The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1876-11-16

we could in the way OF sending him
to school and suen Ike, 50 As be
should be fit when Mr.. Baker wanted
him. On, how We loved that boy
how proudly we watched him grow
up, aud what hopes We formed OF
him Sam seemed q steady, Indus
triOus lad enough, and for . time he
certainly gave great satisfaction In
the counting house. He was then IL,
and as handsome 3 fellow as you
might wish to see, though Pm his
father as says il. He was q gen.
eral favOrite in the office, and at last
got trusted to collect some Of the
debts due to the firm. About this
time there came 3 sudden change In
his habits and appearance which
alarmed me and his mother very
much. He got to keeping late hours,
made some bad acquaintance5, and
began to dress extrAyAgantly. 1t was
no Use our cautioning him, for he
seemed determined to go on bis own
course. But all the sorrow and disap-
pojntment we felt was nothing to the
fearful blow that stunned us when,
on q chance examination OF the
books, it was found Sam had embez-
zled his employers money to hun
dred and fifty pounds From the
moment of that terrible discovery his
mother dropped and drooped antil
she died. What be had done with
the money he would not tell but
the head cashier Mr.. Robert Wilmot)
he who went sOou after to Australia,
declared that more than once he
had heard the boy talk about horse
racing, and il was IN this way be al
ways considered the money had gone!
| As for Sam himself be stuck 10 it
hard and fast that he was guilty of no
dishonesty. He swore that the mon
ey he had collected had alWays been
paid over to the cashier; but the evil
dence the other way was too strong,
and our boy was branded as q thief.
Mr.. WilmOt, who was angry at Sans
! denial, wanted him sent to prison ;
| but Mr.. Baker was q merciful man,
and did not bring upon US any further
disgrace. After this felt could not
| longer remain In Mr.. Bakers employ; !
and thus it was l went to Loostring
& Tools. so thst Sam might have q |
chance OF getting back his character,
Mr.. Baker gave MIN 3 letter of intro. |
duction to a merchant in Bombay,
somewhere in India, who might be |
able to find him employment such as
wouldn't have temptations. Sam |
eagerly jumped at the offer, but up |
to the moment of his departure, de- |
elared himself Innocent of stealing |
Mr.. Bakers money. Poor fellow IL |
was the last we saw of him. Before |
the vessel reached India she met with |
fearful hurricane, and every soul on |
board her perishe1.
Overcome by those painful recoIIec-
tions Abel buried his head in his
hands and wept. Complete silence
reigned in the room for q few mo-
ments, and then Polly controlling
with an effort the strong emotions
tha; swept through her heart, crept TO
her fsther's side and placed her hand
in his.
"Dear father" she said, in broken
tones, "the story of your sorrow
makes you dearer to me than ever"
The old man withdrew his hand
from her embrace, and when she
kissed the tears from his cheeks, re.
sumed-
"There could be no doubt Of your
brothers. guilt, and was too sensible
of the kindness OF his employers to al
low them to suffer. l resolved, come
what might, that would do my best
to repay them. For this / daily
denied myself for this | narrowed
your opportunities of education and
this, next to your happiness, my
child, is the object OF my lite."
"Dear father, and until now you
have always led me to believe that
the amount paid half yearly was to
discharge debt Of your own"
"My darling, was 1t to your interest
to know the truth When your
brother left England you were but q
child. Up to tonight it has been my
constant endeavOr to hide the real
facts OF the case from you. had
hoped to have paid off the whole
amount before you got married.
Toms proposal tonight, however,
has frightened the secret out of me,
for could not allow him to marry
you without knowing the truth"
"And now 1 know 1t Mr.. Webb.n
exclaimed Tom, who had been trying
to speaK for some time, but had been
unable to do so owing to q strange
sensation as Of marbles rolling up his
throat and determination OF water
to his eyes-"now do know it, I am
more than ever desirous of making
Polly my wife. 1 thought of having
the bsnns put up rext week and then
we can be married before another
month is over our heads"
"But, Polly" inquired Abel, ISIS not
that rather soon 2" :
His daughter was at that moment !
engaged in attending to the fire, ths !
brightness Of which had, during the !
recital of Abeps revelation, become
somewhat dinmed. Just after he !
spoke. CHEEKY flame again shot forth :
and disclosed q happy smile upon Pol
ly's face and blush upon her cheek
forming quite sufficient answer to the
question
"Well, my children" continued the
old man, "do as you will"
Tom Smith sprang from his chair :
and was wringing Abel's hands In
token Of gratitude, when the sound of I
footsteps ascending the stairs caught
Abei's ear.
"Here, Polly quick with the can '
dIe," he cried 'there's some one who
wants to see US, or has mistaken the q
floor" y
The room had hitherto been llluml-
mated solely by the fitful gleam of the d
fire, and just as Polly had got the Q
candle alight the door was opened
and in strobe Mr.. Baker-Baker, Jr.
whom Abel had left but an hour b
and half before. r
"0h, Abel pi said Baker, with bis
broad ruddy face glowing with excite
ment, "I'm so glad I've found you
at home. I've good news for you
news that will make your heart leap
from your bosom"
"Wbat-what is It ?" exclaimed :
Abel, while Polly and her betrothed Z
looked on in silent amaZement. Il
"Wby,. your son bam-he who
eight years ago was thought to be .
guilty OF robbing us-ls proved to
have been innocent" .
Abel went back to his chair his q
lace grew pale, and his hands clutch
ed the wrist OF Tom Smith and his 3
who had rushed to his side. q
"HOW-how do you know this 2" I
he gssped. .- 3
''An hour after you left my Office q
letter from Australia was delivered- I
1t was written by a gentleman, u
st Melbourne, and was to
the effect that our late cashier, Robert Il
having received q fatal in
Jury through being run over In the .
streets, in his last moments made . G
deposition before the legal authorities q
that your son was innocent, that he Q
himself had appropriated the moneys,
Of the firm, and in order to conceal Q
his own deliDquencies was compelled 9
10 fix the guilt upon some one else. c
The official papers will arrive by the Q
next mail. Abel, believe me, no per- Z
son is more rejoieed at this intelll- 2
gence than myself"
The old man was In tears; he. could
not speak, but the presEIre he gave
the extended hand eVinced his belief
in Baker juniors sincerity.
"And, Abel" continued the new :
conner, sit gives me great pleasure d
more pleasure than can tell you-to
hand you back your ninety pounds.
Both my father and myself resolved =
never to touch penny or it IL you :
had died before you were satisfied you (
had discharged the sum we should =