The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1902-03-21
A TRUE STORY OF
HONESTY REWARDED

San honest man is the noplesl
work of God?" | will leave a blank
space right here, Mr.. Editor, for
you to give his name, for no doubt
there are hundreds of other readers
of Home and Farm besides me who
would like to treasure that name
in their memories. editor will
please answer here in full.)
The above quotation is from
Pope's Essay on Man. in which
he writes: "a wits a feather, and
a chief rod; an honest mans the
noblest work of God. - Editor.
l heard a story the other day of
an honest man--yes, of two honest
men-and a noble, self-sacrihcing,
honest woman. Here is the story:
A few years ago poor young
man, reared IN the country, had
come to the city. BY an apparent
ly upright and industrious course
he succeeded in winning the conf
dence of the public, and in due
course of time he ran for treasurer
of one of the most populous and
wealthy counties in Texas. He had
to make a large bond in order to
hold so responsible position, but
he succeeded in making one that
was accepted, and took charge OF
the office.
For time all went we'll, but
finally it was discovered that the
county treasury was empty How
this unfortunate condition came
about it is not necessary to relate,
even if had the time and space at
command to go into details. SUIT
was promptly entered against the
defaulting young treasurer and
his bondsmen. People who are ia
miliar with this class OF litigation
are aware that there are various
and sundry ways tor men to evade
the payment of security debtor
any other debt, as to that matter.
1t TRANSFERRED that all of the sure
ties, save one man only, by various
schemes, successfully eluded the
payment of the bond.
The amount of the defalcation
was large, going away up into
thousands OF dollars, but had each
OF the bondsmen been honest enough
to stand his share of the burden
they could easily have squared the
account. They had all been looked
upon as "men of means"-large
means-and the matter could have
been adjusted without trouble had
they been willing to stand by their
sacred obligation. All save one,
however. took time by the forelock,
as it were, and Struggled their
property out of their own names,
and when the crisis came nothing
could be found to levy upon. They
were all insolvent in the eyes of the
laval save one.
This one exception, had he been
so disposed, could have done as the
others did-could have stult1fed
his conscience, and by chicanery
have evaded payment of the short
age; but he was an honest man and
preferred honest poverty to dishon-
est luxury. He utterly declined to
take advantage of legal TECHNICAL
ties and loopholes, and boldly and
nobly faced the situation alone.
Like brave soldier defending his
post, he stood by his colors after
every comrade had deserted and
fled.
Had the country court insisted
upon immediate settlement, this
man would have been compelled 10
sell everything he possessed on
earth to have met the demand, even
to his home and household effects.
He would have done so, too, with
out finching. The court, however,
told him to pay the shortage as he
could, giving him to understand
that he would not be pressed to the
point OF impoverishing him. After
paying portion of the indebted
ness, this brave, struggling man of
honor took seriously sick, and he
knew that he must die. He called
his wife and only son to his bed
side, and his dying injunction to
them was to pay off the onerous
obligation as soon as possible. In
deed, this request was scarcely ne
cessary, for his wife and son shared
the sentiment of deep-seated hon
esty that inspired the husband and
father, and they would have carried
ont his n1auS ANYWAY