Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-03-13
THE FIRST OFFENSE.


In the cheerful dining-Toom of my
b. chelor friend Stevenson select party
was assembled to celebrate bis birthday. A
very animated discussion had been carried
on for some time as to whether the first
deviation from integrity should be treated
with severity or lenency. Various W re the
opinions and numerous the arguments
brought forth TO support them. The ma
iority appeared to lean to the side OF
crush all cffer ses in the bud" when
warm-hearted gentleman exclaimed:
"DepeEd upon it, more young people
are lost TO society from dTst oTtense Otihg
treated with II judiclous severity thah ron
| thu contrary extreme. NoL tbat "cu'u
| rass over even the slightest deviation from
| integrity either in word or deed that
| would certainly be mistaken kindness.
| But. IN the other hand, neither would L
pu,ish with s@v rIty al CfenSe comm itted,
perh ps under the Influence of temptatiop
TEN i,tatOn, to ;. that 6 ourselves may
Dave thonght essly pl. ced IN the way III
such ii manner rs 10 render 1t lrreslSt4 BILE
For Instance, lady requires 5 rvant. the
xiIl has hitherto b rne = good character
| but 1t is her first pace: b. honesty has
| ne, er CT been put TO the test Her mis-
! tress. without thinking Of the Temptations
| to W hich she is exposing u .fellow>creature
! is in the habit If leaving mall sums f
money, neraNy in coppers, lying about
in her ting ON. After while she
| begins to tnIHk that these sums are not
Always found exactly as she left them
| Su.plcion fails on the girl whose duty it is
| 20 clean the room every morning. Her
| mistress, however, thinks she will be quite
convinced btfore she brig forward her
accusation she counts the money care,
fully at night, the rext morning some
is missing No one has been 10 the room
but the gid; her guilt is evi ,ent. Well,
what does her mis- ress do2 Why, Sh1
turns the gil out of the house st An hours
! Office; cannot, IN conscience, give her
character; tells all her friends how dre&d-
ful distressed she declares there is
no hing but ingratltude t. meet with
| qmong Sc wants; lameuts over the deprav-
| " # human nature; ana never dreams of
| olamii herself II her wicked-yes, it Is
HIcke oh ughtleSSntss IN thus constants
| y exposing t. tenn ptatiOn q sou" z, lgnOr-
ant gi i: one, most likely, whose mind if
not enveloped IN total darkness, his only
All imperfe, twilight knowledge, where by
20 d stInguieh tight r II WRONG. Al whose
door, | ask" COntinuedf he, growing
warmer, "wll the sin lie If that glc. SINK
INTO III lowest depths of vice and misery?
| Why at tre door OF her, who, after plaCIng
en ltatioD in her very path, turned her
into the pitiess WOr d, deprived of that
which constituted her only means Of
UbtainiT q her honest IvclIhU0d-her char
acter; anu that without one effort to res
claim her, without atfording q single op
pOr unit. Of retrieving the past, and re-
gaining by future good conduct the cons
dee &C of her employer"
| There 5, | fear too much truth in
what YOU say .. remarked nur benevolent
| hn ba6
the conversation, and 1t reminds NE o. q
| circumstance tbaI OccLTTed IN the earlier
part of my life. which, as it may serve to
illustrate the satjecC you have been dis
cussing, l will Relate
There was p general movement of at
tenuon; for it was q well-knUwn fact that
40 MANUFACTURER in tue town WAS sur>
| rounded with SO many cid and faithful
| servants as our friend Stevenson.
| I" In the outset of my business career
said he, took into my emp OJ ment q
young man 10 i'll the situstion of under
I ERIK AID, according TO q RUE winch
mad laid down, whenever a stranger en-
tered my service Ills .utes were of "a nature
to Involve a little responsibility rs possi>
BILE, until IA >uth lent time had elapsed to
Orm correct estIm ate of his character.
This Dung man, whom shall Cal Smith,
. WAS of respectable family. He had los,
| MS father, and had mother and sisters
|
| ne h46 b5en a short time my employ
ment it happened that my confden la
| clerk, whose Guty IL WIS to receive tht
money rom the bank for the payment q
wages being prey ted by an uutoiseeI
clrcums. ance from attendin at the prope
tine sent the sum 'quired by Smhh NJ
confidence was So great in nv head clerk
VINO had been long known to me, that
Was No, III the habit of reguia ly countInI
tbe money when brought To me but as oI
thus occasion it had passed tbr ugh othe
hands | thought it right 10 60 so. There
70 e. calling smith back as he WAS leaving
INV COUNT G house, | sired him to wal
a few mInu Is, aud proceeded to ascertain
J wnerh it was quite correct Great Wa
: ny surprise and concern on finding tina
! there Wa, q considerable deficiency
/ From whom Said l, did you receive
this MOI tyP
= He e lied, FIR N Mr. naming
:, my confidential clerk.
e 1t Is strange said l looking steadily
r at him. But tnts money is incorrect, ant
it is the first time have found it So Fl
| changed countenance and his eye fel
| b fore mine, but he answered with tOlera
> bic composure, that it was as be had re
/ ceived it
1t is vain replied, to attempt t.
impose upon me- To eudeavor to cast sus
/ | picion upon one whose Charact for th'
i ,tric kest hon. sly and ind aviatirg inLegrl
" is so well esta blished. Now, l am per
r fectiy convinced that you have taken thi
: money, and at this moment IL Is in you
: possessions; and | think the evidenc
agaiI,s5 you would be sufficient to justif.
> nv dism,ssing you Immediately from ny
service But you are q very Dung man
your conduct has, / believe, been hitherto
= nerf, city correct. and am will G to at
r ford you an opportunity of redeeming
: past. All knowledge of this mat er rest
i | between ourselves. Candidly confess
e therefore. the error of which you huv'
been guilty, restore what you have so DIS
:, honestly taken, endeayor by your future
Of good conduct to deserve. my confidence ant
respect, and this circumstance shall never
transpire to Injure you
? Inc poor flluW was deeply affected
In avolce almost insrtlculate with emo
tiOn he acknowledged his guilt and san
that having frequen5 ly seen me receiy,
the money without counting it, on bein,
trusted with it himself the ida had flashed
across his mind that he might easily ab
sGract some without mourning suspicio
or. al all events, without there being suffi
Gent evidence ojustify it; that, being i
distress, the temptation had proved strong
er than the power of resistance and he ha
yielded.
81 cannot now,' be continued prov
= how deeply YOUR for bearance has touche