The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-07-22
so MUCH GAINED.
BY T. S. Arthur,


ByT. S. Arthur,
Paul Eastman had sold q piece Of
goods to a neighbor named Bond, who
handed him the money charged there
for, and left the store. The price to
be paid for the article was seven dol
lars. While the customer still stood
by, Eastman counted the money into
his drawer and made the amount
seven dollars and half. As soon as
Mr.. Bond had retired, the store-keep,
er counted the money over, and sure
enough there was half a dollar in ex.
cess.
so much gained" said be, with a
feeling of pleasure. The profit
was good enough, and here is so much
oyer.n
Touching the morality of the act
his thoughts, at the time, took nc
cogniZance. Indeed, Paul Eastman
had never been a man to think much
about his acts as efecting others.
His purpose being centered in him
self, it was but natural that he should
regard with approval or disaprovaI
only such things as effected himself
There was, therefore, no reflection
upon what Mr.. Bond had lost, but
only on what he had gained.
so much gained be repeated, a:
be separated the half dollar from the
other pieces of money, and looked a
it for some moments. He then tire y
it back into the drawer, and went &c
attend to annther customer This
half dollar, gained dishonesty, anC
the act not condemned in his mind as
evil, had the effect of exciting the
store-keeper's cupidity still farther
His next customer was an old lady
from the country, and ne soon per
celved that she knew but little about
the prices and qualities cf goods. II
would be as easy to get from her
large profit as q small one.
Il shall have to depend upon your
honesty" !" said the old lady, innocent
ly, as she stood holding a piece o
goods IN her hands, the style of which
pleased her. Il don't know muci
about prices"
"You may depend on my selling
you as low as any one in the trade,
replied Eastman. my store j:
known all over town as the 'cheaI
store.'"
Cant yeu say anything less thar
twenty cents for this?"
That, madam is the very lowest
We have but one price"
Then you may cut me OF ter
yards"
Ten yards from that very piece
were sold, only half an hour before
at fifteen cents, all Estman had asked
for it. But be knew his customer
then, as now.
"It's beautiful piece of goods, y
said be, as be measured off the re-
quired number of yards. Il know
you will be delighted with it"
$50 much gained, " was the thought
of the store-keeper, as ne mentally
calculated the amount of excess oI
profit obtained thropgh an advance
beyond the regular selling price o.
the article.
The old lady's purchases came to
about twenty dollars. She obtained
for this sum, goods that almost any
one else could have boughtfro East
ton for eighteen dollars.
so much gained" was repeated
as the exact amount of money-benefl
derived from extra charging was as
certained. "a similar transaction
every day in the year, would make
me worth just six hundred dollars
more than would otherwise be the
case. Little matters of this kind ar'
worth looking after.n
On the next day, Eastman succee
ded in pushing of upon a country
man, who could not see the defect, {
piece of damaged broadelOth, upon
which he had made up his mind Il
lose three dollars. But, the man no
detecting the injury, as the goods
were thrown open for his inspection
the store-keeper did not feel bound L
enlighten him.
so much gained there" said be il
satisfaction of mind, as the custome
departed, well content with his pur
chase. "S0-much-gained."
Ends of action, whether good o
evil, like the muscles of an arm, gain
strength and exercise. An evil pur
pose, once indulged, is like the for
nation of nucleus in the human
body. Life flows toward it, and i
gains strength and increases in mag
nitude. Ifnot at once ohliterated by
healthy, natural or spiritual resistance
in the body or mind, the center o
physical or spiritual disease enlarge
itself until the whole system gives
nourishmeat, and ministers to its owl
destruction.
In the case of Eastman, the unjus
appropriation of Mr.. Bonds half dol
lar, accompanied as it was by the de
light at the thought of SO much gain
ed, produced in his mind point o
influx for dishonest principles to flow
in. Before that time, he had no
committed any act SO deliberate il
its dishonesty as this keeping of I
half dollar clearly the property o
another. But, as soon as one wrong
act was done and not condemned a
evil, the desire to continue in simila
wrong acts, for the sake of gain
awoke in his mind. Opportunitiei
for its qualification, as had been seen
Immediately presented themselves
and they were not suffered to pas
1 r7uir,prnra1 m Guoeacc hf1f inznfrad I