Iron County register., 1886-09-30

- I ou re worthless, he would say.
''Why don't you study?" But his blue
eyed friend would only laugh and look
at him reproachfulE. John" he
wouI say, ''you forget my poor diges-
tionn' and there it would end. Many
things displeased John Earling in the
commercial workings of the place; but
he was good at holding his tongue, and
two years elapsed without a jar. The
ways of Joel were many and curioua
but as he intimated, they were ''busi-
ness" and went unquestioned. Many
were the prices made, and little snares
and bats and bargains laid for the
verdant and unwary. That which did
not come easily to hand must need DO
hooked with line quite long enough
to land it. Not that much there perpe-
trated was in the common sense dis
honest, for trade in these accelerated
days is of a startling width, if not in
deed at some points of appalling lati-
tude, but Joefs employees were tacitly
instructed that shrewdness was always
requisite. and the successful netting of
the spoil the prime consideration.
Much of this to Earrings scrupulous
spirit was quite revolving; seemingly
not because he was simple, for he was
a strong hater of many things, but
mainly for the reason that nature had
filled him with instructive inclilfations
to be Just. He could not by indirection
take advantage in the least without
forgetting his own gain by seeing that
the other was deceived. Hence
his business mode collided oft
with Joers law, and would
have gotten him trouble and expulsion
in the end had not his fine sincerity and
fairness had its way with all. Joel
watched him narrowly at first, and oc-
casionally would throw sort of pro-
test in his way. But" he would
say, ..you re too fair. You'll break me
up!' But John Earring smiled and
kept his counsel and continued honest
IN his ways. Then Joel fell to tgur-
ing covertly the profits on each sales
man day by day as indicated by their
sales, and ended by throwing his
figures from him with a growl. He
couidn't do it if he wasn't so Internal
smart!" was what he said, and after
that was silent. But John Earling
was far from being satisfied; he felt
these conditions chafe him something
like chain, and fain would have freed
himself but that the iron bond of duty
stuck him to his task religiously. He
brooded over this enigma, and its
perplexing shapes and shadows,
again and yet again. 1t
seemed to him that the whole
field of life was tainted; that this state
called civilization, so paraded and re-
vered, was filled with greedy tendencies
and vile demands. Through his whole
life the flaws within himself, and the
little wrongs and shams and spots
among the spirits of his fellows,
seemed clear and vivid to him. Not
that evil as commonly set down ap-
pealed much to him, for neither by eX-
ample nor by precept had he been much
wrought upon, but mainly for the rea-
son that his moral lens was large, his
sense of justice delicate and keen, and
that nature in happy mood had fash
loned him less peccable than some.
Thus it fell out that we'll upon the
close of John Earnings second year of
pretended in theft that, unluckily for
him, was off the wiley Joel i'll the pub
lies stead, John Earling went into his
employers office white with rage.
'Your system of business, he said,
Will CllnCueu lSIS, Otilu uldhc du
angel thief. How do you expect a
man to be honest with ycu when you
insist that he shall be dishonest with
other men? Is it honor among thieves
that you rely on to protect yourself?
It's an outrage! It's an outrager
Joel wheeled around in his chair with
deal of color in his face; a strange
heat seemed to sweep over the still
hnn ho nnocnI nj
a perspiration broke out upon his
brow. John Earnings eyes blazed
against Joefs; it was-to some people
an uncomfortable trait-John Earrings
habit to look straight into the eyes of
those with whom he had to do, and he
had never been known to pluck any
one aside to whisper to them, for the
reason, doubtless, that he never seemed
to have any secrets, or to be conscious
of any reason why he should not look
at people and say very audibly
what he had to say.
"Why, you young roostern' blurted
Joel, ''what's the matter with you?"
"The matter is not with me, sir; the
matter lies with this young man who
came in here an honest boy and has
gone out a thief!'' cried John Earling. in
his passion. 1t seemed to him a more
exquisite injustice was never perpe-
trated. He fairly suffered with the
wrong and disgrace that had fallen on
his fellow salesman.
'What have | got to do with his be-
ing thief?" snorted Joel.
Every thing: he came in here hon.
est. and by following your methods
and instructions he's to-day in irons
and disgrace; you corrupted him! you
corrupted him! may be you didn't see
it; may be you didn't mean it, but Q,
you corrupted himn'
Il didn't!''
Your system did! Hasn't he stolen
for five years for you? Did you expect
that he would never steal from you?
How could he be honestp Your store is
full of thieyesi You know it, Any
other business conducted on the prin-
ciple of yours is breeding-house of
theft. If a thing isn't fair it's robbery.
don't care under what guise you put
itr'
.'Fiddlesticks!' said Joel, getting g
white about the nostrils. "Boy, you're
crazy; you don't understand the first
rudiments of business.
Il don't wish to acquire even the |
rudimentS as you understand them.
is enough for me; it should be |
enough for every man. When your |
word business more than covers the |
word honesty what laps over is rob-
berry. You dare not deny it? When |
you sell goods to one person at cost |
n order to hold him and double your
profits on another to make it good you
wrong some one, you can't help but see
t! When YOU