The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-01-14
Ma STATE SENTINEL. WEDNESDAY. JANUARY IA 1880

assurances for the future. The president
said: al will take your word. know you
mean Just what you say. l will give you
one month to pay the balance due the bank,
and should you do that, you may go on with
us lust as heretofore. But you must turn
over the new leaf effectually and permanent
ly-be firm as a rock"
And the result Of the conference Of the
bank officers proved how strong the presi-
dents confidence was. Many such conf
dences have been misplaced. Many good
resolutions are being broken constantly.
Man is weak and the world and its tempta-
tiOns are strong.
All of Frank Severns' old friends and asso-
ciates felt verv sure that he would fail in his
new resolution. The young men ridiculed
the idea, and the old men shook their heads
incredulously, Has fon8ness for convivial
excitements and companiOnship would prove
too much for him, they thought; he would
yield to the very first temptation to backslide;
he will tire of the tameness and dizziness of
a quiet, steady course of life. OF course he
will-of course"
And only month or two of the new year
had elapsed when there was a rumor in So
cial circles that Frank had "fallen from
grace" already. His real friends grieved to
hear it, while others who thought more of
his generosity toward them than of his duty
toward himself, made merry over it, not
Disgusting their delight in the anticipation of
his soon again joining them in having "goOd
times with the boys"
al told you so, said young Flipfaddle; 81
knew he would hold cut only week or two.
He likes fun. and isn't such fool as to join
the serious family"
Il told you So" -.id Miss Tittletattle, the
daughter of one of the bank directors, MY
papa said it would be just so7
al told you So" said Deacon Harshey; "ef
he'd iined our church, we'd helped him to
keep up, but he didn't, and down he goes!
The church he goes to isn't wuth a continent
tai as a savin' power it is sure road to the
Internal regions"
al told You 500 said that bank director
who had no faith in him, IL have never
known my theory in regard to such fellows
to fail-once wild and foolish, always wild
and foolish. Sure thing. Its born and bred
in them. Our president has now discovered
his mistake"
The bank president met one of the direc-
tors in the street, and the latter mentioned
the rumor that Frank Severns had broken
his resolution and returned to his old ways
Its a liel'' exclaimed the president, indig
nantly. 81 havn't seen him for three DAYS,
but l know its lie, and the busybodies about
town might be in better business than con-
cocting and circulating SANDERS about their
neighbors."
An hour afterward the president visited
Severns in his store, and there his judgment
as to the falsity of the rumor was abundant
ly confirmed.
1t is now on this New Years day, 20 years
since Frank Severns formed his resolution to
turn over a new leaf in his mode of life. He
is to-day as popular and as great favorite in
social circles and among all classes and ages
in vulnerable as when he was young man.
He is the same great-hearted, brOad-minded,
companionabe man he was 20 years ago, but
complete master of himself. And, in the
meantime, he has found Mrs. Severns; she
is the bank presidents daughter; and has
himself become director in the bank He
has kept his resolution faithfully. The new
leaf he turned ON thai memorable New
Years eve was never turned back. Those
who prophesied his failure have more conf
dence now than they formerly had in the
ability of even a clever, goOd-natured fellow
who had gone wrong to change his course
and go right.
81 told you so, said the venerable presi-
dent of the bank, at one eff the recent meet
ings of the directors, at which Frank Sew
ems youthful intersections and his present
high standing in the business community
were alluded to. alt is not always safe to
trust to the New Year resolves and promises
of those who have discovered the error of
their ways, but knew my man in this in
stance, and one of the most gratifying Incl
dents of my life is the fact that l insisted
upon his having another chance at the time
our bank was on the point of giving him up
to go to the dogs. Moral courage and manly
pride, gentlemen-that's what did the work
for Frank Severns."
And the old gentleman was quite right,and
not one of the directors was disposed to
doubt it