The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1882-01-21
A CONFESSION.

Most men would hesitate at telling such
story of themselves. But / am convinced
that it will afford suggestion of mercy
toward such as do fall, and some may be-
turned away from temptation by its recital
had been an under clerk in large es
Enlistment for many years. Naturally
economical, my savings had attained 10 such
q respectable sum that | ventured upon
married life, quite as much as a refuge from
the monotony of my inexpensive style OF
living as in obedience to those yearnings OF
nature, which man is either very foolish or
very bad not to heed in due season. Like
most men. however, whose adventures OF
this kind are not followed by the comfort
and ease which depend upon money for
their possession, in the course of CINE came
to repent the undertaking; for was in
debt, and my family had increased. while
my income had not kept pace with my ex-
penses. My wife lacked the courage to
practice the proper self-denisl which would
be consequent upon q retrenchment of our
expenses. 1 was daily annoyed by duns.
had borrowed money in every available
quarter, and walk in the public street was
literally denied to me by the fear of en-
counte ring some one to whom l was in debt
for house expenses.
Returning home late one night, jaded by
a listless stroll through the town, l found
the Junior member of the firm awaiting me.
The house had received intelligence, after
business hours, of transaction entered into
on their account which required the iIme-
date 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 a
matter to be entrusted to the insecurity and
uncertainty of the mail. Upon consulta-
ton of the members of the firm, l had been
selected to perform the necessary two days
journey. accepted the mission with alac-
rity, for the reason, among others, that it
would be such a 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 depart
urs had been prearrsnged. 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 acted as
agent of the concern in the matter. A let
ter of instructions was also inclosed.
/ remember we'll the bright September
morning on which started on horseback
and alone on my journey, of which l ac-
complished half the first day, arriving at a
farmhouse. whore occupant unhesitatingly
granted my petition for share for the
night in its humble hospitality.
The weather had grown colder as the
evening came on, and by the time had
reached the house 1 experienced q sensible
chill. had with me flask of liquor, and
was furnished, at my request at bed time,
with q small quantity of hot water, with
which to compound sort Of punch, as an
antidote to the cold apPrehended having
taken.
I had removed the package of money
from my pocket and laid it on the table,
with q view of putting it under my pillow
before going to bed. As it lay on the table
the address was uppermost; on the left hand
upper corner was q memorandum, SO 900
inclosed" / was standing with my back
to the door. Succeeding few moments OF
entire silence, heard step behind me,
and / almost thought breath upon. my
face. Turning suddenly round l beheld
nv host with the hot water 1 had called for
in tumbler in bis hand He was quite be-
side me. and his eye rested, or fancied it
rested, on the package upon the table.
must confess / was sersibly startled by this
BY observing that he had removed his boots
from his feet, and was then standing as he
had come up, in his stockings. My first
impulse and act was to take the water out
of his hand. Not being quite ready to use
it, put the envelope OF money on the top
of it as the most con venient thing 10 keep it
hot. / did not turn the superscription
downward, because I feared it would betray
the suspicion which now positively enter
tanned of evil intentions on the part of my
entertainer, who had quilted the room as
noiseless'y as he entered. l imagined
great many ways in which he could have
become acquainted with the cause of my
Journey, and came rapidly to the conclusion
that my employers funds were in danger.
That they were actually so became evident
before the night had passed. 1 recalled the
mans countenance wildly to my recollec-
ton, and examined from memory his fea
lures, so as to make some estimate Of the
character with which had to deal. Phys
ically he was more than my equal. When
/ first alighted at the house it struck me l
had seen him before, and after some mo-
ments of further and profound reflection, l
distinctly recalled him to my mind as q
merchant who had dealt with our firm
during my earlier connection with it, and
who had failed through the dishonesty Of
friends whom he had assisted. remem-
bered him as having been spoken of as dis
gusted with trade, and with his family, and
earning living literally by the sweat OF
his brow.
There were but two bedrooms in the house,
b. ii on the same floor, passage which
commenced at the head of the stairs dividing
them. While the thoughts which l have
related were passing through my mind, Il
heard voices in the other bedroom, and
quietly opened my door, which my host had
closed behind him. Standing out in the
passage, could distinguish mans and q
womanis voice. At first their language was
unintelligible, but gradually my ear became
accustomed to the duty endeavored to put
it to, and could distinguish that the bur-
den of their talk was their domestic expenses
and the general current Of their thoughts
was the difficulty of gettifg through with
certain undertakings they had in contem-
plation or had commenced. 1t was evident
that the man was more hopeful than the
woman. My excited imagination al
once framed the theory that the treasure in
INV possession was designed by them t.
solve this difficulty; and that the man wa
: being urged on by the less scrupulous OF
drawer woman.
A sudden movement of one Of them to
ward the door caused me TO retreat into m,