The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1889-09-01
THE SUNDAY MORNING NEWS SEPTEMBER l. 1883

because can handle a hundred
with little more expense than one.
And these people are only too willing.
But he cannot do it alone Goods must
be bought, and moved, and stored, and
packed, and shipped Complicated ac-
counts must be kept. The people say;
Get ten, twenty, hundred men to help
you. We can afford to pay them all; VIC
are ten thousand strong. 1t is the people
chiefs hands: but it comes from these
scattered thousands to pay these hundred
men who work for them. The chiefs
share is the greatest, of course; his capt.
tai is the power of SO many men. But the
rest is not his. If he keeps any part of
any mans just due. he steals. $50 Bren
said, and stamped on the stones in his hot
way.) Each man has a right to his share,
! in proportion to tho worth of his work to
the people he serves He has right to
demand that he shall not lose his depend
ence without reason. shall be mercifully
treated in weakness and misfortune. Not
one of these widely scattered employers
in thousand would have it otherwise.
But they cannot come and see to it them
selves. They must trust it to the chief
to see justice done His capital gives
him so many mems power; he IS ten or
hundred in one. Here was this man, this
Antoine Haffelinger, using this power
like despot and barbarian. Here was
an old man whom he had robbed and de-
graded, and who feared him as he feared
cold and hunger for women and little
children. In pressure Of work he had
delayed an entry; through infrnity of
age he had forgotten. AS result, $183
of this mans money had fallen into Bren's
hands. What should be done? The law
and the common morality said: 1t is Half
1 felfnger's the course is clear. But was
the right course so clear7 Was this money
Haffelhnger's, If truth were told? He
owed Gray ten times told. His capital.
which his father and this old man had
jointly made. and the hard times, together
gave him Irresistible strength. and he
used it like a merciless tyrant. This
money in his hands would be just so
| much more power of harm. Had he (Bren)
the right to give it? The centerbits
and pistol properly belong to the
burglar: would he be justified in
returning them to their owner if he knew
they would be used tonight to rob. per-
haps murder. o man in his bed?
Charley had no right to the money.
Bren knew, in his heart, that Traveller
would not have touched it more than fre.)
What should he do with it, then? Was it
not plain that it had been put into his
hands to use as he should judge right?
! His happiness for life. he felt sure, de-
pended upon Kate. And was not Hates,
too, at stalker He hoped he was not vain
or self sufficient; but, before heaven, he
did honestly believe he was truer fellow
than Brewer; that he would make her
happier in the long run. And this money
would help to make man of him, help
him to be himself again. And he would
not be greedy; he would give old Gray a
part.
And so it was that Bren played DEVILS
advocate against himself. And it must be
owned that his client had no great reason
to be displeased with the plea
In the morning Bren went straight to
his desk A disagreeable duty, he would
get 1t off his hands at once. Duty or
otherwise, it was certainly not agreeable
when it came to the point. That was
prejudice, Bren said. What right had he
to let his likes or dislikes stand in the way
of Justice? Wasn't the right course plain
enough2 Yes. Bren, it was plain enough;
else why were your lips white and com
pressed, and why did your hand shake so,
when you wrote at the bottom of the led
Haffeliinger & Co.'S account: ''To
| Cash to Balance-$S27.15," and en-
tered the same on the credit side of
the cash2 Bren opened the safe and took
out the package labeled, sHaffelr's state
ment. Cash-SS27.15" He took his hat
and went out and paid the bill, and came
away with receipt in full and $183. 70
in his pocket, to which no man on earth
could show legal title. He went back
to the store. He crossed a foaming gut
ter. and folded paper eddied into the
sewer below. He sealed $50 note in en-
envelope and addressed it in print to>Gray
at his lodgings. He wrote note to his
sister Ellen at home, asking her to post
the enclosed letter there, and to say
nothing about it. he enclosed the whole
In larger envelope and dropped it into the
letter box with his own hands
Bren got off early that afternoon. He
hired horse and drove round to Quincy
street. He was almost afraid to see her;
he feared she might have changed again;
but ha put on brave face Kate met
him with the old frank smile,and Brens
heart leaped. Eyes; she should like very
i much" Bren had never taken her to
drive before. The day was bright, the
bay horse free of foot. Kate was merry
and kind. Bren was happy fellow that
April afternoon. He threw care and
thought to the winds. Avid joy thrilled
him through When he had left her at
her door and was driving round to the
stable, it seemed like dream of heaven.
He wished it might have lasted forever.
There is no need 10 follow Bren. He
was himself again; he was more thar
himselk He was over head and ears in
passion of fondness for Kate. He walked
and worked in a sort of golden dream
The stones were springs under his feet,
he laughed at cold and rain; there was
fire enough in his heart to light and
warm the world. One thought rang for
ever through his brain--Kate was kind,
Kate was kindl He had almost for
gotten the unchanged bill; he would
not let himself think of it. It was pleas
anter thinking what Kate had said and
| !. Il ! u