The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-03-29


| pay all my debts, get clear Of the
world once more, insist upon my
wife's adopting my views of living
save money, get into business for
myself, and finally pay back the
sum.
I concluded co leave the envelope
unfastened until morning, so as to
give myself that much more timebe-
fore finally deciding upon an act
which all my arguments with my
self had not made entirely recOncil-
able. Arrived at this conclusion,
my attention again turned to my
host and his wife. I could hear his
Voice alone now. 1t had been
sounding along in q somewhat ele-
waited tone for some moments. L
crept quietly to the partition divid-
ing their apartm ents from the pas
sage. The bright autumn moon,
| which was on their side of the house
shOne through their window and
through the spaces between the
shrunken planks of the partition,
and out into the passage, and upon
it's floors, IN brilliant bars of light
It was easy for me to see what Was.
passing within the room. Man and
wife were knee1ihg at their bed
side in prayer-the man, with up
lifted head and closed eyes, utter
ing an earnest supplication, his
wife beside him, and one arm pass
cd afectionately through one of his
and her head resting against. his
shoulder. They were kneeling at
the side of the bed opposite to me,
and his face was plainly visible.
It's calm and pious expression was
a sufficient rebuke to ms unjust
eusricions. I began to listen in
time to hear him say: Parton, o
merciful Father, not only the sins Of
Thy humble servant and his house
hold, but turn The hearts of those
who have done evil unto him, who
have harbored unjust suspicious of
him. Bless such, o Lord, and pre-
serve them in order that they may
turn from their ways and seek the
path of righteouness." "
His serious, earnest, and manful
voice struck chord in my heart,
not only in sym pathy with the hon
est and tender suppiication that
was passing from his lips, but of
contrition for the wrong had done
him in my suspicious. I voluntar-
iIy compared him, whatever were
his good or bad deeds, at least an
! hum bic peni ent before his God,
with the wretch that I had decided
but few moments ago to make my
self, by the m!sapproPriation of my
employers money, and still haunted
however, by the relief it could OBJ
tain for me, would not quite give
way to the feeling of repentance
which was knocking for admission
at my breast. I had half decided
to turn away and drive these better
Thoughts from my mind, when l OBJ
served something moving in a small
crib that was placed at the side and
toward the foot of their bed. It's
occupant, a grandchild, whose pa
rents, they had informed me, were
dead, Awakened probably by its
grandfather s voice, rose up, looked
around, and settled down upon its
knees, and clasping its little hands
as It's grandfather were clasped,
and looking upward out through
the window at the moon, whose
bright light fell upon its darling
face, began moving it's lips as If
trying to repeat the words No
thing so like an angel ever met my
sight. The grandfather began the
Lords Prayer. He repeated word
for word, his tiny, silvery voice
sounding in sweet accord. I could
not turn away, nor any longer re-
sist the better emotion which l had
hitherto kept down. A rush of re-
pentant feeling passed through me
with an effect that shook every fibre.
I fell upon my knees, and with
tears streaming from my eyes, join
ed in the concluding words of the
prayer.
I need not say I changed my
mind with regard to the money. I
passed quiet night and rose early,
ha-tened away toward nay journeys
end, so as to give myself the least
possible time or opportunity for
changing my new-iOrmed resolu-
ton. In handing the package to
the agent, I said to him, that as
there was money in it, it might as
well be opened IN my presence, to
see that all was correct, &c. He of
course discovered the error, and
handed me back the amount that
was over, with which I returned
home and delivered it up to the
proper owner in due time.
It was fortunate for me in every
way that I pursued the course / had
adopted. 1t appeared that the
money had been obtained from the
bank after bank hours, in the alb
sence of the teller, from one of the
officers. There was no loose money
on hand of the larger denomina-
tions, but there were sheets of thou
sands and five hundreds signed by
the President and Cash er. Either
two sheets were picked up IN mistake
for one, or the wrong batch OF sheets
were selected from, that IL, thou
sands were taken instead of five
hupdr-ds The notes were huIried,
ly clipped, strapped, and endorsed
$50, ,00O," without recounting, and
so enveloPed and handed over to
me. The bank had discovered the
error, and no doubt was entertain
ed but that the missing money was
with me. Whether I should have
had the face to withstand the impu-
tation, even with the apparently
undisturbed condition of the envel-
ope in my favor, is more than I can
say, but l doubt it.