, 1881-02-05

help thinking how many ruined homes and
broken hearts have paid fer that costly pile.
Ihave, in my minds eye, a single case, but it
is only one out Of many, Six years ago a young
mar same down to New York, whose father
was a wealthy merchant ia one of the largest
cities in the interior of the State. His social
connections were such that he found no diff
Guilty in getting a position in enc of the oldest
and wealthiest banks in WALL street. BY
dint OF absolute worth and Jealous attention TO
business, he in Eve y ears rose from q clerk
ship TO the position of cashier, which had
become vacant by the death OF the old in
cumbent. There was not a young man In the
country who had a fairer start. With his con
nection and position, he could look forward
without fear to the future, for it seemed as If
the good fairy had taken him under her guardi-
anshlp, guiding him clear Of the rocks and quick
sands that usually beset city life. just after
his promotion, he married the daughter OF one
of our wealthy citizens, and the wedding
was one of the great social events of Murray
Hill.
Speculation was rife in Wall street. Que day q
friend stepped into the bank to make a deposit;
be had just cleared a hundred Thousand dollars
by 8 lucky hit in the stocks. The cashier
listened to the story, and went home that night
troubled in his mind. Visions Of Sudden
wealth grew up befor re him like Jonsh's
gnurd. The home once so beautiful and elegant
began to look .circumsoribed and mean; and
so, for three days, he struggled with the devil
but the devil threw him at last. A package
of $40, 900 in United States bonds lay ia the
vault, they had been left there as collateral
security for q loan. No one would ever know
it, it woulj only be just for one cay, q certain
stock would soon go up ; be could then gather
in thousands, 20 one would be wiser, no one
would be hurt the bonds would be back
in the vault again, and he would be rich.
He tried the experiment be failed. The
stock did not go up, it went down. To
hide his sin, he was forced to THEFT and
perjury, and. hunted from bis proud posi-.
ton, he spends his Christmas ia a convicts
cell, with long years of a i1ful imprison-
meut before him, and when he lcomes out
what then 2 If I were allowed to decide
l should cay /: vote him q seat in the Stock
Exchange.
The uncertainty of the law was never
illus trated than Ia the case OF a Ger.
man woman, who was tried for throwing
red pepper in a mans eyes.who had insuIted
her, by calling her a vile name. The de.
interp osed the plea that the act was
done in the presence of her husband aud
that such b eng the fact, she acted under
du-ess, and SO was not legally responsible:
but the husband who stood by and permit
ted her to do twas really the guilty party;
and conse quently the person who deserved
punishment. The jury took this view of
the case, and discharged the woman ou
the spot. The husband was then arrested
for throwing pepper in the man's eyes,
he did not throw it and he called
hia wife up as a witness, and she swore
that he was not there at all, that he never
the man, and didn't know him from q
side of o sole leather /; ia fact he establish.
ed q most complete "halibi,n as Nr. Weller
would say, SO the Judge was compelled
to discharge him also ; aud arm 10 arm
with his loving spouse' be walked oat OF
court a free man.
---:os A