The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-22
RETRIEVED.


| W0 Aev~ ueosooos oWiuB 70 mo otboru
which you are probably a. we'll aware q
we, thnt we will not need you uny Longer
As soon az you can secure employment
elsewhere we shall expect you to rosig
your position with Us.
II really don't-don't understand you.
was the reply. "Have you discovered an
errors In tho bookss'
"Nono at all--none at all. We woul,
bo perfectly willing to indorse q ccrtiflcat
of your honesty and proficiency ns an ac
countant. What refer to IL an entirel.
different thing.
"The fact Ia, we have found that yc,
arc heavily indebted In various parts Of tn
city, much more than we desire any on
In our employ to be- Several firms whcr
| you have considerable accounts standin,
for somo timo have applied to us to seour,
them. This We cannot do" .
II think that this thing has-has beer
exaggerated" stammored the young man
"But as you may have other reasons fol
wishing to discharge me I will 60 a
once"
And then Paul Williams, feeling, al
people always do who have met with the
penalty OF their indiscretion, that no had
been dealt with unjustly, walked away.
Almost unconsciously ho bent his steps
toward distant hill, whereon lay the city
cemetery, and half an hour later he was
walking up the hill with long, sweeping
strides, totally indifferent to the fact that
the dust Of the road was destroying the
. polish OF his shapely shoes, which that
very morning be had put onwith SO much
care.
Paul Williams was man of five and
xvwo <t for -
!. position from which he had now been no
I suddenly dismissed.
Though he bad no habits which oould
have been called really had, he unfortu.
nAtsly possessed traits Of character which
kept him from succeeding az his Friends
bad Just reasons to expect. He was one ot
Ne nemLSrs Of : band OF Young men who.
though not dissspatsd, had {orn,ed tie
dangerous habit Of spending money ss
fast ~ or faster than they earned It. ~
Some two years before he had begun to
pay his attentions to young lady, who
waS DOW his betrothed, and Wishing most
of All not TO appear mean In the eyes OF
the woman be loved he had often r,ade
presents and spent money upon her when
she would have respected him Just as
much, perhaps more, II be bad kept his
puree closed.
The young man might not have come &c
grief bad II not been for another habit
more seductive and infinitely more dan.
gerous than all the others-the practice OF
running into debt hesdlessly and without
thought. It had always been a failing
with him, but within year 1t had grown
stronger than ever.
All these things presented themselves to
Paul Williams in their true light for the
first time as he sat alone in the silent Gem
etery. After time he came to feel that
the action Of his employers, harsh as IL
might seem, was not without cause.
First of all, no would draw what money
be had In the bank and as far as possible
pay what money he owed, and then he
would go away from Johnsport and try to
find something to do which would enable
him to pay the rest.
Two hours later Paul Williams sat In
his room with a package Of bills, on each
Of which was tho ominous letters cdr"
on one hand and on the other a roll OF
bank notes. All told, he was in debt $780,
Then he turned and counted the bill
before him. There was less than $40O, q
little more thin half what he owed.
After hasty dinner he once more sailed
out on the street, and visiting each of his
creditors paid what he could, until not q
dollar remained In his pocket.
Paul" said the junior member of the
firm az he handed him check, "I'm con
foundedly sorry about this thing It's
wretched business from beginning to end,
and II could have had my way about It,
old boy, it would not have happened. ]
wired friend up In Wisconsin, who wrote
me some timo since that he wanted good
bookkceper, that II the place was not al
ready filed could find capital man foi
him. have just received an answer,
which says, Let him come at once So II
you want to go you are not out all around.
What say your"
II will go at once-tonight, was the
prompt reply.
Paul's hardest task still lay before him
to see his intended wife and to tell he,
all. The young man told his story openly
and frankly, emitting nothing and con.
cealing nothing.
He told Of the opportunities that lay be.
fore him and Of the sacrifices he was do
termined to mako until he had paid every
cent, but there would boa stain upon bis
name, and II che wished she was free to
break the engagement between them at
once.
But II he had thought that she would
take such u step he was destined to be
happily disappointed, for her reply was:
Paul, although / have feared for o
long time that something like this was
going TO happen, don't want to be free
from you, becausc-because I love you.
Go away, do the best you oan, and, come
what may, know that there il one who
trusts you and Is waiting for you."
When year had passed, he had paid ev.
crything and was beginning to save. Be-
sides he had dropped all OF his foolish airs
and habits and become In every way more
manly and independent.
One day near the close Of his second
year the young bookkceper and his EN-.
ployer were talking together when the Lat
ter said:
"Paul, I am thinking Of taking in q
partner My business is growing 30 fast
that 10 needs two TO attend TO It, and ]
want some ono that thoroughly under.
stands IL. Have you been able to save
much since you came out hcrcf You
must. for you baven't any expensive hab
Sfs -