The Opelousas courier., 1886-03-06
KEEPING HIS WORD.
A TRUE STORY.

Eented that district in Congress, before
he knew much of Wall street, and before
he was noted for his money, he had in
his employ a man with whom he had
been a school-fellow and for whom he
entertained feelings of warm friendship.
But temptation fell in the clerks way,
and he was not morally strong enough to
resist. The ambition to become rich sud
denly overcame him and sitting honesty's
instincts, he turned thief. His crime was
not detected till, goaded by his shame,
he himself made q clean breast Of the
whole story, and pleading for compassion
upon his wife and child, gave himself
wholly upto Mr.. Sage. Several thousand
dollars had been embezzled and every
penny of it was gone, -frittered away in
short-sighted speculations. The mercy
he asked in the name of wife and child
was given. Russell Sage was never
called a hard nan in those days, and the
innocent woman in danger of suffering
through this sin had been one of his
childhood's playmates; thus for the sake
of the innocent, the thief was forgiven
and his wrongdoing never exposed.
He promised much in the way of repa-
ration; he would pay back to the very last
cent, he said, the money that had been
stolen. But his pledges never bore sub
~stantial fruit. He did seem to struggle
hard for a time to regain lost footing,
but cndeavor brought no satisfactory re-
suit, and within a year the appetite for
strongdrink had laid a heavy hold upon
him, and from bad to worse he went
headlong till the end was a pauper's
grave. Mr.. Sage and some Others pro-
yided awhile for the support of the widow
and orphan left behind, but friendly as
sistance was not long of consequence to
the broken-hearted woman A fever,
whose fires were kindled by shame and
sorrow cracking in her proud soul, did
its work quickly. The husband had not
been dead a month ere a grave was need
ed for her also. And a child the son of
q dishonest father, a wait without a rela-
tive in the world, was left behind-left
with burden other than its own support
to bear, charged with q duty pointed out
by a dying mother, the duty ahead of all
other things of repairing the wrong of his
erring father. And the child's word was
given as he wept in his boyish fashion
alone with the brave oma who for
another's sin was overcome and sacrificed.
The lad, scarce in his teens, gave his
word solemly. One thrice his age could
not have realized more fully than he
seemed to do the grave words of the
mother as she told the tale of his fathers
~wayering, his peculations, and their Sc
quel in his downfall, and when she con-
jured the boy to bear always formost in
his purposes the aim to make good the
bad record ofthe past, his IT will" had
the ring and the truest fervor of manli-
ness in it.
This was many years ago. Russell
Sage soonslost sight Of the STRIPPING. A
farmer near Troy gave him a home for a
time, but in . year o two he drifted
away. What became of him thereafter
nobody ever could say. He himself made
the mystery plain the other day. John
mic McCann, Mr.. Sage's private secretary,
was holding his regular matinee In an
outer Office with d throng Of put and call
brokers, when d stranger intruded, ask
ing to be shown into Mr.. Sage's private
Office. The put and call army leered,
Secretary McCann explained that Mr..
Sage was busy, but there was an earnest
ness In the callers manner that induced
special consideration, and as he was turn
ing away the secretary volunteered to
take in his card if it would be q favor.
The visitor wrote a name upon d bit of
paper. Evidently Mr.. Sage did not
recognize the name as that Of anybody in
whom he had the slightest interest, and
Mr.. Mccain wa obliged to explain that
Mr.. Sage had too much business On hand
to permit interruption. At 8 o'clock the
millionaire buttoned up his overcoat and
made ready to go to bis Fifth venue
home; but be had not taken more than q
step or two in the outside hallway when
he wa brought to 8 halt. The visitor
who had been denied admittance during
business hours had waited to interrupt the
magnate homeward bound.
q want to see you for q little while,n
said the stranger. AYou have forgotten
my name, / suppose, but you remember
John Blank Of Troy, who was your
clerk
seYsa, yesin CALCULATED the puzzled
speculator.
We'll, = was the calm remark. It am
John Blankss son, and Tve come to paw
YOU his debit
Russell Sage WAS late At dinner that
night. Hours went BY IS he sat III his
Office and listened 10 the story Of this
mann who had sought him On ID errand 30.
WY cf rhyme with tho regular order of
thinga il this world of ours today. III