The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-03-30
his living must have been inestimably

What could it mean? Was Jack be-
coming hermit? Was he losing all that
line self respect and pride that had al
ways characterized him? No. Outward
~ ho was the same high bred Jack of
old. He came of u good family, and his
father had been Mt the head of one of
tho largest banking institutions i'll tho
city. He died few years previous,
and it was understood that Jack was his
only heir and that he had received, not
fortune, but Il comfortable competency.
We now remembered that it was about
the time of his fathers death that jack 3
habits had undergone such u radical
change.
l remember how we all envied him
when he was supposed to como into his
money; how we speculated as to what
he would do with it, but on one point
we all agreed-he would be the same
good old Jack, and we would enjoy
many of his little suppers and theater
parties. Had no not always treated US
this way ut least once n month when ho
had nothing but his salary? Now that
he had come into money we could ex-
pect many nice evenings ut dear jacks
expense.
Jack was not we'll He did not look
well. We all noticed it.
Take u vacation, old boy" said the
head bookkccper. You are not your
self. You arc working too hard and not
giving yourself recreation enough
Gould not think of it, old man. Just
little indigestion. Be all right in u
day or two"
But he wasn't all right. He looked
palcr and thinner every day until one
morning he did not come down. We all
knew the reason. Nothing but sickness
and serious sickness would keep him
from the Office. 1t was arranged that
wo should hunt up his lodgings that
night and have him cared for and proper
medical attention secured. We found
him i'll n cheap, small but clean ROOM
On the table, under the one gaslight, wo
found two or three sets of books of small
concerns that did not employ regular
boolllkceper.
Jack had been doing their work at
night.
Jack was Oh the bed tossing in the de-
lirium of fever.
II kept it clean, father-I kept it
clean!' he mumbled over and over
Tho doctor shook his head. Poorly
Notwithstanding to him. Evidently
been OH short rations. In no condition
TO withstand this attack of fever
We explained to the doctor that, al
though his present environments wero
needy and poor, he would DO paid for tho
best attention to Jack and that he must
sec him regularly and do everything
possible to save him. Tho kindly old
doctor assured us that he would receive
every attention, but said, with q shake
of his head: He's in Il bad way-brain
fever, brought OH by worry and fatigue.
Evidently been burning the candle at
both ends. -
We secured II nurse, who was to be
with him every minute and attend to
his every want and communicate with
us i'll case lie grew worse AS we wero
preparing to leave the room he raised
up i'll his delirium and threw his arms
around wildly. Noticed paper clutch
cd in one of his hands. I took it from
him. The mystery WAS solved. "Oh,
Jack, you noble work of God, you have
kept it clean! God grant that it may
not he at the cost of your own noble
lifev'
The paper read as follows:
To MY SoN-Dyng, bcqucath you my
name. It's stained. / nm II thief. No living
soul knows it. II could live awhile longer, /
would not die with this stain on my soul. We
came of Il long race of honorable men, Jack
It's hard legacy 10 leave Il son, but as you
loved me i'll life keep my name clean in death
have kept strict account of my peculations
You will find it attached. It's scrupulously
correct. No more nor less do | owe the great
institution of which have been the head for
SO many years. have kept this account ST.
that could deludo myself into thinking that
was only borrowing from the stockholders.
They say all embcZZlcrS do this Pay it back
Jack, every cent, nj per cent interest, and /
believe the good Lord will scratch it off his
books against my otherwise clean name. God
bless and keep you. YOUR FATHER
Underneath, written i'll Jacks own
hand, was the following:
God bless you, father. I've done it. I've
paid the last farthing today. I've kept your
name clean. JACK.
The next day the papers contained ac-
counts of how one of the city's largest
banking institutions had received q large
sum of money anonymously consigned.
The institution had long known of tho
shortage Of this amount, but had no idea
who the thief was.
1t was weeks before Jack was able to
come to the office again He never
knew. and no soul shall ever know from
us, jacks secret. He is himself again
now, and the little tag on the collar of
his fashionable coat was scWed there bv
his own tailors. w c. Hill in St
IOuiS Post -Disnotcb