The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-09-10

of that bank mistake, as James count
ed over his weekly wages, just received
from Mr.. Carman, he discovered that he
was paid half dollar too much.
The first impulse of his mind was to
return the half dollar of his employer,
and 1t was on his lips to say, You have
given me half dollar too much, sir"
when the unforgotten words, Let peo-
pie look after their own mistakes, }" flash
ing upon his thoughts, made him hesi-
tate. To hold parley with evil is to be
overcome.
81 must think about this" said
James, as he put the money into his
pocket. If 1t is true in one case it is
in another Mr.. Carman don't correct
mistakes that people make in his favor
and he can't complain when the rule
works against himself"
But the boy was far from being in q
comfortable state. He felt that to keep
half dollar would be dishonest act.
Still he could not make up his mind to
return it, at least not then.
James did not return the half dollar,
but spent it for his own qualification
After he had done this it came suddenly
into his head that Mr.. Carman had only
been trying him, and he was filled with
anxiety and alarm.
Not long after Mr.. Carman repeated
the same mistake. James kept the half
dollar with less hesitation.
- 1, 1, T..
said he resolutely; +" that's the doctrine
he acts on with other people, and he
can't complain if he gets paid back in
the same coin he puts in circulation. L
just wanted half dollar"
From this time the fine moral sense
of James Lewis was blunted. He had
taken an evil counselor into his heart,
stimulated spirit of covetousness -
latent in almost every mind-which
caused him to desire the possession of
things beyond his ability to obtain.
James had good business qualifications
and so pleased Mr. Carman by his intel
ligence, industry and tact with custo-
mers, that he advanced him rapidly and
SoNS hiiiii DClOlC hC was Years
old, the most reliable position in the
store. But James had learned some
thing more from his employer than how
to do business well. He had learned to
be dishonest. He had never forgotten
the first lesson he had received in this
bad science he had acted not only in
two instances, but in a hundred, and al
ways to the injury of Mr.. Carman. He
had long since given up waiting for
mistakes to be made in his favor, but
originated them in the varied and COM
plicated transaction of a large business
in which he was trusted implicitly; for
it had never occurred to Mr.. Carman
that his failure to be just to the letter
might prove snare to the young man.
James grew sharp, cunning, and skill
full; always on the alert, always bright
and ready to meet any approaches
towards discovery of his wrong doing
by his employer, who held him in the
regard.
Thus it went on until James was in
his twentieth year, when the merchant
had his suspicious aroused by letter
which spoke of the young man as not
keeping the most respectable company,
and spending money too freely for a
clerk on moderate salary.
Before this time James had removed
his mother into pleasant house, for
which he paid rent of four hundred
dollars; his salary way eight hundred
but he first deceived his mother by
telling her it was fifteen hundred
Every comfort that she needed was
fully supplied, and she was beginning to
think that after long and painful strug-
gle with the world, her happier days
had come.
James was at his desk when the letter
was received by Mr.. Carman. He looked
at his employer and saw him change
countenance suddenly. He read it over
twice, and James saw that the contents
produced disturbance. Mr.. Carman
glanced towards the desk, and their eyes
met; it was only for moment, but the
look that James received made his heart
stop beating.
There was something about the move
ments of Mr.. Carman for the rest of the
day that troubled the young man. 1t
was plain to him that suspicion had
been aroused by that letter. o, how bit
terly did he repent, in dread of discov-
cry and punishment, the evil of which
he had been guilty Exposure would