The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-02-06

thing lay heavily on his mind, and his
friends noticed, that he walked often
with bowed head and knitted brows.
He stuck to the Office until late into
each evening, instead of leaving, rs was
his wont, ut 8 o'clock, TO spend his
evenings with genial companions in
various ways. Yet no one but himself
knew what the trouble was. The fact
was he was short in his cash-he had
rashly used some of his employers
money in some mad speculations which
had failed, and, to make this loss good,
he specialized again. This also proved
failure, and he grew reckless and took
more and more. He never kept ac-
count of how much money he used, and
he was at last afraid to balance tue
books to see. However, he Mt last
sternly resolved to do something, even
if he must borrow money, and, in doing
so, tell the whole story.
He was the only one who need take
the books in hand, and his employ
ers would take his word entire
ly as to the balance, without person
al investigation; and, after the annual
stock taking, etc, he would have whole
year to refund tho money. He had a
good salary, and he would save, and
borrow from his friends, and quit this
mad and foolish practice which he had
called borrowing, but which he saw now
was nothing less than theft.
Alas, this chance was not given him.
Just toward balancing time he was laid
on sick-bed and kept there for many
weeks, during which. time one of the
partners, in O spirit of kindness, and to
save Ferguson additional work when he
recovered, set to work to balance the
books. Not word was said to Fergu-
son, but, soon after he was well enough
to attend the office, he opened n drawer
and there saw, a sheet of paper contain
ing names and figures, and at the head
he saw jotted in pencil. Accounts
marke ed off the ledger, but not in cash
book" 1t was Saturday, busy half
day at the works, and Ferguson went
through his duties mechanically. On
his way to the bank for the wages, he
called in at his lodgings, packed couple
of valises with a few necessaries, and
also called to say good-by to some efhis
particular friends, saying he was going
to Manchester for few days. Having
finished his work at the Office, by 2
o'clock he was seated in the railway
train, with little cash and heavy heart,
fleeing from Milton, his friends and the
law, and going he knew not whittier.
The next weeks Milton Neacs con-
tanned the following paragraph:
warrant has been issued for the apprehen-
ain Of ~uaQr m ia
OF Messrs Noble Il Croaker. 1t ID stated that
he is defaulter to the amount of f70O. Fer
guson was last seen at Merthyr Tydoil, in
Wales and has Deen traced to Swansea
} The news came like thunderclap on
the little world of Milton, where Fergu-
son was well known and respected. 1t
was the talk of the town, but like all
nine-days' wonders it died natural
death. Not so, however, in London
home, where fond father and mother
were almost heartbroken at this news OF
: the son of whom they had been SO proud
not SO in more than one home atMilton
not so at Thorpe Farm; and not SC
at the landlords home at Hamilton. In
all these places Will Ferguson had been
something more than an ordinary &C.
quaintance, and in these places dwell,
his true friends friends even in his dis
grace. Annie landlord then found on.
for the first time perhaps how much she
cared for Ferguson, and the poor girl
! felt the blow keenly. But she had
some natural pride, and though she
J pitied the poor fellow in trouble she
felt she could never again have anything
20 90 with a man who had to fee to es-
! Gel 20 nj >.
name gradually dropped out of CONVEX.
) sation though not out of mind.
When Ferguson got into Wales, he
thought he might safely take time foi
breathing and looking around. On that
Saturday afternoon he had. on his way
west, called In to take one more look al
and gloomy farewell of Annie, and he
then resolved to work necessarily until
he had earned sufficient to refund VIVA!
he had taken and retrieve his position
But in Wales he met with no success
whatever. He had no character, and nc
one would engage him without. Then
he went south to Portsmouth, and
thought about enlisting In the army, but
he decided to leave that as last re-
source. He made his way to London
and having good voice and knowledge
of music he obtained an engagement as
, singer in the chorus at one of the
opera houses. This proved poor game
and offered no chance of increased
salary, and consequently Ferguson re-
solved to quit and cross the Atlantic
: He got sufficient money from his old
grandmother, and after sorrowful fare
well to his parents he started off to try
bis fortune in the New World. During
the first six months in America he
, worked as farm laborer, clerk, anC
sub-editor of newspaper. Remuner
alive employment seemed hard to OBJ
tain, but he toiled On patiently, hoping
for better things.
He lad ceased to think of his at
: tachment to Annie landlord, except as
secret memory TO be treasured, blu,
spoken of never. Yet, when Christmas
came round, and with it couple of let
ters-one from home, and one from an
: old and trusty friend at Milton-ont
of them contained just common Christ
mas card, wishing the compliments o.
the season in the most ordinary way
But the wrapper was addressed in 4
L.. ~ IA