Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-12-12


Then she haggled over the price, and
II was useless for Henry TO remind her
that he was not the owner OF the store,
and could not deducted from the stated
price.
Here I've gone and bought laces,
and embroideries, and silk dress, run
up bill OF over a hundred dollars, and
you won't take cent of! It's just
swindle, that's what IL is; but when
people have money, every body takes
turn at cheating them. Well, | sup
pose I've got TO pay"
She felt in her sachel for her pocket
book, but changed color when she
found II was not there.
I'm sure put it in my sachel," she
said, nervously. "But no, remember
when was lookin' at them lace fichoos
yonder, took it out and put it out on
the counter"
you'll be sure TO find it there,
then,h said Henry, going to the next
counter. mo one has touched these
laces since / showed them to you"
The counter was piled with laces and
embroideries. Piece after piece was
lifted, but no pocket-book was visible.
Mrs. Walton's broad face grew redder
and redder as the search progressed.
81 can swear on q stack OF Bibles
laid it right here, young man," she
cried in shrill, angry voice. II was
lookin' at this here valenshun fichoo,
and / laid my pocket-book under it.
There was three hundred dollars in it,
and it's got to be found"
"What is the matter, Mrs. Walton?"
said Mr.. Storrs, who had hurried up,
hearing her raised, angry voice.
matter enough, / reckon. I'm will
lin to spend my money freely, but /
amt goin' to lose three hundred dollars
in bank notes laid my pocket-book
right here, and it's gone"
HAS any one been to that counter
since you left it, Mr.. Allenp" asked Mr..
Storrs, sternly. The young man was
pale with indignation at the woman's
tone and looks, but he answered, quiz
city:
mo one, sir. We only left the laces
a few minutes ago, and think it pos
sible Mrs. Walton is mistaken as to the
place she left her pocket-book,~
II tell you, Mr.. Storrs, l put it right
here" she cried, vehemently. Inever
forget where lay my money. It's my
opinion you needn't look further than
that young man Allen to find 1t.
can't understand what you meant by
takin' him as clerk after all his
fathers disgrace. I'm goin' home, now,
but want you to understand i amt
goin' TO lose that money quietly"
1.-THE whole place shall be searched,
Madam" Mr.. Storrs said, nervously
rubbing his hands. I'm confident II it
has been left here, It will be found"
II guess If you go the right way to
work." with contemptuous look at
Henry, 'you'll be pretty apt to find it. :"
She swept away, her head higher than
usual, and Mr.. Storrs turned furiously
upon the young man, who stood pale
and silent before him.
"Come to my Office, sir, and we'll in
vestigatc this matter" he said.
Now, hand over that money without
word" he said, when they reached
there.
"Why, do you believe stole it, Mr..
Storrs P" he cried. II swear TO you
never saw the pocket-book. don't be-
love she ever brought it to the store.
Surely, surely, knowing me as we'll as
you do, you can not really think would
commit such crime ~
How do know when bad blood is
going to crop out ?" his employer an
swered, brutality. II ran risk In TAX
ing you on, and now I'm going TO suffer
for it. You've got to be searched, sir,
and to avoid scandal in my establish
ment, L II do it myself, instead of send
ing for policeman. You needn't re-
sist ~
"Resist p the unhappy boy drew him
self up proudly. II would have in
sisted upon search even If you had not
proposed it,
He said no more. In the agony Of
his humiliation he uttered no protest,
made no assertions of innocence, but
when the unavailing search was over,
he said to his employer:
81 hope, sir, you are satisfied ~
Satisfied! no, I'm not. You haven't
got the money on your person, but per-
haps you dropped it somewhere in the
store when you were suspected. You'll
stay in here while / have the place
searched"
For hours Henry Allen sat there, his
face buried in his hands. He knew
that the mere suspicion Of the theft was
quite sufficient to ruin him in the com
munity where he lived, and his father
had sinned.
He thought of his mother and little
sister, and how he would be forced to
leave them to make living among
strangers, and another home for them,
for they could not live without him.
But could he do itp Would not this
base suspicion cling to him like lep-
rosyp The terrible burden Of an in
heritance OF shame seemed to crush out
all hope and strength from his sore
young heart, and yet he had tried so
hard to do right!
The entrance OF Mr.. Storrs reused
him, and he looked up inquiringly.
mo, the money has not been found"
his employer said, harshly, land don't
say you took 1t. Dare say the woman
dropped Il in the street, But all the
same, Allen, / can't keep you here. 1t
would ruin my business, and she's got
an awful tongue, and would go about
saying all kinds Of things about my es-
adjustment, where / keep thieves as
clerks.
Tell Mr.. Nally to pay you the bal
ance Of your months wages. I've no
fault to find with you as clerk, and I
dare saw you'll get another situation.