beside him, and one ar
by passed a8ectionately through one Of hi
di- and her head resting against his shoulde
re- They were kneeling at the side of the b.
yas opposite to me, and his face was plain
,k- visible. Its calm and pious expressi,
to was sufficient rebuke to my unjust su
be- picions. began to listen in time to he
en- him say pardon, o merciful Fathe
ost not only the sins of Thy humble serva
lid and his household, but turn the hearts
be- those who have done evil unto him, W
u.s. have harbored unjus. suspicious Of hi
in Bless such, o Lord, and preserve the
my in order that they may turn from the
as ways and seek the path of Righteousness
ag- His serious, earnest. and manly vol
uld struck chord in my heart, not on
of sympathy with the honest and tender su
on pication that was passing from his lii
in but of contrition of the wrong had do
be. him 10 my suspicious | involuntari
lss- compared him, whatever were his go
nee or bad deeds, at least an humble pepite
II