Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-04-12
A CONFESSION

Most men would hesitate at telling
such n story Of themselves. But ! am
convinced that il will afford sugges-
ton of mercy toward such MS do fall,
and some may be turned away from
temptation by its recital.
| had been an under clerk in II large
establishment for many years. Natur-
ally economical, my saving had at-
tanned to such respectable sum that |
vcnturcd upon married life, quite as
much as II refuge from the monotony of
my inexpensive style Of living as in
obedience to those warnings of nature
which man is either very foolish or
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 l came to repent the
undertaking; for was in debt, and
my family had increased, while my
income had not kept pace with my cx-
penses. My wife lacked the courage to
practice the proper self-denial which
would be consequent upon a retrench-
ment upon our expenses. l was daily
annoyed by duns. ! had borrowed
money III every a,""..-,- ~, -
a walk in the public streets was liter
ally denied to me by the fear of encoun-
tering some one to whom | was in debt
for house expenses.
Returning home late one night, Jaded
by listless stroll through the town, |
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. twas
too importent matter to be entrusted
to the insecurity and uncertainty OF the
mail. Upon consultation of the men,
bers of the firm l had been selected to
perform the necessary two days jour-
ney. accepted the mission with alac-
rity, for the reason, among others, that
it would be such q 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 we'll the bright Septem-
ber morning on which l started on
horseback and alone on my journey, OF
which l accomplished half the first day,
arriving at farmhouse, whose occu'
pants unhesitatingly granted my petit
ton for share for the night in its
humble hospitality.
The weather had grown colder as the
evening came on, and by the time l had
reached the house l experienced a SEN
sib!e chill. / had with me flask of
liquor, and was furnished, at my re.
quest at bedtime, with a small quantity
of hot water with which to compound a
sort of punch, as an antidOte to the cold
l 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 pill
low before going to bed. As it lay on
the table the address was uppermost ;
on the left-hand upper corner was a
memorandum, $4,000 inclosed." l
was standing with my back to the door.
Succeeding few moments Of entire
silence l head step behind me, and /
almust thought breath upon my face.