Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-02-14

breast. They were kneeling on the side
Of their bed opposite to me, and his face
was plainly visible. Its calm and pious
expression at that moment was suffi.
cient rebuke to my unjust suspicious.
began TO listen in time to hear him
say: Pardon, o merciful Father, no,
only the sins Of Thy humble servant and
his household, but turn the heart of all
those who have done evil unto him who
wished him injury, and who harbored un-
just suspicious of him. Bless such, O
Lord, and preserve them in order tha,
they may turn from their ways and seek
the paths Of righteousness"
His serious, earnest and manly voice
struck chord in my heart, not only in
sympathy with the honest and tender
supplication that was passing from his
lips, but contrition for the wrong had
done him by my suspicious. | involun-
tarily compared him, whatever were his
good or bad deeds, at least a humble
penitent before his God, with the wretch
that had decided but few moments
ago to make of myself, by the misap-
preparation Of my employers money, and
still, however, by the relief it would OBJ
tain for me, would not quito give way to
the feeling of repentance which was
knocking for admission at my breast. !
had half decided to turn away and drive
these better thoughts from my mind,
when observed something moving in a
small crib that was placed at the side
and toward the foot of their bed. Its
occupant, a grandchild. whose parents
they informed me were dead, awakened
probably by its grandfathers voice, rose
up, and looked around, settled down
upon its knees, clapped its little hands as
its grandfather's were clasped, and look
ing upward, out through the window at
the moon, whose bright light fell full
upon its darling face. began moving its
its lips as if trying to repeat the words.
Nothing so like an angel ever met my
sight. The grandfather began to repeat
the Lords Prayer. The little fellow
seemed to have this by heart. He re-
pea,ed it word for word, his tiny, silvey
voice sounding in sweet accord. could
not turn away, nor any longer resist the
bitter emotions which | had hitherto kept
down. A rush Of repentent feeling
passed through me with an effort that
shook every fiber. l fell upon my knees,
and with tears streaming from my eyes,
Joined in the concluding words Of the
prayer.
need not say | changed my mind
with regard to the money. passed
quiet night and rose early, fastening
away towards my journeys end, so as to
give myself the least possible time or
opportunity for changing my new formed
resolution. In landing the package to
the agent, l said to him that as there
was money in it, it might as we'll be
opened in my presence to see if 1t was
all correct, etc. He Of course discov-
cred the error and handed me back the
amount that was over, with which re-
turned home and delivered it to its prop
er owners in due time.
1t was fortunate for me in every way
that pursued the course / had adopted.
Ii appeared that the money had been OBJ
tained from the bank after bank hours,
in the absence of the teller, from one OF
the officers. There were no loose notes
on hand Of the larger denominations,
but there were sheets Of thousands and
five hundreds signed by the president
and cashier. Either two sheets were
picked up in mistake for one, or the
wrong batch of sheets selected FROM
that is, thousands were taken instead OF
FIVE hundreds. The notes were hurriedly
clipped, stamped and endorsed "5OOO,'
without recounting, and SO enyeloped
and handed over TO me. The bank had
discovered the error, and no doubt was
entertained but hat the missing money
was with me. Whether should have
had the face to withstand the imputa-
ton, even with the apparently undis-
turbed condition Of the envelope in my
favor, is more than l can say, but
doubt it.
But the notes, in pursuance Of eau
ton still in use in some banks, were pay
able to the order of one Of the clerks
and had not been indorsed by him. |
could not therefore, have used them, or
if had, they would have been traced
back to me. | found also that the num-
bers of all the notes | had taken with
me had been carefully ascertained, and
thus another chance of detection existed.
What narrow escape.
Upon returning and entering the
counting room, l handed the surplus
back to my senior with feeling some
what of pride, but mixed with other
feelings not easily described.
My precaution Of having the money
opened by the agent in my presence, was
highly commended, and the possibility
of his misappropriating the undue
amount,as very little personal knowledge
of him was possessed BY the firm, was
duly discussed. Wha' was remarked on
this point brought bushes to my own
cheeks.
In course of time, my senior account
ant was taken into the firm. / was put
in his position and with his salary
saved money, finally got into business on
my own account, and am now as you
know, a rich man. l never forgot my
former host and his grandchild but al
the death of the former, l took charge o'
the boy. He is now my partner and the
husband Of my daughter.