Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-07-29
PART TWO.


Roberts, "'
! At As Mr. Roberts was rich. and ,,a
director OF bank; at 80 he was presI-
cent OF 'he same bank and very rich.
and with that alteration Of vea,th
which so unfortunately characterized
us Americana. his admirers would have
called h'm Honorable" s,fsxce,ancv. !,
Judge or General IL they could tind
the slightest pretext for 40 doiny IN
IN these days We Worship the man OF
doilara rather than the man OF brains
ana character II Is due Mr.. Roberts
70 sus mat he was not had mnn. but
nus NE had been so absorbed in tha
nah,ns o. money that. like many ON
eis, ne hnu come to believe thnt tha
sa'nvilns u OF the doliufa we. sns
chlet end OF man. ns
Mr. Roberts had several daughters
anu one son The latter rns ...s
! washington, abbreviated M, n nssN
AS men always yenrn for whnt ,hs,s a.,
npt POSSESS Mr.. Roberts was carer M,
ms son should have a collere n,,,na
u"ni nut az Wash was firmly resoi,s@a
not TO submit TO the training AZ nv
nisher SCHOOLS, his father yieldelt
s~sut e9ulu MOI DO avoided. and conn
sV,"' * nmnselt Win The belicf that his
only Tor business" he took him ~ AZ
the bank when he waa Is vea,r. IA ~, ~
k1Ne MN salary OF $50 a ueek s,i,tns'
Nosh molher who had uniln,i,SS
n,ans az hvt disposal. lncrcaaed nva
vyoma, 'nnn her hushand'a knoviedre
hoa, ~. n"u . morse. he belonged 10 n
noat Sino, and before he was is Ia Ma
established reputntlnn M ~ mnu
nun VINO was 10 be wealthy ann, Avs
ahu VINO IN the meantime hnd All *.
nlvney that he needed at his iisnn,a,
WIN the disposition to Hpend IL In ,vhat
" enormously called "aeeinp ilen"
An 1u mean taldng look az death.
t Wash Roberts wanta rrr,y
ea'er man MS means for supplying
,,ao,t iiis salary NJ the bnnk did not
ana me money secretly given him nv
ms mother did not pay his wine Nina
IN the bank there was a youny man
or rather a boy, for he was hnr,iI, A,
naIneu George Fleming. George ren,
my ihther had formerly benn the
assistant teller under MIR. Robcrts. hui
suohc OF paralysis the year before
, LILY. nitue MN confirmed invalid.
win no hope OF recovery. and aA bls
shlerN had never enabled him 10 Iny
py Tor rainy day he was poor with
ms WHO and two younger rhiidron N
cure Tor no by way OF helping his son.
VINO was forced TO leave nchool xyna
given u place In tho bnnk at sS a week.
hhu MT Roberts, who fixed the wages.
sulu thnt he could have the work done
Tor 80. but the ~ additional vera nddnd
MS sort OF charity for the sake al the
poor man who had worn GU, his me
IN tue service of the bank
teorge Fleming had ambition, char
meter and that proper standard OF pride
thnt regards all work aB honorable
ana every duty as matter OF mnn-
hood. lilo was under Wash Roberts.
ana he soon discovered that he had NOT
only his own hard work TO do. hut also
TINT or tho son OF the president. who
was looked up 10 with alteration by
all the other clerks for the son OF a
rich employer. no matter what HIS
character. Is apt TO be regarded aa
superior kind Of being by tho less
fortunate who have no rich and infiu-
entail kinsman.
George Fleming being wage Garner
the salarled clerks were paid by the
month--got mis- IS every Saturday az
ternoon. and as he always broght his
lunch with him and walked no miles
n duy to save car fare. he took home
his weeks earninge TO hI>mother. As
he choerfully dropped the bills IN her
lap, and, boylike, he managed 30 get
paid In one dollar bills so as to mako
the sum look very large an he counted
IL out.
Everything parsed on smoothly for
eight months, George Fleming giving
satisfaction and winning the good
opinion Of his official supervisors. IL
was ut the beginning OF the month.
when one day about noon he was Hur-
prised to receive an order TO report at
once to the PRECEDENT of the bank. Sur
-. L. la..l
Roberts since the dny he took service
with him. George went TO his private
Office at once, and found the president
IN company with u short, stout brid-
headed man, with a snooth-nhaven
face and keen gray eyes.
"Flcming," began Mr.. Roberts. did
you get check cashed at this bank
two weeks ago3"
~ did SIR" was the prompt reply.
while tho stranger watched the boy Az
"A hawk docs kitten.
III was for $780, continued Mr.. Rob-
erts. aud bore my Manner
'Yca, sir"
rid give you that chcckT'
you did not"
.'But you got the money!"
"Yos, sir
"Who gave YOU the checkg' Mr..
who had been toying With a
pen. snapped this out. and looked saw
ngely at the boy.
I'll promised sir 10 say nothing
about IT," stammered George.
Whom did you promlscY"
THAT | can't tell"
Mr.. Roberts and the stranger, who
was a detective, whispered for few
seconds: then the latter said In n
hoarsa voicc:-
"See here. boy, n you don't tell mo,
IN have TO arrest you for forgery
George staggered back as II struck,
but recovering himself for q momnet
he Hald:--
II am not forgcr. but ] promised
not 10 toll III the end OF the month
who gave me the check. and must
seep my word"
George FIeminE's sense OF honor was
involved. That he war right IL TO DO
ioubtod but he had Pledged his word
and forgetting the Injury to bis own
he determined 10 keep IL,
lnd In 40 doing he showed the loyalty
" his character.
II was not until he found himself In
prison that evening he realized how his
conduct would affect the invalid father
md the dear patient mother; then he
vas heart broken, and threw himself
,n the hard cot and wepf
His dietracted mother visited him
lcxt morning, and she wan with him In
he cell when Mr. Roberts entered.
Tho bnnk presldents sternnesa was
4InaNaN I4. 14rmH