The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-01-12
A CONFESSION.

MObG men WOulu neS1bate ab telling
such story of themselves. But l am
convinced that it will afford sugges-
tion of mercy toward such as do fall,
and some may be turned away from
temptation by it's recital.
l had been an under clerk in large
establishment for many years. Natur-
ally economical, my savings had at.
tanned to such respectable sum that
ventured upon married life, quite as
much as refuge from the monotony of
my inexpensive style of living as in
obedience to those yearnings of nature
which man is either very foolish OF
very bad not to heed in due season.
Like most men, however, whose adven-
lures of this kind are not followed by
the comfort and ease which depend
upon money for their possession, in the
course Of time came to repent the un.
dertaking; for ! was in debt, and nv
family had increased, while my income
had not kept pace with my expenses
My wife lacked the courage to practice
the proper self-denial which would be
conse luent upon retrench nent of onr
expenses, l was daily ammo ed by duns
] had borrowed money in every avail.
able quarter, and walk in the public
streets was literally denied to me by
the fear Of encountering some one to
whom was in debt for house expenses.
Returning home late one night, jaded
by listless stroll through the town, I
found the junior member of the firm
awaiting me. The house had received
intelligence, after business hours, of a
transaction entered into on their ac-
count, which secured the immediate
transmission to an isolated inland town
Of several thousand dollars, together
with certain papers and statements
necessary to conclude the affair. 1t was
too important matter to be intrnsted
to the insecurity and uncertainty OF the
mail Upon consultation of the men,
bers OF the finn l had been selected to
perform the necessary two days Jour
ney. l accepted the mission with alac.
rity, for the reason, among theirs, that
1T wonld be such recreation as would
divert my thoughts for time from the
perplexities of my miserable condition.
With the usual foresight of the firm
everything necessary to my prompt de-
parture had been prearranged. The
needful papers and accounts, and the
indispensable money required to finish
the transactions, were placed in my
hands in an envelope addressed to the
gentleman who had acted as agent of
the concern in the matter. A letter of
instructions were also inclosed,
remember well the bright Septem-
Der morning On which l started on
horseback and alone on my journey, of
which accomplished half the first day,
orriyripn NJ farp,bnuea
pants unhesitatingly granted my petit
tion for a share for the night in it's
humble hospitality.
The weather had grown colder as the
evening came on, and by the time had
reached the house 1 experienced a SEN
sible chill. I had with me flask of
liquor, and was furnished, at my re-
quest at bedtime, with small quantity
Of hot water with which to compound a
sort of punch, as an antidote to the cold
apprehended having taken.
had removed the package of money
from my pocket and laid it on the table.
with view of putting it under my pil.
low before going to bed. As it Law on
the table the address was uppermost;
on the left-hand upper corner was a
memorandum, $4,000 inclosed." /
was standing with my back to the door
Succeeding q few moments of entire
silence heard ster behind me, and
almost thought breath upon my face.
Turning suddenly round 1 beheld my
host with the hot water I had called for
in tumbler in his hand. He was
quite beside me, and his eyes rested, or
fancied they rested, on the package
upon the table. 1 must confess I was
sensibly startled by this incident. MY
concern was not diminished by observ-
ing that he had removed his boots from
his feet, and was then standing as he had
come up. in his stockings. My first i'm.
pulse and act was to take the water out of
his hand. Not being quite ready to use
1t put the envelope of money on the
top OF it as the most convenient thing
to keep it hot. l did not turn the su.
prescription downward, because I feal ed
it would betray the suspicion which /
now positively entertained of evil in
tentions on the part Of my entertainer,
who had quilted the room as noiselessly
as he had entered. 1 imagined great
many ways in which he could have
become acquainted with the cause of
my journey, and came rapidly to the