Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-02-18

than many of our young daudies'
/ clothes are to them. At some future
day, when many Of them 90 thread
bare, you can wear your broadcloth
! with honor
At that moment another caller was
announced, and John left the room.
/ III.
The visitor was the cashier Of the
bank of which Mr.. Emmons Was presi
dent. He looked sad and anxious, and
asked Mr.. EmmonS If he was sure that
no one could overhear their conversa-
ton.
'We are quite alone replied Mr..
Emmons 'but what is the matter ?
Has anything happened to the bank p
Almost the worst. One OF our
clerks is defaulter; he has during the
past year appropriated money to the IA
mount of several thousand dollars. 1t
has been done so gradually and IN such
an ingenious manner that the enbezzle-
ment might have gone on undiscovered
but for singular incident this after
noon.'
who is the thief p demanded Mr..
Emmons.
The cashier was silent, but his awed
and sorrowful countenance was answer
enough.
Can it be my son p exclaimed Mr..
Emmons.
1t is he, replied the cashier, wiping
his face with his handkerchief. But
he added quickly, 4 haye come as soon
as possible, Mr.. Emmons, before the
matter has got beyond the bank, to see
if it cannot be paid aud hushed up.
Mr.. Emmons looked like man who
had received heavy blow (; but he an
swered firmly, though in a terribly
broken voice
1t can be paid, but it cannot be
hushed. | said the last time that an
affair Of this kind was hushed up in
this city, after more than one young
man had been tempted to embezzle-
ment by just such cloakiug of fraud,
| that would never connive to let any
young man go free of his country's
laws. I said it openly, aud now l will
not shield my sou from the punishment
he so richly deserves. There is but one
thing to be done at present, and that Is
to arrest the culprit at once
The cashier begged Mr.. Emmons not
to be hasty to consider the mothers
and sisters grief. Walters youth, and
the ineffaceable blot which would be
cast upon his future He spoke of the
! Young mans amiablity and generosity,
OF his being such a favorite in society,"
Not to save my own life, or that of
wife or daughter, will I be more leni-
ent to my son than would be to any
other man's,' replied Mr.. Emmons,
firmly. If you will not inform the
sheriff I will 90 myself
No, will GO replied the cashier.
You will be needed here to prepare
your family for the blow
When Walter reached home, it was
to find his mother and sister in tears
and sobs, his father looking ten years
older than when he last saw him at the
supper table. and tie sheriff solemnly
awaiting him in the midst of the ago.
nizing group.
After a brief but distressing scene
the young man was led away by the Of
ficer, and his mother sank tainting into
his fathers arms.
AS soon as possible Mr.. Emmons
followed his son to the Jail, and there,
in the quiet of the dreary cell, the
young man confessed all, even to th 9
fact OF haying told Fredrick Copp how
to add to his salary by theft, and per-
suaded the young man to think serious
ly of an attempt to do 80. Now that
Walter was brought to view his act
from bis fathers standpoint, he began
to realize the enormity of his crime, not
only against the bank, but the common
wealth and the family whose happi-
ness depended on his honor aud his
good name.
He humbly promised his father to a
bide strictly by the latter's advice,
which was that he should declare him
self guilty, and take his State Prison
sentence as the best thing for himself
and the community. During years of
solitude and hard labor there would be
opportunity for the iron conviction
that honesty is one of the most necess-
ary foundations Of manly character to
sink deep into his soul. Then, if he
could come out purified as by fire, and
face the community he had wronged,
with the termination 20 live down a
disgrace so terrible, and firmly carry
out that determination, let the world
sneer as it might at this error Of the
past, it could not rob him of the satis-
faction of having suffered for his sin,
and become heroically manly on ac-
count Of it.