The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-04-10
WRONGFULLY ACCUSED.

WRONGEULLY ABUSED.
It has been many long days since then,
yet I remember it all, just as ii ough it
had occurred but yesterday.
was a carpenter, the foreman of a
large establishment, and as such pos
sessed the entire confidence of my en-
ployer, who, by the way, had been a
schoolmate of mine.
One day he called me into his office
to look at some coins he had just pur.
chased.
"Here," said he placing in my hand
a heavy gold piece, I" is one worth more
than all the rest put together. It is
great curiosity. I paid two hundred
dollars for it, and considered it cheap
at that. I could easily double my
money in selling it andssso you see,
Harvey, it is really good investment.
"No doubt it is, said ], "though it
seems large sum to have lie idle
I breathed an involuntary sigh as I
laid the coin down on the desk, for two
| hundred dollars would have seemed a
| fortune to me just then.
The severe illness of my wife and one
of my children, and the death of an
other, made serious inroads on my
nurse, and it had required the exercise
of the utmost economy to keep myself
free from debt nay, 1 had been obliged
to withdraw from the bank the small
sum which, besides my salary, was all
I possessed of worldly treasures.
Thinking of this, laid the coin down
with sigh, and turned away to attend
to my duties.
The next morning was again sum-
moned into the Office, but this time I
met with no such friendly greeting as
usual.
Harvey" said my employer, alb
ruptly, that coin we were looking at
has disappeared. I have made a
thorough search, but it can not be
found. It has been carried away by
some one. You alone saw or knew of
it, and"
He paused and looked significantly
into my face. I finished the sentence
for him, the hot blood dying my cheeks
and brow as I spoke.
"You mean, that I took it-Ip
"What else can I think? The coin
was here, you alone saw it. l cannot
recall having seen it since it was in
your hands. You are in need of money;
you have told me that yourself. It was
q great temptation, and forgive you
because of our old friendship, but 1
cannot retain you in my employ. Here
is the salary due you"
every WE'LL" said I, with forced
calmness. $50 be it. Since you have
so poor an opinion of me after years of
faithful service, shall not stop to de-
fend myself"
Then took the money he had laid
upon the desk, and went from his pres
enca a well-nigh broken-hearted man.
But for the tender love for my wife, I
doubt not but that 1 would have buried
nay sorrows in the grave of suicide.
Supported by that love, no" ever, and
the Consciousness of my own innocence,
I took fresh courage, and set resolutely
to work to find new employer.
Powerful is the breath of slander;
turn which way might. 1 ever found
that the story of my dismissal for theft
had preceded me, and application for
employment uniformly met with re-
fusal.
Time went on piece by piece of fur
niture, and every spare article of cloth
ing, found ITS way to the pawnbroker's,
until at length even this poor resource
| failed us, and my children cried in vain
for food.
Yet did not sit down in idle despair;
I could not afford to do so the life or
death of all I loved on earth depended
on my exertion, and so, turning away
with heavy heart, once more set out
| on the weary search for work.
All in vain refusal aft refusal met
| my entreaties for employment, and I
was turning homeward with a listless
step, when, passing an immense church,
L was attracted by group of men at its
base.
Impelled by some strange impulse, 1
approached and mingled with them.
A workman was standing near by,
looking up at the great steeple, which
| lowered aloft some two hundred and
fifty feet above them, while a gentle
! man evidently an architect, was adj
dressing him in earnest language, and
at the same time pointing toward the
golden cross at the summit of the spire.
81 tell you," he exclaimed, as drew
near, cit must and can be done. The
cross must be taken down, or the first
heavy gale VIII send it down into the
| street, and lives will be lost. Coward
is this the way you back out of job
after engaging to do it %
"I didn't know the spire was so high
mp there. Do it yourself, if you want
it done"
II 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 a
| braver man than you to do it.
The carpenter walked off with dog
| ged, slouching step, and the gentleman
was about to move away also, when /
stepped forward.
." What is it you want done?" ] asked.
q" I am a carpenter perhaps 1 can. do
it."
He turned eagerly toward me.
&c will make it worth your while.
Take own that cross, and viii pay
you a hundred dollars. You will. have
10 ascend those ornamental blocks, and
l tell you candidly they are not to be
depended Oh. They must be weak and
rotten, fer they have been up there for
years.
I looked up at the spire it was
square at the base and tapered to a
sharp point, while along each angle
were nailed small gilded blocks of wood.
"It's a dangerous place to work, I
said, :" and there will be even more
| peril IN descending than ascending.
| Suppose succeed in moving the cross,
| and then"
If any accident happens to you, my
brave fellow, the money shall be paid
to your family. promise you that.
Give me your address"
''Here it is" I said, "and as you
value your soul keep your word with
me. My wife and children are starving,
or would not attempt this work. If /
die, they can live on the hundred dol
lars for while, until my sick wife re-
covers her strength"
I'm make it hundred and fifty. "
| exclaimed the architect, "and may God
| protect YOU, If l had the skill neces-