The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-08-19
BROOKHAvEN THURSDAY. AUGUST 19. 1880 vOl
h.nax.s laid on his shoulder.

"What'S your nTy, AInool hIe
you walking for wager2' asked
Edgar Fosters voice.
Il may as we'll walk; I've moth
ing else to do" replied the young
man bitterly. I'D
"Oh, now, my dear fellow, don't
be down-hearted. Something will
open for you, before veIy long, !
hope. I am truly very sorry for
you, and would do anything to help
you"
~ know you would, Foster; but
there's nothing to be done. If il
were not for the mother and Nellie,
I wouldn't complain; but
"Yes, l know. But keep up your
courage, and don't look SO woebe-
gone. Mr.. McAllison will speak
good word for you, am sure; and
with his recommendation, you may
find something very soon"
Henry shook his head, but his
face was brighter; and, when their
ways parted. his hearty '!good-
night sounded almost cheerful.
Walking on alone, Edgar was &C
cost.d by an elderly gentleman
Good evening, Foster. Are you
still with McAllister, Il Rogers?
If so, you can save me little time,
which is precious. just now.
81 am still with them, sir. What
can do for vou?'
Just pay in this little amount for
me, if you please. It's only trife,
but it's not on their books, and /
am so shockingly forgetful that /
fear it will slip my mind entirely.
l want to get everything settled up
before l start off, and ! find it takes
a great many steps to geC ready for
three years absence from the coun-
try"
"Certainly. IN attend to it for
you, Mr.. Sterling. SO you are go
ing abroad?" z
"Yes, with Wednesdays steamer.
Well, I'm glad l have this little
item off my mind Good-by."
Edgar Foster folded the bills
away in his pocket book with the
full intention of handing them to
his employers in the morning.
The early mail, which was deliv-
cred soon after he reached his place
of business, brought him an urgent
demand for the payment Of dent
lists bill that had been standing
against him for a few months.
I'm call in and pay him on my
way home this noon," resolved Ed
gar. "This money Of Mr.. Sterling's
will come in handy, for pay day is
less than week off, and l can just
as we'll hand it in after that"
But Edgar's salary was small, and
pay day brought almost as many
ways for the money to 60 as there
was dollars in the sum received. And,
after all, what was the hurry? 1t was
only small amount; the firm did
not expect it, and they were lucky
to get it at all.
So he reasoned, and so it went on,
until several pay days passed, and
Edgar, when he thought of it at all,
felt the difficulty of paving over the
money, after so long delay, with
out some explanation.
One morning. some five months
after the evening when he had walk
ed home with Henry Arnot, he no
ticed, when he took the letters in
to Mr.. McAllister, a thin blue en-
velope among them, which bore a
foreign postmark. Mr.. McAllister
saw it too, and Immediately drew it
from out the pile that his clerk laid
on the desk before him.
"Ah, here's news from Sterling,
at last. I thought the old gentle
man had forgotten US; he is so ter
ribly forgetful."
Edgar's heart gave one great
bound, and then stood still.
"What's the matter" asked Mr..
McAllister, noticing that the young
man did not move to get back to his
duties. "Why, Foster, you are as
white as sheet! Are you ill? Here,
sit down and drink this water. Don't
stir until you are better"
Edgar obeyed, with the despair
ing conviction thai he was condemn
ing himself in advance. But not to
save his life, or his reputation,
which was dearer, could he have act
ed differently.
Mr.. McAllister took up his letter
again; and. after a hasty glance at
it, turned to his partner with q
laugh
What a pattern of integrity
Sterling isl Here, he has sent us
fifteen dollars, which, he says, he
forgot to pay before he went to Eu-
rope. remember the circumstance,
now that he recalls it. 1t was 8
little transaction between him and
myself, and / made no record of it
at the time"
"And If you don't send him re-
ceipt, and set his conscience at rest,
he'll forget all about this. and pay
the money twice returned Mr.,
Rogers.
every likely; III do it at once /.
You're better, aren't you, Foster?
Your color is coming back. Don't
overwork yourself, man. We don't
want you to break down yet"
at was narrow escape"
said Edgar to himself, when he was
once outside the door Of the count
ing g-room. "Of course I can never
pay that money now; but I'll take
care not to get in such fix again" "
"What can keep papa9 1t is al
most half past six. l am afraid we
cannot go after all" .% &
Don't fidget. Bella; a girl who is
getting to be young lady should
have more self control. Your papa
is often detained by business. Make
,,o,,roolf aS happv oa noeo;hlo unti |