The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-08-30
En- Honesty Gest.

Bart was walking
X along the street with his hands
thrust deep in his pockets, and
looking from side to side in
preoccupied way. He was out of en-
ployment. Perhaps this fact had
something to do with the sad look that
he wore as he walked aimlessly on.
BY nature he was jocose, and always
met the world with a smiling counte.
nance; but it often occurs in the lives
of men that conditions will materially
change ones viewpoint.
Such was the state of Franklin
Bart's mind as he wended his way
from place to place looking for situa-
tion. A few months previous to
this time he had graduated from a
high school with high honors. Natur-
ally, like many before him, he thought
the world would soon be at his feet.
However, he was sadly disappointed
and was compelled to accept position
in a department store at eight dollars
a week. This was not very acceptable,
for Bart had high aims; he often
dreamed over the careers of celebrated
authors, and he had hopes of emulat-
ing their achievements at no distant
day.
Literature was the Mecca to which
his thoughts wandered, as thousands
before him have gone with their brain
food, only to meet disappointment.
He jealousy guarded his secret from
his friends, and they had no inkling of
his ambition to become Kipling or a
Henry James. So he went about his
work as clerk in the department store
much the same as the other employees.
His evenings, however, were hours of
unceasing toll, and he labored like a
Trojan to win recognition. He wrote
stories of sentimental romance, of ad.
venture and hairbreadth escapes, OF
quaint satire against conventional
customs, and of eulogistic essays OF
prominent men, but to no avail. The
stories came back with regularity
that was simply appalling. He would
then rewrite them and mail them to q
different publisher. This extra work
made heavy demands upon his small
salary. Notwithstanding his re
peated failures his spirit remained un
crushed. He steadfastly kept or
burning midnight oil and revised ant
concocted new stories, killed off vii
lains by the score, etc.
One day while he was cleaning ant
rearranging his department in tn
store, he found quarter lying on tn
counter, which he promptly turne,
over to the floor-walker with the nee
essary explanations as to how AM
where he found it. 1t seems that
was a practice of the floor-walker t.
place money upon the counters t.
test the honesty of the employees
But Mr.. Bart knew nothing of thi
elaborate system. That night, how
ever, while seated at his desk writin
synopsis of story, the thought SUD
denly occurred to him that the quartz
he had found that day was not LEI
there by a customer, for he recollecte
having busted the counter only
few moments before. The more b
thought of the problem the darker th
enigma appeared to his overworke
brain. At last he threw down his pc
in disgust and arose angerly and con
menced to pace the floor.
Finally smile of supreme happ
ness spread over his face. He ha
seen thru the plot to tempt him
steal. and decided to make the gan
interesting. ut was passin
strange" he mused to himsel
"that if he, weaver of plots an
counterplots, could not teach til
tricky foor-walker q lasting lesson.
this practice is test of ones honest
then it is q most pernicious one. Su
posing that l had reasoned that,
some customer had left it. I had
much right to it as anyone. But If
had kept the money, why, I would ha'
been dismissed and maybe q
rested. Well, we will see what ha
pens next" I.
When Bart appeared at the store Il