The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-10-17

cision had been made. aud that his choice
had fallen on Fred Why keep them ali
IN suspense until June1 So reasoning. he
pushed the gale open and walked thought
fully up the path TO the house
The servant who answered his ring told
him that Mrs Price had gone out for
moment. and ssked him to wait
''lll wait ten minutes. no longer. said
he, as he stepped into the library
Mr. Price was fond OF reading. and the
room was lined with bookcases In one
of these Mr. Maynard saw the volume of
travels he had presented to Fred.
III see what it was that proved so In
terestng TO the lad, he muttered as he
drew the book Qua He opened it and be
gan to turn over the leaves. Their he sud
denly started back as If be haT received a
blow lmpossiblel" he muttered. as he
sank down in q chair completely over
come There must be some mistake
For several moments he sat thus in deep
thought the volume resting on his knee
Then rising be put 1t back with a sigh
He theu picked up his cane and left the
house
a most fortunate discovery he NUT
tered as he walked away Poor ladr
When Mrs Price returned home a
few minutes later she found the library
unoccuped
Uncle Asa is always inpatient
Surely he could have waited a little
longer. she said.
He promised to wait ten minutes. but
In sure be wasn't here more than FIVE,
explained the servant
Il am very sorry that missed him. +"
said Mrs Price
J;d ..et t,y,oxxr ,,ri,o4 UH,..l Ia ...s-.-.a
by that early call of Uncle Asas
Fred wondered why he did not receive
the promised books but concluded that
his uncle had forgotten them He had
greater cause for wonder when, after the
June graduation. he heard that his cousin
Henry had been taken into his uncles
store
I'll can't make it out, " he said to his
cousin Il was sure Uncle Asa intended
to give me the place He always appeared
to like me better than be did you
lit was a great surprise to me- con.
fess. Henry said He seemed so vexed
with me about that old book chose. you
remember He hardly spoke to me the
next time met him. but he is very pleas
ant to me now
II wish the matter could be explained.
! would like to understand it,"
Fred understood it very soon One day
in the beginning of July be received a
summons to his uncle's office The inter
view did not last long but perhaps Fred
suffered more during the ten minutes his
uncle talked to him than he had in the
whole of his life before
1T is only right you should know why
my choice fell on Harry said the old
man, for minated to your father that
! should choose you The knowledge NAV
be of permanent benefit to you and inAu
ence you for good in a similar case, should
one ever occur gave you a book two
months ago with which you seemed i'm
mensely pleased Meeting YOU on the
street week later asked you if you had
read it You said you had, and praised it
highly was pleased with you. and con
cluded that | had better settle at once the
matter OF your coming here, after your
graduation, to learn my business went
to your fathers house and your mother
being out spent few minutes in the
library Therel saw the book had given
you Some impulse led me to open it,
Frederick, you know the discovery made
The volume was roughly bound and
cheaply printed and the leaves were IN
cut Do you understands knew at
once that you had not only been guilty of
deceit, but of deliberate falsehood
want In my employment no one whom
cannot trust, and my trust in you was
destroyed forever when left your fathers
house that day
Fred tried to speak, but there was
lump in his throat which prevented his
doing so
'You may 60 now, said his uncle,
but remember my lad that no matter
at what apparent cost, it is always better
to stick tc the old proverb, Honesty is
the best policy
As Fred walked out of the Office he felt
the truth OF his uncles words. -Philadel
phia Call