The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-11-12

most remote idea that it can advance
before the Eastern connection is made
next summer. Shall | get you a
thousand shares?'
"My name will not be mentioned"
BLESS you, no."
"Yes, you may get me thousand
shares"
And the FIVE thousand dollars was
placed in the brokers' hands.
For time after reaching the bank,
Edgar was not like himself. He
could not shake of, at once, the load
that oppressed him. He could not
Immediately get his face out from be-
meath the cloud that lowered upon
him. For the first time in his life, he
had done dishonest thing. He was
deceiving those who had trusted him.
He had taken the first step toward be-
traying those who had given him
their entire and hearty confidence
But did not others do tho same p
Was he not knowing to the fact that
some of the first men in the country
speculated with funds not strictly
their own? And further, he was sure
Of coming out right.
All, there was the sum of twenty
thousand dollars-perhaps twenty
five thousand-in prospect He
frightened with the glare Of the gold
en- promise, and went at his work.
That evening he called on Julia
Amnesty. O" beautiful, blessed girl |,
What pleasure and joy to make her
happy. AID she loved him so truly
and devotedly. They talked of the
future. Shey hoped to be married
with the New Year
1--WE shall have to economize darl-
ing" said Edgar, 81 must not ven
ture beyond my income"
"Our best and surest income shall
be love and help for one another"
answered, Julia beamingly.
He kissed her and thought how, for
her sake, he would like to be rich
He went home building huge cas-
ties in the air by the way. His
mother received him with kiss and
blessing. She was proud of her son,
and she was grateful to him; for well
she knew, though she owned the roof
that covered them, she should have
Jared but i'll had it not been for Ed
gar's helping hand. She wa. meek
mild Christian woman, loving and
tender. She was proud Of her low
ing beauty, but she was far more
proud Of his sterling character.
This was NJ onday
venilg. On Wednesday the street
was shocked with the report of a
heavy dcfalcation. A young man
cash er in bank--had fallen sudden
ly from an honorable position to
shame and disgrace He had been
speculating with funds of the bank,
and had robbed the institution of fif
ty thousand dollars. This man had
been Edgar's friend. They had been
companions for years. Only the day
before Edgar had wished that, when
he was married, he could give to Ju-
liza such carriage as this man had
given to his wife.
On this Wednesday evening Edgar
called upon his broker. All looked
well.
On Saturday morning Edgar read
in the newspaper that the land grant
to the Ash Valley Railroad had been
defeated in the legislature. He hur-
ried upon the street, and he heard it
plainly spoken-"Ash Valley Aat"-E
Gone from forty down to t,centy-fre.r
He went to his brokers and there was
no concealing the truth. The crash
had come
Never say die !" cried the spider,
boisterously. Didn't you ever catch
halibut? l have-and have had to
haul in ninety fathoms of line three
times before | got the fish. When
one of those big fellows comes close
TO the surface, and turns head down,
you've got-to let him go back to bot
tom. But, bless you! we amt going
to lose him. We pull again. Cheer
up, my boy. There's the New Spring
Hill stock. It's going up like hot
cakes. | can buy it to-day for twen-
ty. It'll be double that in six DAYS"
That very afternoon Edgar manip-
ulated the books again, and put three
thousand dollars in the brokers' hands. |
Another week passed, and Spring
Hill had not advanced peg. On the
Sabbath Edgar did attend church |
with his mother. He told her he was
not feeling well.
The fearful race was quickly run.
Spring Hill declined instead of ad- /,
vancins and Edgar was called upon
to make good his purchase. He
could not do it. He surrendered the |
stock.
He was eight thousand dollars out,
and not scrap to show for it.
At the bank the directors had been
more critical than usual. Defalca-
tions in other places had made them
watchful. The falling of men whom
they had regarded as sterling and re-
liable had caused them to look over
more closely the figures of their own
trusted servants.
The summons came to Edgar Fon-
tenay to meet the directors in their
private room. He entered and saw
his books open before them. His
crime was known to them. What
bad he to say?
= He sank down and begged for mer-
cy. Might not his untarnished char
acter until this time plead for him?
The President shook his head
mournfully.
"Alas! Edgar, that is what makes
your crime black. That is why we
are shocked That you could have
east such character into the scale of
treachery is fearful. When the demon
Of fraud and speculation comes upon
rs in such a shape, where can safety
for the public be found, if we fail to
the monster? Our duty is
painful, but it must be done"
A side door was opened, and a
sheriff entered.
1t was night-Saturday night
lark and stormy. Edgar begged
hat he might go home and speak with
MS mother. A carriage was called
md the officer went with him to his
nome. He went in pale and palsied,