The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-01-26

~ VS. never % sorry for sayshing in al
my life - / am for this But We only
wanted TO have little fnn, and never
thought Of hurting the horse"
| ~You were not alone, then ?" said Mr..
PsifEsr.
| "No, sir.n
"Who were the others ?"
"There's no use in telling that, sir" an
swered Stuart, true to the promise OF De.
crecy he had made. 81 was the one who
was on the horse when he fell over the
bridge, and it was all my fault. ought
not to have tried to cross the bridge.
might have known he would be frightened
At the old tree"
The angry flush left Mr.. Peifer's face,
and very peculiar look came int hia
keen gray eyes.
Nevertheless, you had better tell me
the names Of the boys who were with
you," he said. II will be wise for yoa
to do So"
But the covert threat contained in these
last words did not cause Stuart to waver
an instant. He was very generous as
well as brave.
81 told the boys wouldn't, sir" he an
swered respectfully.
"They didn't offer to come with you,
'upPosef"
"Thers was no need of it, sir"
"Well, am to look only to you to pay
me for my horsef"
Pay him! Stuart stared At the old
gentleman aghast. The thought of pay
ing for the horse had never entered his
mind.
He knew payment was out of the
question. He had not dollar OF his
own in the world, and it was only by the
strictest economy that his mother man.
aged to make her small income cover
their necessary expenses-they did not
indulge in Injuries of any sort.
That horse was q thoroughbred"
continued Mr.. Peiffer, his keen eyes still
fixed on the boys white distressed face.
"Ipaid six hundred dollars for him the
day before you broke his neck"
"Six hundred dollars!" gasped poor
Stuart, 0s W. bis face. face & rowing whittier STILL
II can show you the receipt for the
money if you want to see it. I have it
here" tapping his breast pocket. q" Cost
ly fun you had, eh ?"
Stuart tried to speak, but his tongue
Glove to the roof of his mouth.
"You haven't any money l suppose ?"
said Mr.. Peiffer.
"No, sir, not q dollar"
"You must work it out, then. Are
you willing to do that ?''
ooh, yes, sir cried Stuart, the color
coming back to his face. "rd be glad
to do anything to pay you."
"Very well, report to me tomorrow
morning at my factory. I'll see what l
can do for you"
Mr.. Peiffer turned away, and without
another word went into the house and
closed the door.
With feeling of profound relief Stu
art went home and told his mother all
about that piece of costly fun, its tragic
ending and the bargain he had made.
MIR. Peiffer is the man to get the
worth of the horse out of you before he
lets you CO." was Mrs. Willard's first
comment, "but you did only what was
right in going straight to him with the
whole story, my son. 1t must have re-
quired great deal of courage, and am
proud of you.
Stuart was deeply touched by his
mothers praise, and the consciousness
that he deserved it made him almost
happy, in spite of the load on his heart
1t was load that grew less with every
day; for he soon became very useful in
the factory, and as he wrote good hand
and was quick at figures, he was put into
the Office and taught how to keep the
books and invoice goods. In this way he
learned every detail of the business
1t was very hard at FIRST, of course, for
Stuart's great fault stood in the way of
his progress. But no one could be lazy
very long where Mr.. Peiffer was, he was
such an energetic, industrious man him
self, and he seemed to take particular
pleasure in pushing Stuart along.
Stuart ascribed this at first to malice,
and q desire for revenge; but he thought
differently when he knew Mr.. Peiffer bet
ter. He found that kind heart beat
under that exterior, and that the old gen.
tleman appreciated at their full value the
virtues OF truth, sincerity and manliness.
1t was two years before the subject of
the debt Stuart owed his employer was
Mr.. Peiffer called the young man into his
own private Office.
"Pve been expecting for some time
that you would speak to me about tina:
six hundred dollars you owe me, Will
lard" he said, "but you have not men
toned it,
81 felt sure you would tell me when I
had worked it out, air,' replied Stuart
If l say / consider the debt paid now,
| you will be wanting to leave me, l sup
pose," said Mr.. Peiffer.
"Not if you want me to stay, sir.
shall not 60 to school again. am ls
years old, and it is time began to help
my mother. I'll stay here if you want
me to do sir, SIR"
"Mr. Peiffsr gave short laugh.
"That's modest, Willard, when You
know as well a. do that couldn't get
along without you, now. The day you
came to me like the brave, honest boy
you are, and confessed that you had
killed my horse, made up my mind that
you were the boy l needed here. It was
worth more than six hundred dollars to
me to find aome one on whose truth and
honesty could rely implicitly. II you
stay with me, Willard, I'll allow you .
| good salary from this day forward, and
there'n be An excellent chance for promo
tion to something good deal better"
Of course Willard stayed, and the
something good deal better" proved
to be . junior partnership at the end of
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