Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-03-15
a CONFESSION.
BY A VERY OLD MAN.

Most men would hesitate at tell
ing such a story of themselves. But
am convinced that It will afford a
suggestion of mercy toward such as
do fall, and some may be turned
away from temptation by its re-
Cital.
/ had been an under clerk in a
large establishment for many years.
Naturally economical, my savings
had attained to such a respectable
sum that | Ventured upon married
life, quite as much as a refuge from
the monotony of my inexpensive
style of living as in obedience to
those yeaTnings of nature, which a
man is very foolish OF very bad not
to heed in duo season. Like most
men, however, adventures of this
kind were not followed by the COM
fort and ease which depend upon
money for their possession. In the
course of time L came to repent the
undertaking, for was in debt, my
family had increased, while my in
come had not kept pace with my
expenses. My wife lacked the cour-
age to practice the self-denial which
would be consequent upon a re-
trenchment of our expenses. L was
daily annoyed by duns. 1 had bor-
rowed in every available quarter,
and u walk in the public streets was
literally denied to me by the fear of
encountering some one to whom l
was indebted for my hOuse expen-
ses.
Returning home late one night,
faded by a listless stroll through the
town, found the Junior member of
the firm waiting for me. The house
had received intelligence, after bust
ness hours, of a transaction entered
into on their account, which re-
quired the immediate transmission,
to an isolated inland town, of sever
al thousand dollars, together with
certain papers and statements nee
essary to conclude the affair. 1t
was too important a matter to be
entrusted to the delay and uncer-
tainty of the mail at the time. Upon
a consultation with the members OF
the firm, 1 had been elected to per-
form the necessary two days jour
ney. 1 accepted the mission with
alacrity, the reason, among others,
that it would be such a recreation
as would divert my thoughts for a
time from the perplexitics of my
miserable condition.
With the usual foresight of the
| firm, everything necessary to my
| prompt departure had been pre-
| arranged. The needful papers and
accounts, and the indispensable
money requisite to finish the trans.
actions were placed in my hands in
an envelope addressed to the gen,
tleman who had acted as agent o.
| the concern in the matter. A letter
of instruction was likewise en-
| closed.
/ remember we'll the bright Sep.
tember morning on which | started
on horseback and alone on my Jour
ney, of which l accomplished hal
the first day, arriving at a farm
house, whose occupant unhesitating
ly granted my petition for a shar,
for the night, in its humble hospi
tality.
| The weather had grown colder a.
the evening came on, and by tht
time l had reached the house | ex
perienced . sensible chill. / had
with me a flask of liquor, and wa
| furnished at my request, at be-
time, with a small quantity of no
water with which TO compound {
sort of punch, as an antidote 80 tn
cold apprehendsd having taken.
1 had removed the package O
money from my pocket, and laid i
on the table, with view of putin;
it under my pillow before going t
bed. AS it lay on the table the ad
dress was uppermost, on the lef
hand upper corner was a memoran
dunn, $50, 600 inclosed." l wa
standing with my back TO ths door
Succeeding a few moments of entir
silence, 1 heard q step behind me
and l almost think a breath upol
my face. Turning suddenly roun,
beheld my host with the hot waite
had called for in q tumbler in hi
hand. He was quite beside me, an
his eyes rested, or 1 fancied the
rested, on the package upon th