The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-08-08
MisreIlaneOns SeIeGtions.
WRONGFULLY ACCUSED;
Or, A Slip In Mid Air.

4
It has been many a long day sine
then, yet remember it all, just a
though it had occurred but yester
Iday.
/ I was carpenter, the foreman o
a large establishment, and as such
possessed the entire confidence o
my employer, who, by the way, hat
been schoolmate Of mine.
! One day he called me into his OF
flee to look at some rare coins he hat
Just purchased.
"Here," said he placing in my hanC
a heavy gold piece, ''is one which i
worth more than all the rest put to
Igether. 1t is a great curiosity.
paid 5000 for it, and consider i
cheap at that. 1 could easily double
my money in selling it; and 30 yol
see, Harvey, it is really a good in
Ivestment."
''No doubt it is" said 1, "thougt
it seems a large sum to have Ii,
idle"
1 breathed an involuntary sigh al
laid the coin down on the desk, for
1900 would have seemed fortune
to me just then.
The severe illness of my wife anC
one of my children, and the death o.
another, made serious inroads on my
purse, and it had required the exer.
else of the utmost economy to keeI
myself from debt; nay, I had beer
iobliged to withdraw from the bank
the small sum, which, besides my
salary, was all l possessed of world
Ily treasures. Thinking of this,
lald the coin down with a sigh, and
turned away to attend to my duties
The next morning 1 was again
summoned into the Office, but this
time 1 met with no such friendly
greeting, as usual.
Harvey" said my employer, alb
ruptly, "that coin we were looking al
has disappeared. l have made q
thorough search, but it is not to be
found.-It has been carried away by
some one. You alone saw or knew
of it, and"
He paused and looked significant
ly into my face. / finished the SEN
tence for him, the hot blood dyeing
my cheeks and brow as Ispoke.
"You mean, therefore, that took
Iit,-IT
"What else can 1 think2 The
coin was here; you alone saw it. 1
cannot recall having seen it since it
was in your hands. You are in need
of money; you have told me that
yourself. 1t was a great temptation
and l forgive you because of our old
friendship, but cannot retain you
in my employ. Here is the salary
due you"
every WE'LL" said ], with forced
.calmness, $50 be it. Since you have
so poor an opinion of me after years
of faithful service, shall not stop
to defend myself"
Then I took the money which he
had laid upon the desk, and went
out from his presence q well-nigh
broken hearted man.
But for the tender love Of my wife,
I doubt not but that ] would have
buried my sorrows in the grave of a
suicide.
Supported by that love, however,
and the consciousness of my own
innocence, / took fresh courage, and
set resolutely to work to find new
employer.
But powerful is breath Of sland
er; turn which way l might, l ever
found that the story of my dismis-
sal for theft had preceded me, and
my application for employment met
with a refusal.
Time went on; piece by piece our
furniture and every spare article of
clothing found it's way to the pawn
brokers, until, at length, even this
poor resource failed US, and my
children called in vain for food.
Yet did not sit down In idle des-
pair; l could not afford to do 50;
the life or death of of all l loved on
earth depended on my exertion-and
50 turning away from them with a
heavy heart, / once more set out on
the weary search for work.
All in vain! Refusal after refusal
met my entreaties for employment,
and 1 was turning homeward with o
listless step, when passing an i'm
mense church, l was attracted by a
group of men at its base.
Impelled by some strange sort of
impulse, 1 approached and mingled
with them.
A workman was standing near by
looking up at the great stceple,
which lowered aloft some 250 feet
above them, while a gentleman, evil
dently an architect, was addressing
him in earnest language, and at the
same time pointing toward the gold
en- cross at the summit of the spire.
Il tell you," he exclaimed, as !
drew near, sit can and must be done.
The cross must be taken down, or
the first heavy gale will send it down
into the street, and lives will be lost.
NOmorl : ia this tho tVaV vOu hack
out of a job after engaging to do itr
81 didn't know the spire was so
high up there. Do it yourself if
sou want it done!
81 would if 1 were able," said the
architect. But go if you will; let
it be. My honor is pledged to have
| it done at any price-and / can find
Drawer man than you to do it."
The carpenter walked away with a