Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-07-23
A Stroke Of Conscience.

A Stroke Of Conscience.
Mr.. MArchmont sat alone in his
City Office, eloomily realizing the
fact that he was ruined man; and,
worse still, that he had involved
others in his own fnanclnal dis
aster s. without either their knowl
edge or their consent. 1t was the
old, old talc; i'll fortune in busl'
ness, rash speculative investments
to meet extralagant expenditure,
then miSaIprOpriatlOn OF trust
funds 10 repair past, losses and en-
able hlm to ocOntinue bis gambling
vantures with the Wild hope that
prev ;ous misfortuUes could be re-
tlievtd. Now ali was gone; the
fortune OF bis orphan clients as
well as bis Ogp; aud in another
month or so, when Harold Will
1ams would be 24, and the trust
Would, by the terms of his old
friends will, have to be rendered
up discovery of The real condition
OF affairs must enSue. 1t was not
an agreeable prospect, for Mr..
Marchmourt, like many another
mlsspplier Of trust funds, bal
never in'ended to be actually dis
honest any more than does the
clerk or shOpman who 'bOrrOwS'
from his employers pretty cash,
or shop till, to meet his own losses
on the race course. Every gam
bier with the money OF other peo-
Die looks forward to making some
lucky stroke which shall recoup
all his former lOSses-aDd is most
ly disappointed in this expt citation
For long time MI. Marchmount
had fought desperately against
the evidence of facts, and plunged
into vet wilder speculations with
the hope of retrieving his financial
disasters, but now all was gone;
the fortune of the two orphans OF
his oldest friend engulfed with his
own, and this under circumstances
which would assuIedly lay the de-
faultlng trustee open TO a criminal
prosecution. Would 1t be wlsest
to slip quietly away while there
was yet timtl But his whole soul
revolted against this idea; for, un
I'll the fatal speculative mania had
seized upon him, Mr.. Marchmont
baud been a man of honor and in
tegrity, and was greatly respected
and esteemed by all who kne"
him. 1t was, indeed, Ills knoSn
high reputation which had induced
bis old friend TO place che futur
of his children so unreservedly IL
his hands.
IF you will consent to become
their trustee, MaTchmOnt,' he hac
SAID, Il shall appoint no one to act
with you. | can trust YOU fully
and shall leave everything in You
hands until HarlOnd Is "a. | know
you'll do your best for him am
Ellie, and keep the mouey where ]
ls-ln good, safe, nOn-speculatlN'
Investments
Mr., MaTchmOnt, then a prosper
Gus merchant, had readily under
taken the charge lald upon him
aud fulfilled it honestly enOugl
, until within year or 80 befOr'
the time when our story con
menoes. But there had been tim
of great financial depression, an
= Mr. MarchmOnrs firm had isuflere
like the rest OF the world; and tbeI
in fatal hour, he had been temp
= ed to gamble on the Stock El
chaOge; had won, had lost, los
9 again, grown reckless, and no
that 100000 which should /
handed over to Herold and hi
sister IN another SIX weeks was {
non existent as was Mr.. Marc'
mont's own private fortune. Bus
ness was most depressed still; an
Jenkins, the other partner, hd
begun to advocate boldly facin
the real condition of things az
'wiudIug up' the frm's affair; b
Jenkins was, of course, Ignorant
his partners embezzlement OF tru
funds.
1t is one thing for a bnsiue
man whose affairs have becon
involved through unexpected m
fortunes, to 'call a meeting
era aditOrs' and lay the facts PLAIN