The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1894-08-17
UNDER A CLOUD.

At IS Mr.. Roberts was rich and the d.
rector Of a bank. At 80 he was president
Of the same bank and very rich, and with
that alteration of wealth which so unfor-
tUnately characterize US Americans his
admirers would have called him honor
able, - "cXcellency, - judge or gen
eraI' if they could find the slightest pre-
text for So doing, for in these days we wOr-
ship the man Of dollars rather than the
man of brains and character. II is due
Mr.. Roberts to say that he was not q bad
man, but his Life had been so absorbed in
the making Of money that, like many
others, he had come to believe the gather
ing in Of dollars was the chief end Of man.
Mr.. Roberts la several daughters and
one son. The latter was named Washing
ton, abbreviated into Wash. As men al
ways yearn for what they do not possess,
Mr.. Roberts was eager that his son should
have a college education, but as Wash
was firmly resolved not TO submit to the
training Of the higher schools his father
yielded to what could not be avoided, and
comforting himself with the belief that
his son rcsemblcd him and was ''cut out
only for business he took him into the
bank when be was IS years old and gave
him a salary of $50 a week, which Wash's
mother, who had unlimited means at her
disposal, increased uNcIOlU without neF
husbands knowledge.
Wash had a horse. He belonged TO a
boat club, and before he was IS he had
established Il reputation as a young man
who was to be wealthy some day and who
in the meantime had all the money that
he needed at his disposal, with a DISPOSE
ton to spend it in what is enormously
called ''seeing life" 1t shOuld mean tax
ing a look at death.
But Wash Roberts wants grew greater
than his means for supplying them. His
salary at the bank did not keep hin in
cigarettes, ties and gloves, and the money
secretly given him by his mother did not
pay his wine bills.
In the bank there was q young man, or
rather a boy, for he was hardly Il, named
George Fleming. George F%leming's father
had formerly been assistant teller under
Mr.. Roberts, but a stroke of paralysis the
year before had made him a confirmed in
valid, with no hope of cover and as
his salary had never enabled him to lay by
for a rainy day he was poor, with his wife
and two young children to care for, SO, by
way of helping, his son, who was forced to
leave school, was given a place in the bank
at S. a week, and Mr.. Roberts, who fixed the
wages said that he could have the work
done for Sc, but the So were added as a
sort of charity for the sake of the poor
man who had worn out his life in the serv-
ices of the bank.
George Fleming had ambition, char
actcr and that proper stand of pride that
regards all work as honorable and every
duty as a matter Of manhood. He was
under Wash Roberts, and he soon dis
covered that he had not only his own hard
work to do, but also hat of the son of the
president, who was looked up to with
alteration by all the other clerks, for the
son of a rich employer, no matter what his
character, is apt to be regarded as a SUI
perior kind Of being by the less fortunate
who have no rich and influential kinsmen.
George Fleming, being a wage amer
the salaricd clerks were paid by the month
got his SIS every Saturday afternoon, and
as he always brought his lunch with him
and walked W. miles a day to save car
fare he took home his weeks earnings to
his mother. He c~heerfully dropped the
bills in her lap-and, boyiike, he managed
to get paid in 81 bills, SO as to make the
sum look very large as he counted it out.
Everything passed off smoothly for
eight months, George Fleming giving sat
isfaction and winning the good opinion of
his official superiOrs. 1t was at the begin
ming of the month, when one day about
noon he was surprised to receive an order
to report at once to the president of the
bank. Surprised, for he had not spoken
to Mr.. Roberts since the day he took serv-
ice with him, George went to his private
office at once and found the president in
company with a short, stout, baldheaded
man, with a smooth shaver face and keen,
gray eyes.
"Fleming, began Mr.. Roberts, did
you get a check cashed at this bank two
weeks ago."
Il did, sir, was the prompt reply,
while the stranger watched the boy as a
hawk does a kitten.
1T was for $500, =" continued Mr.. Rob
erts, and bore my Nance
Yes, sir"
did l give you that chcck?"
You did not"
But o got the money!"
Yes, sir"
who gave you the chCck?' Mr.. Rob
who had been toying with Il pen,
snapped this out and looked ~savagcly at
the boy.
IL promised, sir, to say nothing
about it. stammcrCd George.
"Nhom did you promisc>"
Tina l cannot tell"
Mr.. Roberts and the stranger, who was
a detective, whispered for a few seconds.
Then the latter said in a hOarse voice:
see here, boy, if You don't tell me, Ill
to arrest you for forgery"
George staggered back as if struck, but
recovering himself in a ONE he said:
Il am not a forger, but l promised not
TO tell till the end OF the month who gave
me the check, and l must keep my word.
George Flcming's sense Of honor was
involved. That he was right Is to be
doubted, but he had pledged his word. and
forgetting the injury 70 his own rcputa
ton he determined to keep it, and in 80
doing he showed the loyalty of his char