Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-12-17
9ESERET EVENING NEWS
"Wednesday, December I.. 1880
GREsHAM'S BALANCE SHEET.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.

David Gresham sat alone In hi
office one December forenoon scow
ling over a sheet Of figures spreas
out before him. Somewhere, some
how, there was sa error. Some
body had been careless; SOMEONE
had failed to make triiiing entry
he was sure Of fading it before long
To be sure it was only n matter Of I
few dollars and cents; his assis.an
bookkeeper had actually had tin
presumption to advise him TO set
down TO '.profit and loss" and hs,
laughingly observed that few dol
lars ami cents more or less wer,
hsrily worth the trouble Of iookin.
up. such slipsbod methods nigh
60 for ether men, bur not for nj,
employer. David Gresham; Away
pridec himself on the absolute sc
caracy Of his balance sheet, and baC
more than once proudly challenges
his business associates TO find flaw
in il. but this year, for some reason
his accounts would not balance.
He was deep in the dgures wher
the door was pushed soitely open
The merchant looked up in surprise
half disposed Ia feel indignant n
the intrusion. He had given every
needed direction to his men befur,
he sat down to his desk, snd ii wa
not like them TO show In 4 visitol
without first announcing his name.
a tall screen partially fenced 90
lie entrance to the room, and th'
visitor he-itated for moment be
hind 1t, while Mr.. Gresham waitet
with mis- head bent forward, hal
angry and half curious.
The next moment he gave an ex
clamation Of Impotence and sur
prise, for it was child that ap
peared from behind the screen, ant
c.me frankly forward, looking
about him curiously, q. II he hal
never been in such place before
To say that Mr.. Gresham Wa
paraly zed with amaZeDent Is 4
state the 'csse mildly. Neither @
his own children would have dares
take such a liberty, aid this wa
evidently a street waif, wearing :
single loose garment, and with hail
blown around his face 10y the wind
David Gresham disapproved Of stree
vagsboD,is ON principle, and woul'
have dismissed tine little fellow will
harsh word hsd not the child com
fsariessiy toward him and cIimbel
into the great arm chair that stoot
beside the desk, looking iup into nj
face with such confidence anu Is
surance that the merchants steri
purpose received a sudden check.
a ''Are you the rich Mr.. Gresham.'
asked the child.
The question flatterej DaviS
Gresham. so the news Of his grow
ing commercial prosperity, a fact e
which the balance sheet, faulty q
il was, bore unfailiny witness, ba1
already gone abroad over the city
and had even come 10 the ears OF th'
little vagabond. For the momen
me was almost gracious
SIT may he that come people cal
me so. - he replied with a smile.
"Ard what is this great pile o
books her.::r inquired the child
with a gentle inquisitiveness, touch
ing the great heap of ledgers tina
the merchant had been examining
when he came in.
"Those:. Why, those are my ne
count books" replied DaviC
Gresham
"And do you keep all your &C
counts in them"
.All. Everything goes down
Whenever 2 man buys anything o
me or pays q bill; or when l get :
new invoice of goods, or pay on
anything myself, it all goes down
Even the least Of my household.
never miss the smallest itsm," de
clared the merchant with pardon
able pride.
Everything goes down." echoet
the child.
Everything. There are tw'
columns, you see. When aDybod,
gives me anything, II goes down II
the credit column. When they ow
me anything, it goes down In tn
debit column" Thus DavI'
Gresham explained al length 10 hi
visitor. for il seemed really wort
while to make explanations TO sucl
an attentive listener.
sand when anybody does you
kindness. you set that down TO ihel
cr-di." inquired the child.
.sNo, indeed. That would he n
alsurtity," declared the merchant
slow could cus add such things {
dollars anil cenIs?, Mr.. Gneshar
laughed outright al the thought
.But when you DO anyone
wrong, you subtract that from you
account, do you not:" persisted III
child,
David Gresham recalled An aDgr
speech he had made TO his yousIge.
boy that morning, when the MI
fellows prsttle disturbed his readi o
Of the morning paper, and he coui
not help wondering now that woul
look set dow Z in his books, orwheth'
that would make the cash baiant
on the sheet before him. Someho
he felt no longer inclined TO laugh.
"Then all you add up Is doilal
and cents"
The child's innocent eyes SCENE
| to be searching Mr.. Gr->hsm's IL
most soul.
"Yes that Is all, I, be replied, an
somehow It seemed 70 hin; fer %
6rst time a very small and pitiab
business, this perpetual casting u
ofnccounts wherein noihing fisurs
tut cents and dimes and dollar
Yet the force of habit was stron
uyon him. and he could mol ne
giving a furtive glance at MS a
Counts and wondering how long
would be before hc could reeuu
them. He no longer thought
turning his little visitor awsy.
"would you like to hear a story.
asked the child.
swell, yes; l don't know thas
mind listening II It isn't going
take too loug,p returned GRESHAM
Ruling out his gold watch a,
making a friut of hooking at u. ~
child did not appear to observe y
act. but settling himself Ia q
deptne Of the Armchair, with b
ewes fired dreamiIy on space, he b