Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-07-08
A STROKE OF CONSCIENCE.

Mr. Marchmont sat alone in his
eitv office, gloomily realizing the fact
tbct he was ruined man; and, worse
st;Il that he had involved others in
b;o own financial disasters, without
either their knowledge or their con-
sent It was the old, old tale; i'll for
time in business, rash speculative in
ypstments to meet extrayagant expen-
diture then transportation of trust
funds to repair past losses and enable
him to continue his gambling vantures
with the wild hope that previous mis-
fortunes could be retrieved. Now all
was zone: the fortune of his orphan
clients as we'll as his own; and, in an
other month or so, when Harold Will
inns would be "a, 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. It was not an agreeable pros
pect, for Mr.. Marchmount, like many
another misapplier of trust funds, had
never intended to be actually dis
honest any more than does the clerk
Or shopman who "borrows'' from his
employers ''petty cash, )" or shop till,
to meet his own losses on the race
course. Every gambler with the
money of other people looks forward
to making some 'lucky stroke" which
shall recoup all his former losses-and
is mostly disappointed in this excep-
tation. For q long time Mr.. March
mount had fought desperately against
the evidence of facts, and plunged
into yet wilder speculations with the
hope of retrieving his financial dis
sters, but now all was gone; the for
tune Of the two orphans of his oldest
frind engulfed with his own, and this
under circumstances which would as
Puredly lay the defaulting trustee
open to criminal prosecution. Would
be wisest to slip quietly away while
there was yet time? But his whole
Poul revolted against this idea; for, un-
ii the fatal speculative mania had
eized upon him, Mr.. Marchmont had
Peen man of honor and integrity, and
vas greatly respected and esteemed by
ii who knew him. It was, indeed,
s known high reputation which had
Induced his old friend to place the
lture of his children so unreservedly
his hands.
"f you will consent to become their
Fustee Marchmont," he had said, 81
lali appoint no one to act with you. I
pm trust you fully, and shall leave
erythng in your hands until Harold
4. | know you'll do your best for
m and Ellie, and keep the money
mere 1t lS-in good, safe, non-specu-
i've Investments. -
MIR. Marchmont, then a prosperous
fehant, had readily undertaken the
arge laid upon him, and fulfilled it
leStly enough until within year or
before the time when our story
nmences. But there had been a
e OF great financial depression, and
Marchmont's firm had suffered
'ne rest of the world; and then,
'aIal hour, he had been tempted
sample on the Stock Exchange; had
H. nad lost, lost again, grown reck-
ana now that 100000 which
".u De handed over to Harold and
SISTER IN another six weeks was as
eA'seent as was Mr.. Marchmont's
private fortune. Business was
Impressed still; and Jenkins, the
partner, had begun to advocate
ny facing the real condition of
s. ana winding up'' the firm 8
49, ouI Jenklns was, of course, ig-
,a' ot his partners embezzlement
rust funds.
~ one thing for business man
analrs have become involved
81 unexpected misfortunes, to
60 meeting of creditors and Law
"t.S plainly before them, and an
nave to confess that t,ustee
mon put 1t bluntly-made away
4 mat does not belong to
b,;a ~ was no small addition to the
ns anxiety of the situation that
olnn was so perpetually advocating
ty winding up of the firm.
brraa l'i "a statement of their affairs.
bn "u, the crash and the discovery
V Tn to to come shortly; even al
snSn;.: Aarchmont fancied that
Jam Pr O,; \ We're arising in young
rotb mlno' Tor the youth had be-
Of y pressing regarding the
hnat oate on which to go into
en must accounts, and have the in
uuly transferred. Alas! all
bit ,fh o had been non
a a. dor Lor Some time. It had often
! st desperate on ta struggle to pay the
sr on the vanished capital. and
~ s w, which had occasionally en-
fl perhaps aroused some suspi-
s. o. ruth in Harold Williams's
= one rEetsace CT another.