The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-12-07

have Been counting long time, nigh, |
upon eighteen months,l and we're be-
ginning to think-that is, I'm begin
ming to Think (this alteration in re-
spouse to a protestfrom Polly" it's |
time we got married. 1 don't like to
see her wearing her young life. out IN |
our hot work rooms. My salary, as /
you know, is at present f80a year, and
I live on the premises. Now think it |
Iwas to tell Loostring the facts in the
case, and that I wanted to live away,
he'd give me f130. Now amt that
enough to getmarfied on, and have you
any objection to Polly and I getting
married at once?" ~ f,x.x
Here Tom Smith paused, not because
he had exhausted his subject, but for
the reason that he was out Of; breath.
Then Polly took up the parable. Slid
ing her stool to her father's side and.
resting her head upon his knee, she
said, tremblingly; ar
o- "Don't You think, daddy, dear, that
my being married will make any differ
ence to you and me, for you are to
come and live with as; eh, Tom?'' 4
Mr.. Smith, thus appealed to, vowed
them was considered quite a settled
matter, as in TRUTH it was.i "A tear stood
in old Abel's eye, and his, voice CULVER
ed with emotion as, laying aside his
pipe and taking his daughters. hand
lovingly within his own, he said; fi
sTom Smith, know you to be q true
and honest feiiow.. There is no man
upon the face of this earth i would
more desire to call my son-in-law; but
before I give my consent to your mar
sriage must tell you of something that
may perhaps, cause you to draw back"
Z Tom was about to speak, when Abel,
in trembling accents, resumed:
d rIf you'd both been content to wait
q, few years, what l am about to tell
might never have been known to either
of you. y I was still ayopng man when
I entered Baker & Bakers warehouse;
you, Polly Werel three years old, but
your brother Sam was IL or more. He
used sometimes to bring me my meals
at the drug warehouse, and once or
twice Mr.. Baker-the old man, I'm
speaking of now-took notice of him.
As I was a bit Of d favorite, he used to
say to me: "Now, Abel, when that
boys old enough, III take him into the
counting house, if you like. >" If I
would like! treasured those words,
and your mother and myself did all we
could in the way Of sending him to
school and such like, SO as he should
fbe fit when Mr.. Baker wanted him.
/ Oh, how we loved that boy! how
proudly we watched him grow up, and
| what hopes we formed of hint Sam
seemed a, steady, Industrious Lad
enough, and for a time he certainly
gave great satisfaction, in the counting
house. He was then II, and, as hand
some a FELLOW as you might Wish to see,
though; I'm his father hs says it,, He
was q general favorite in office, and at
last got trusted to collect some, of the
debts due to the firm About this time
there. came q sudden change in
his habits and appearance which alarm
ed me. and his mother very much. He
got to keeping late hours,i made some
bad acquaintances, and began to dress
extravagantly. It was no use our eau
tioning him. for he seemed determined
to 90 on his own course. But all the
sorrow and disappointment we felt was
as nothing to the fearful blow that al
Fmost stunned US vixen, on a chance ex.
animation of the books it was found
Sam had embezzled his employers
money to a hundred, and fifty pounds
From the moment of that terrible dis.
ycovery your mother dropped and droop
ed until she died. What he, had done
| with the money he would never tell
but the head cashier (Mr. Robert vii
mot, he who went soon after to Austria
/ ia) declared that more than ;once he
heard the boy talk about horse-racing
and it was in this way we always con
sidered the money, had gone As fol
i Sam himself, he stuck to. it hard anl
fast that hewas not guilty Of any dis
/ honesty, He ,swore,l that the money
he'd collected had always. been pail
,over to the cashier; but the evidenci
the other way was too strong. and ou
boy was branded as thief. Mr.. VIII
mot, who was angry at Sans insinua
tions,, wanted him. sent to prison; bu
Mr.. Baker was merciful man, and dit
NOT bring upon us further disgrace
After . this I felt I ceul'
no longer remain in Mr.
Bakers employ; and thus I went t
Loostring ~ EooPss~ So that San
might have q chance OF getting bacl
his character, Mr., Baker gave him i
, letter 0f introduction to d merchant q
+ Bombay, somewhere in India, VIII
might be able to, find him employmen
J such dis wouldn't have temptations
Sam eagerly jumped at the offer, bu
up to the moment of his departure Dc
J c1arAd Himself innocent of stealing Nj
] Bakers money! efefiow, it was th