Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-03-27

don't exam ne bills for other peo.
plc's benefit 1t was my first les.
son in dishonety. saw the bill
settled, and Mr.. Carman take twen-
ty dollars that were not his own. |
felt shocked at first; it seemed such
q wrong thing. But soon after he
called me Il simpleton for handing
back a fifty dollar bill to the teller
of u bank which he had Overpaid
me on II cheek, and then"
"May ] ask the protection of the
court 7" said Mr.. Carman.
sis it true what the lad says y
asked the presiding judge.
Mr.. Carman hesitated and looked
confused. All leyes were on his face;
and judges, jury, and lawyers and
spectators felt certain that he was
guilty of leading the young man as
tray.
"Not long afterwards" resumed
Lewis, Sin receiving my wages, |
found that Mr. Carman had paid me
fifty cents too much. | was about
to give it back to him, when | re-
membered his remark about letting
people correct their own mistakes,
and said to myself, Let him correct
his own errors and dishonesty
kept the money that did not belong
to me. This was the beginning of
evil, and here | am. Mr.. Carman
has shown great eagerness to con-
Wet and have me punished. If he
had shown any mercy, | might have
kept silent and made 10 Defence
The young man covered his face
with his hands and sat down over
powered with his feelings. His
mother, who was near him, sObbed
aloud, and bending over, laid her
hands on his head, saying,
"My poor boy my poor boy!"
There were few eyes in the court
room undimed. In the silence that
followed Mr.. Carman spoke out:
els my character to be thus blast
ed on the word of convicted Grim
inal, your honors9 Is this right? ?"
"Your solemn oath that this charge
is untrue" said the judge, twill
place You in the right" II was the
unhappy boys only opportunity,
and the court felt bound in humani.
ty to hear him.
James Lewis stood up again in
and turned his white face,
and dark, piercing eyes upon Mr..
Carman.
"Let him take the oath if he
dare ?" he exclaimed.
Mr.. Carman consulted with his
counsel and withdrew.
After brief conference with his
associates, the presiding judge said,
the criminal:
SIN consideration of your youth,
and the temptation to which in ten
der years you were unhappily sub
ject, the court gives you the slight
est sentence, one years imprisOn-
ment. But let me solemnly warn
you against any further steps in the
way you have taken. Crime can
have no valid excuse. Il is evil in
the sight of God and man, and leads
only to suffering. When you come
forth again after your bief incarce.
ration, may it be with the resolution
to die rather than commit crime y
And the curtain fell on that sad
scene in the boys life. When it
was lifted again, and he came forth
from prison a year afterwards, his
mother was dead. From the day
her pale face faded from his vision
IS he passed from the court room,
he never looked upon her again.
Ten years afterward man sat
a newspaper in far West
4rn town. He had calm, serious
face, and looked like one who had
known suffering aud trial.
"Brought to justice at lastw he
said to himself, as the blood came
10 his face. "Convicted Oh the
charge of fraudulent insolvency,
md sent to State Prison! So much
for the man who gave in tender
years the first lessons in ill-doing.
But, thank God, other lessons have
,een remembered. 'When you come
Iorth again. said the Judge, 'mayit
,e with the resolution to die rather
han commit crime and | have
Zept this injunction in my heart
when there seemed no way of es.
,aping except through crime and,
Tod helping me, will keep it ID
he end y