The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-02-01

fore finally deciding upon an act which
all my arguments with myself had not
made entirely reconcilable. Arrived at
this conclusion, my attention again
turned to my host and his wife. /
could hear his voice alone now. It had
been sounding alone in an elevated
tone for some moments. crept quiet
ly to the partition dividing their apart
ment from the passage. The bright
autumn moon, which was on their side
of the house, shone through their win
dow, and through the spaces between
the shrunken planks of the partition
and out into the passage, and upon its
floor in brilliant bars of light. It was
easy for me to see what was passing
within the room. Man and wife were
kneeling at their bedside in prayer.
The man with uplifted head and closed
eyes, uttering an earnest supplication,
his wife beside him and one arm passed
affectionately through one of his, and her
head resting against his breast. They
were kneeling at the side of their bed
opposite me, and his face was plainly
visible. It's calm and pious expression
at the moment was q sufficient rebuke
to my unjust suspicious. l began to
listen in time to hear him say: "Par-
don, Oh, merciful father, not only the
sins of Thy humble servant and his
household, but turn the hearts Of those
who have done evil unto him, who have
wished him injury, and who harbored
unjust suspicious of him. Bless such,
Oh, Lord, and preserve them in order
that they may turn from their ways and
l. 10 80 -
His serious, earnest and manly voice
struck chord in myIheart, not only in
sympathy with the honest and tender
supplication that was passing his lips,
but contrition fer the wrong had done
him by my suspicious. involuntarily
compared him, whatever we're his good
or bad deeds, at least an humble peni-
tent before his God, with the wretch
that 1 had decided but few moments
ago to make of myself by the misappro.
priation OF my employers money, and
still, however, by the relief it could OBJ
tain for me would not quite 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 move III a
small crib that was placed at the side
and toward the foot of the bed. It's
occupant, grandchild, whose parents
they had informed me were dead,
awakened probably by its grandfather's
voice, rosa up, looked around, and set
tied down upon its knees. and clasping
it's little hands as its grandfather's were
clasped, and looking upward, out
through the window at the moon whose
bright light fell full upon its
darling face, began moving its lips as if
trying to repeat the words.
Nothing 80 like an angel ever met my
sight. The grandfather began the
Lords prayer. The little fellow seemed
to have this by heart. He repeated it
word for word, his tiny, silvery voice
sounding in sweet accord. could not
turn away nor any longer resist the
better emotions which l had hitherto
kept down. A rush of repentant feel
ing passed through me with an effect
that shook every fiber. l fell upon my
knees. aud with tears streaming from
my eyes joined in the concluding words
of the prayer.
need not say I changed my mind
with regard to the money. I passed Q
quiet night and rose early, Fastening
away toward my journeys end, so as tc
give myself the least possible time OF
opportunity for changing my new
formed resolution. In handing the
package to the agent said to him that
as there was money in it, it might al
, well be opened in my presence to see
J that it was all correct, etc. He, o.
course, discovered the error and handed
me back the amount that was over, with
which returned home and delivered il
up to its proper owners in due time.
} It was fortunate for me in eVery
! way that pursued the course I haC
: adopted. 1t appeared that the money
I had been obtained from the bank aftel
J bank hours, in the absence of tn,
, teller, from one of the officers. Their,
were no loose notes on hand of tn,
3 larger denominations, but there wer,
t sheets of thousands and five hundred
: signed by the president and cashier
I Either two sheets were picked up il
3 mistake for one, or the wrong batch o
4 sheets selected from-that is, thou
D sands were taken instead of five han
!, dreds. The notes were hurriedl,
| clipped, strapped and indorse'
t "$5, ,O00," without recounting, and 81
+ enveloped and handed over to me. TIL
o bank had discovered the error, and N
doubt was entertained but that tn
Q missing money was with me. Whethe
a sho aid have had the face to withstan,
: the imputation, even with the appar
2 emily undisturbed condition of the en-
velope in my favor, is more than ca
o say, but doubt it,
|. But the notes, in pursuance of pre-
{ caution still in use in some banks, wer
y payable to the order of one of tn
q clerks and had not been indorsed b.
n him. / could not, therefore, have use
0 them, or if-so they could have bee
/ traced back to me. l found also tina