Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-07-03
fur the Aon'e Girtle.
COUNTERFEIT.

"Where are you going in such a
hurry ?" asked Fred Meredith of his
friend Paul Wallace.
81 am going on an errand for Mr..
Rathbone, the gentleman who boards
at our house, but I am in no great hur-
ry."
"Didn't you say the other day that
you wanted a knife ?"
eyes; l lost mine, and I'm saving
up money to buy one like yours"
"Well, I've just beauty to SELL
cheap, too! Grandfather has given
me another knife almost exactly like
the one Uncle Jim bought me. See 7"
and Fred drew from his pocket two
new kives, each having three shining
blades. "Want to buy?"
"How much ?" asked Paul.
"You may have it for a quarter, and
that's cheap"
"I'll take it, Fred"
"Where's your money!"
"Here-cash down." and Paul ham
ded out a silver quarter, taking in ex-
change nice new knife.
Now this appeared to be very fair,
simple transaction, as both boys were
satisfied with the trade. But there is a
shadow to the picture-the quarter
did not belong to Paul Wallace, and
he had no right to give it to Fred.
He did not steal it-at least he did
not mean to steal it. 1t was part of
the money with which Mr.. Rathbone
had intrusted him to purchase rib
bon and some paper for use on type
writer. He had given it to Paul part
ly in silver, half and two quarters,
and the rest in a bill, as the purchase
came to exactly three dollars.
So Paul "just borrowed" one of the
quarters without the knowledge or
consent of it's owner. He intended to
run hack home and get half dollar
which he had in his bureau drawer,
and use half of it in making Mr.. Rath-
bones purchase. He FASTENED home,
got his own coin, and then went to the
store to make his purchase. He gave
the clerk his own half dollar and Mr..
Rathbone's keeping the other quarter,
when the clerk exclaimed:
"Hold on, lad, one of these half dol
lars is counterfeit !" and he return
ed to Paul not Mr.. Rathbone's shiny
new coin, but the one taken from the
bureau drawer. "I'm sorry," added
the clerk, civilly, "that can't take it.
Better 20 back and get another. I'll
keep your package ready for you"
Here was quandary. What should
he do? His father and mother had
gone away for the day, and would not
be home until supper time. Of course
he could.go and ask Uncle John for it /;
but then Uncle John was so terribly
particular about money matters that
he would be sure to tell Paul that he
had no business to have meddled with
Mr.. Rathbone's money.
Thus the boy reasoned with himself,
and at last came to the wise conclu-
sion that he would swallow his pride
and 20 directly to Mr.. Rathbone and
tell him the whole story, asking par
don for his unintentional transgres-
sion.
Mr.. Rathbone heard him quietly to
the end, and then said impressively ::
"Paul, am almost glad that this thing
happened, for it may be warning and
save you from the penitentiary."
"The penitentiary O, Mr.. Rath-
bone, you don't think I meant"
"To steal? No, indeed, my boy /;
am sure you did not But let me
tell you a sad story, one of which /
rarely speak. l once had an only
brother, who was a very intellectual
man, very upright and highly respect
ed. For years he was agent and
treasurer for large firm, and had the
care of large sums of money. At last
there came terrible shock to us. He
was suspected of dishonesty, and when
arrested confessed his guilt. He had
borrowed rather small sum of mon
ey-one he could easily replace if
lost-in order to speculate. He was
successful he borrowed more and
more, and at last lost so heavily that
he could not square his accounts. He
died in prison, sentenced for dishones-
ty; yet he never meant to steal. Oh,
Paul, be careful, be careful! 1t is the
first step which counts. There is
danger in the beginning of evil, for
God only can tell where little SIM