The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-10-13

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 community where he lived, and
 where 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 it2 Would this base
 suspicion cling to him like leprosy?
 The terrible burthen of an inheritance
 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 MT. Storrs reused
 him and he looked up inquiringly.
 "No, the money has not been tound,"
 his employer said, harshly, "and I
 don't say you took it. Dare say the
 woman dropped it in the street! But
 all the same, Allen, I can't keep you
 here. It would ruin my business, and
 she's got an awful tongue, and would
 go about saying all kinds of things
 about my establishment, where keep thieves as clerks.
 "Tell MT. Nally to pay you the bal
 ance of your months wages. Pve no
 fault to find with you as a clerk, and dare say you'll get another situa- tion. But not in this place. You'll have to go away. Goodbye" It was & curt farewell, but selfish, and hard as old Storrs was, he felt a
 twinge of remorse at this summary dismissal of young man who had served him faithfully and honestly ) for years, and whom he knew in
 his inmost soul to be guiltless of
 any wrong doing. But the idea of ) keeping him in his store and acknowl- edging to the world his faith in his clerks innocence, never crossed his mind. He was not going to run the risk of losing single customer for 8 foolish sentiment.
 i, It was a cruel ordeal for Henry
 Allen to carry the bad news to his mother. She met it as good mothers , do all over she world, thank God for
 them! She met it acutely, but spoke cheerfully and hopefully, dwell-
 ing on his innocence, and trying to make him feel that only a sense of guilt should crush man, and humil-
 fate him before his fellow-men. She succeeded, and it was with brave heart Henry turned his back on his , old home, and went to seek employ
 ment in city in another state. , About month after the occurrence , have related, Mrs. Walton drove up } to the establishment of Storrs & Jack . son, and, seeing MT. Storrs in the l doorway, beckoned him to her. He
 went with sinking heart, believing that she was going to annoy him about } her missing money. Perhaps, to avoid } scandal, he would be forced to pay it. But to his surprise, she turned a gracious and smiling countenarce to him.
 "Got in your fall goods, MT. Storrs?" she called out. "I haven't , been here for an age, have IF Why, I
 do believe the last time was when l made such fuss about my pocket bookl Would you believe it," with a loud laugh, "the very first thing my eyes lighted on when I got home was
 the pocket book, lyin' on my dressing r table. 1 thought of sendin' you word, but then 1t was trif1in' mistake, you l know. You'd hear it all in good 3 time."
 - Even old Storrs felt a movement o1
 righteous indignation.
 8 "Not such a trifing mistake, mad . am. It has cost me my very best clerk, } and driven him out of the place. It
 was hard on him and his mother, you t see."
 I "Oh, well!" with another laugh, :. "you're rich enough to hire as many k clerks as you want, and I guess it's l best old Aliens son should leave here, ] anyway. He didn't take my pocket l book that time, but I reckon he wasn't e too good for 1t. Come, show me your l finest cashmeres."
 7 l am happy to say that old Storrs
 called on Mrs. Allen that evening and !" related the conversation.
 3 "Not that I ever believed that he 8 had taken the woman's money" he
 said, "but dare say he will be glad to 0 hear it is found. You can write to t him that Pm willing to take him l back"
 r "He will not return," Mrs. Allen = said, quietly. "He has a good situa- 3 tion, and don't think he will be will
 ling to run the risk of another such 'trifing mistake. "- Yoath's Compan-
 ion.