The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-09-10
Peccavi-A Sketch.

of New York contain a human being |
more miserable than myself?" groan,
continuing my weary tramp, tramp up
and down the crowded streets to avoid
being run in by the police. All day
long without a mouthful to eat and not
one cent
"What is that"
Fastening to the middle of the street
as fast as my empty stomach and weak
ened condition will allow, at the risk OF
my life, anatch up lsrge pocketbook.
Hurriedly showing it into my dilapidated
pantaloons pocket I retreat with my
prize.
Turning the corner of less frequent
ed street / pull out the book and pro-
| ceed to examine it. A neatly folded pa
per first attract, my eye, and meehan'
ically I hide it in my battered old hat
between the lining. A few dollars in
money, bat nothing to indicate to whom
the pocketbook belongs. This fact l no.
| tice in an absent.minded sort of way
strangely at variance with the futter OF
| expectation that causes my heart to beat
| with unwonted vigor. Visions of food
| and a comfortable place to rest my
weary body fit across my mind.
Suddenly am startled by band laid
on my shoulder. I glance around ap-
prehensively. Fear takes possession OF
my soul, nervousness causes my teeth to
chatter as if chilled-my heart almost
stops beating. A stsluart policeman has
taken my arm.
"Young man, come with me-"
90. Locked up in the Toombs,
charged with stealing a lost pocketbook.
| Protestations of innocence are of no avail.
| The minion of the law testi6es that he
saw me in the act am convicted,
and sentenced to the penitentiary, but
| in the meanwhile manage to hide that
paper, which have not yet had time OF
opportunity to examine, in a safe place
in my old clothes. I know l will DO
searched when my civilian dress is ex'
changed for the prison garb, but if the
paper remains undiscovered during my
term of imprisonment it will again
come into my possession when released
from custody, and the ragged raiment
once more restored to me.
Discharged The prison has been open'
ed. ANA free man again. Back in the
great metropolis, hour after hour aud day
after day walk the streets endeavoring to
gain an honest livelihood. Failure stalks
by my side, desperation's iron enters my
soul. Why should attempt an honest
life {? is the question constantly recurring
to me. Upjustly convicted in the first
instance, why not revenge myself on So
| ciety in the only way in my power-be
professional blackleg? Seriously l
think of this course. :, -,
Despondent and hopeless, with life at
it's lowest ebb, physically and morally,
| one morning after sleepless night spent
| in the area way of magnificent palace
| ofsome rich man on Fifth avenue, sud-
| denly became conscious of some one
| standing on the steps above me
"The wages of sin is death, mourn
fully said the man. "N'heu will this
| feeling of impending evil pass away and
my life become serene and happy once
more"
"Here is one as miserable as myself"
thought. Arising from my brick hard
bed, 1 accost the gentleman and tell him
my story, reserving the tale OF the pock'
etbook.
| am given employment. The tran
| sition from abject poverty to compare
tive ease is q novelty have not yet en-
ioyed in long time. My employer in
time makes confdant of me, ard ex-'
plains the reason of his unhappy ejacu-'
lation on the morning of our acquaint-
ance. Some time ago he had lost val
liable paper.
Suddenly the remembrance of that
| paper secreted in my clothes over year
ago flashed through my brain like an
electric shock. Seeking my room, take
it from its hiding place and read. Star
tied at its contents, their full significance
at last takes possession of my mind. l
realize that 8 road to fortune opens be.
fore me if I choose to walk it.
The manuscript is a confession OF my
benefactor of swindliug practices perpe-
trated in business failure some years be-
fore. 1t gives full particulars of his
failure, the amount of money fraudu-
lently retained from creditors, the diff
ferent banks in which it was deposited
and the many aliases assumed. The
temptation to use my strangely acquired
knowledge for my own advantage is
great. All feeling of gratitude is swept
away by the whisper of avarice, and I
succumb to evil.
Apprising the generous man who has
been my friend of the fearful power l
hold, I compel him to surrender the
greater part of his fortune. Fear of ex-
posure is so great that he dare not invoke
the protection of the law. His plead.
ings for mere y, such as he once showed
me, are in vain. The leaven OF evil inl'
bibed in my years imprisonment has TAX
en- complete possession of me, and rises
higher as each demand for money is suc'
cessful.
The end has come. I am rich and
respected business man, honored and es
teemed by all who know me. My bene-
factor and friend lies in a pauper's
grave, and there is no existing evidence
to indicate the ,ginning of my i'm
mense fortune.
But am 1 happy? All, that is s ques'
ton III. M d, IN atlanta: Constitution.
Deafness Can't be Cured
By local applications, as they cannot