Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-09-22
THE ACCUSED CLERK.

Spent dill A0V6uluS Will NIL. Ao"ooh
and after tea the conversation turned upon
the subject of honesty, as applied to busl-
ness. I advanced the idea that some mer-
chants made their stores schools OF dis
honesty. They taught their CLERKS all the
tricks of trade fol- their own benefit and
the clerks, thus educated, would, in after
times, practice those same tricks for them
selves. Mr.. Lawson admitted the truth Of
the assertion and then, with smile, as
sured me that he.could not plead guilty to
the charges.
'But," said he, 81 have committed er-
rors IN business and I have committed
errors in my judgment upon my fellows.
When I was young was taught to look
upon all species of dishonesty with feel
ing Of horror, and [ grew up to manhood
with that same feeling in possession of me.
[ do not believe that a real virtue can be
carried too far :; but believe that any line
of conduct may be carried 80 far as to
cease to be virtue. [ can look back now
and see that, III my extreme ideas Of rigid
honesty, became self-righteous and I'M
forglving. In short forgot that greatest
of the heavenly graces-CHARITY.'
'sLet me tell you a little story. 1t has
not so much to do with the moral OF the
subject we have been discussing; but 1t
has to do with the frailty Of mans judg-
ment, and is, at the same time, interest
ing"
.sThirty years ago-mercy how time
flies took George Sayers to be one OF
my clerks. He was then sixteen years old,
and one of the most active, intelligent,
and efficient clerks [ ever employed. His
mother was a widow, and he was all only
son. He had one sister, two years older
than himself, who had been brought up
with him. Mrs. Sayers was an excellent
woman, and knew that she had endeavor-
ed to rear her children in the Way Of virtue
and strictest honor. Ellen Sayers-the
sister-was one of the fairest maidens in
our town. and one Of the best. She was
kind and gentle, and everybody loved her.
The widow was very grateful when l took
her son into my employ, giving him at
once lucrative situation without submit
ting him to the apprenticeship Of lower
service.
ssTime passed on, and at the end of a
year I gave George Sayers charge OF my
books During that year there had been
several sums of money missing, OF which
no account could be given. George was In
: situation where he could have taken them
had he been so disposed but did not sus-
pect him. had then no particular reason
to suspect him.
81 had at that time number Of agents
in different parts of the country, who were
in the habit of remitting money to me by
mail. One agent by the name Of Gibson,
was travelling in Vermont. In January,
Gibson mailed letter at Montpelier, con
tanning five hundred dollars-fye one.
hundred-dollar notes. That lette arrived
safely in my counting-room; because l. saw
it-and saw the money that was in it. My
oversight of that letter happened peculiar
". was engaged during The day in an
other part of the town, in experimenting
the alteration Of some machinery Ill my
wooden mill. In the afternoon I had occa-
sion to go to my store, and l entered my
counting-room just aft r the boy had
brought in batch of letters from the post
office. Among these letters were two or
three of a private nature, and put them
away when I had read them. The letter
from Gibson. conta ming the five hundred
dollars. [ folded neatly up again, and was
sure that [ put 1t, with the other business
letters, beneath a heavy ruler upon the
desk. George was not in the store at the
time, but supposed he would return very
shortly. turned the key in the counting
room door as l came out, and went back to
the mill.
"About one month after this Gibson re-
turned, and we sat down to look over our
accounts. There was a mistake somewhere
of five hundred dollars. He claimed to
have RENTED five hundred dollars of which
l had no account. Where was his remit
lance mailed He looked over the items,
and found that a remittance Of five hun
dred dollars from Montpelier had never
been credited to him. 1 could find no &C
count of it anywhere nor was any letter
accompanying it on file. / called George
Savers in, and asked him if he could ex-
plain it. He said he could not. He had
never seen any such letter-no such remit.
lance had ever come to his hand. While
the answer was yet upon his lips the
memory of that letter flashed upon me-
the letter which I had seen month before
-andiI cast a look upon my clerk which
made him tremble. Aye, my gaze grew
more intense, he turned pale, and 1 fancied
that he leaned upon the desk for support
I dismissed him, and then finished my bust