The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-08-28
WrOngWIIy .4ccHSed.
OR,
A SLIP IN MID AIR.

4 1Cb l. lClnCnADCl " eAilY ytAa1J d.
though it had occurred but yesterday.
was q carpenter, the foreman of a
large establishment, and as such pos
sessed of the entire confidence Of my
employer, who, by the way had been
schoOlmate of mine.
One day he called me into his Office
to look at some rare coins he had just
purchased.
atHere, said he, placing in my hand
heavy gold piece, sis one which is
worth more than all the rest put to-
gether, 1t is great curiosity. Il paid
| two hundred dollars for It, and con-
sidered II cheap at that. could easily
double my money in selling it; and so
you see, Harvey, it is really a good in
vestment."
mo doubt it is,'' said /, ''though it
seems ike large sum to lie idle"
L breathed an involuntary sigh as ]
laid the coin down on the desk, for
500 would have seemed q fortune to
me Just then.
The severe illness of my wife and
one of MP children, and the death Of
another, made serious inroads on my
purse, and it required the exercise of
the utmost economy to keep myself
free from debt; nay, L had been Obliged
| to withdraw from the bank the small
sum, which, besides my salary, was
| all possessed of worldly treasures.
Thinking Of this 1 laid the coin down
with sigh, and turned away to at
tend to my duties.
The nextmorning was again sum-
moned into the Office, but this time 1
met with no such friendly greeting, as
usual.
'9Harvey,'' said my employer, alb
ruptly, "that coin we were looking at
has disappeared. have made q thor
Ough search, but it is not to be found.
4 Jt has been carried away by some one,
You alone saw or knew of il, and
He paused and looked significantly
into nav face. / finished the sentence
forhim, the hot blood dying my cheeks
and ssrow as 1 spoke.
Won mean, therefore, thstI toekit
-I?n Co. ------ 4 = q
"What else can / think. The coin
was here; you alone saw it. I cannot
recall having seen it since it was in
your hands. You are in need of money;
you told me that yourself. 1t was a
great temptation, and / forgive you
because of our old friendship, but /
cannet retain you in my employ.
Here is the salary due yOu.h --
"Very WELL" said 1, 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 / took the money which he
had laid upon the desk, and went out
from his presence a weli-nigh broken
hearted man. ,-~--
But for the tender love of my wife,
I doubt not that IsWOuld have buried
my sorrows in the grave of a suicide.
Supported by that love, however,
and the consciousness of my own in
noeeuce, took fresh courage, and set
resoluteIy to work to find a new en-
ployer.
But powerful is breath of slander;
turn which way I might, 1 ever found
that the story OF my dismissal for
theft had preceded me, and my appli-
cation for employment uniformly met
with refusal.
Time went on, piece by piece our
/ furniture and every spare article of
clothing found its way to the pawn
brokers, Eatil, st length, even this
poor resource failed US, and my child
rem cried ia vain.
A Yet / did not sit down in idle de-
spair; could not afford to do so; the
lie or death of alld loved on earth de-
pended on my exeEtion-and so turn
ing away from them With a heavy
heart I once more set ont on the
weary search for work.
Ali in vain! Refusal after refusal
net my entreaties for employment,
and was turning homeward with q
listless step, when passing an i'm
mense church / was attracted by Q
group of men at its base.
Impelled By some strange sort OF
4 impulse, / approached and mingled
with them.
A workman was standing near by,
L looking up at the great steeple, which
H lowered aloft some 250 feet above
them, while a gentleman evidently an
anehitect, was addressing him in
earnest language, and at the same
time pointing toward the golden cross
at the summit of the spire.
tsI tell you,n he exclaimed, as drew
near, ait 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. Coward
is this the way you back out of jOI
after engaging to do it."
i 81 didn't know the spire was so high
/ up there, Do it yourself If you want
Il it donew
81 would if were able,n said the
architect. "But go if you will; let il
iae. Ny honor is pledged to have il
t40ne &C any price-and I can find 8
brRxer man than you to do it."
The Carpenter walked away with 8
d, ,Eeed, slouehing step, and the gen.
lie saaa WRs about TO move away also
as Z stepped forward.
a What is IL you want done, sir? .
I ash ed. "T am carpenter; perhaps
l can do it."
He Hrned eagerly toward me.
I W. III make it worth yoar WHILE
take do vh that cross and / will pay
Won hundred dollars. You vii
have To ascend those ornaments
blocks. a. I'd tell you candidly they
are not to Be depended on; they mus
be weak . md EOtten-for they hav,
been there Cor years.
Hooked u p 2f the spire; il was
square at th. base and tapered to {
sharp point, while along each angl,
were nailed skaall gilded Locks o
wood.
ats dang, xous place to work."
said Hand there viii be still more peri
in descending 1asa ascending. Sup
pose ! succeed fn moving the eros
and them
'1f any aceidei 1t happens to you M
brave fellow, the money shall be paiC
to your family. [ promise you that
Give me your a, tdreas-"
dsHere it is,n I Eaid, sand as yOl
value your soul, Ike ep your word Will
me. My wife and child are starving
or I would not atte mpt this work. I
/ die they can live on the hundret
dollars for a WHILE. until my sicl
| lii. .oon.rn..u I,n. Or. nracrfh -