Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1872-10-24

'"." anguage was unintelIiglbIe
but gradually nay ear became accussome,
to the duty ! had endeavored to put j. to
and could distinguish that the burde,
OF their talk was their domestic expenses
and the general current Of their thought
vas the difficulty Of getting through viii
certain undertakings which they had i,
contemplation. or had commenced. I
vas evident that the man was more hone
fui than the woman. Ny excited imaei
nation at once framed the theory that th.
|, them TO solve E.s difficulty. and that the
reluctant t1aa was being urged on by the
less scrupulous or braver woman.
A sudden movement os one of them 10.
ward the door caused me to retreat into
my room. ] heard the bolt Of their doc,
moved. and supposing it was but to un.
fasten 1t, hurried back to my apartmeu,
and caught at the envelope. Intending to
hasten out Of sight. In my eageruess ,c
grasp it, it fell tumbling with the watered
side uppermost and opened ! The waters
had been SO far dissolved by the heat and
moisture as to split in two, leaving one
half of each (there were three) on the
flap and the other half Of each on the bod y
Of the envelope. Meanwhile. there was
no sight or sound of an inroad into nv
room. of which had seen it was impossi-
BILE to fastcn the door, save by moving
some of the furniture against it. I be.
came convinced that as yet everything was
safe. and yielding to feeling Of curiosity
l drew the money from the enclosure and
counted it over. There were ten enc
thousand dollar bills I was astounded
and for time forgot the fear that so re-
Gently harrassed me. / looked at the
memorandum on the back ofthe cnvelope.
1t was "S5, 600" The letter was open
before me. read it over. Il named
five thousand as the sum enclosed. There
was evidently an error. l counted it over
again. Ten thousand dollars was the sum
before me! Again and again 1 counted
it. | had been used to handling large
sums ofmoney. and counted large amounts
daily but actually found more Difficult.
ty in arriving at the actual account Of the
bank bills before me. than I ever before
or since encountered in counting any sum
however large or however numerous the
notes. Finally, putting a chair against
the door, / spread the notes out singly on
the little table. in row, and counted them
with my finger. Then made two rows of
five notes each, and again counted them.
| finally, though slowly. became satisfied
that | hac in my possession double the
amount of money i was expected to deliy-
or to my employers agent. Temptation
entered my soul, Five thousand dollars
would relieve me of all my debts. Here
it was within my grasp. I had but to
seal up the letter BY rewetting the wafer,
inc'osing but half the money, and deliver
it sealed to the agent. and my trust would
be to all appearances. faithfully discharged
Once the thought occurred that possibly
it might be trap set for me BY my em-
ploycrs. But their confidence in me was
unbounded, and the suspicion was dismis.
sed. do not attempt to glaze over the
dishonesty Of what contemplated but
had been so increasingly worried and an
noyed by domestic troubles arising from
limited resources. and SO prosecuted by
creditors. that l almost argued myself into
the conviction that appropriating the mon-
ey was simply authorized self-defence.
would pay all my debts, get clear of the
world once more, insist upon my wifs's
adopting my views Of living. save money,
get into business for myself, and finally
pay back the sum.
left the envelope uufastened until
morning. so rs to give myself that much
more time before finally deciding upon an
| act which all my arguments with myself
had not made entirely rcconcilable. Ar
rived at this conclusion, my attention
again turned to ny host and bis wife. |
could hear his voice alone now. 1t had
been sounding alone in a somewhat eleva-
| ted tone for some minutes. l crept aui.
city to the partition dividing their apart.
mcnts from the passage. The bright Au-
tumn moon. which was on their side ol
the house. shoue through their window and
through the spaces between the shrunkeu
plauks Of the partition and out into the
passage. and upon its floors in brilliant
bars Of light. 1t was easy for. me to see
what was passing within the room. Man
and wife were kneeling a. their bedside
in prayer, The man With plif,ed head
and closed eyes u,teriug al Earnest suppl.
cation. his wife beside 6, and one arm
passed af!ectionatelr Gse eugh one Of his
and her head ressNhg ag Inst his shoulder
They were knesling at tM side of the bed
opposite to me. and his face was plainly
visible. Its calm and pious expression
was sufficient rebukc to my unjust sus.
picions. | began to listen in time to hea,
him cry :-''Pardon, D merciful Father.
not only for the sins Of Thy humble ser.
want and his household. bu, turn the heart.
OF those who have done evil unto him
who have ha.bored unjust suspicious o
him. Bless such. O Lord, and prcserv,
them. in order tha, they may turn from
the error Of their ways and seek the path
Of righteousness"
His serious, earnest and manly voict
struck chcrd in my heart, not only il
sympathy eth the honest and tender sup
plica,ion that was passing from. his lips
but Of eontrition for the wrong had don,
him By nny suspicious. I insoluntaril,
compared him. whatever his good or bat
deeds. at least an humble penitent bcfor,
God, Vi faawreteh ! had decided bat
few EHo' 3Fsgc to make Of myself. b,
nisap21 sriating my employers money
aSddlt aunsed. however, BY the relic
could Sbtain for me. would no, quit
give waNso the feeling ofrepensance xhicl
was knocking for adaission at my breast
| had halt decided to turn away aud div
these better thoughts from nav mind
, when Observed something tlia, was nov