The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-08-11

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not have collected my loss without
swearing to lie in the proof.
would not do that for all the money
in the world. No I'm glad I've
told the truth. 1t may ruin me, but
| have the satisfaction of feeling that
I've been honest, anyway"
The next day very nicely word
ed letter came from the company
thread:
NJ. Wslman Our adjuster, in endeavoring
to settle your loss, learned that you had VIOLA
yea lines % to 30 in the conditions of the stan
dard policy. This Is something more than q
while the company sympathizes with you In
your misfortune, 1t cannot afford to establish
gne precedent of paying loss where there is no
As you have had no protection under the poll
cy issued by us, we hand you herewith check
Lor hfty dollars. the original premium paid by
The payment of this relieves us from all fur
Kindly acknowledge receipt and oblige,
"a Yours truly, BURTON WALES,
4 Secretary.
Nathan shuddered when he read
the ietter. He saw that there was
no use of concealing the matter from
his wife any longer. He showed
her the letter and explained all to
her.
$50 you mean to say that we
don't get anything but fifty dollars
after paying insurance money all
these years?" she demanded.
"It's my cwn fault" replied Ma
than. ''It was my business to see
that I was properly protected and I
neglected it. It's not exactly the
company's fault"
"It's a fraud An outrage
They're cheats l' shouted his wife.
"You haven't got the backbone of a
caterpillar, Nathan Wishman Well
see lawyer about it. He'll get the
money out of the company"
"But it's all settled now, and I
don't believe in lawyers, anyway.
Besides, I don't know whether it
would be honest, demonstrated Ma
than.
Nevertheless he accompanied his
wife to Boardville that very after
noon, and listened quietly while she
laid the matter before Squire Heckel.
The squire consulted some law
books, looked very wise, and then
said:
every poor case, very poor case
indeed. All decisions against it.
I'm afraid it's too late to do any,
thing now. Your husband let the
cat out of the bag. He should have
consulted me before he discussed the
matter with the company's adjuster
and 1 would have warned him what
not to say. The loss could have
been readily collected by keeping
knowledge of his storage of gasoline
from the company"
"But that wouldn't have been
honest !" interrupted Nathan.
Honest p exclaimed the squire,
looking at Nathan quizzically. Then
he shrugged his shoulders and said:
cit isn't question of honesty.
expediencyy. Wake up, man If
you go through the world with a
tender conscience everybody'll take
advantage of you. It's all right to
have conscience when you're deal
ing with your friends or neighbors.
They appreciate it. But when it
comes to dealing with insurance
companies and other corporations,
they expect you to look out for your
own interests. If you don't they
only laugh at you."
"That's right p put in Mrs.
Wishman. GIVE told Nathan that
same thing thousand times. Why,
he's got that kind of conscience
that when a railroad conductor for
gets to take up his ticket he goes
and gives it to him."
"Well," smiled the squire, "that
seems to be carrying things little
too far in these days when every
man expects the next one to take
advantage of him if given the
chance. It's like playing checkers.
You corner your opponent whenever
you can"
"Then, SQUIRE" said Nathan, ris-
ing, 1 don't want to get along. I'm
far from saint, I know that. And
life amt a game of checkers, or
oughtn't to be, and I know that too.
But I'm little peculiar when it
comes to doing things that amt
quite straight. You say there's nc
hope of our collecting from the com.
pany, so 1 guess there's no use oi
Martha and me staying here any
longer. Come" added Nathan tc
his wife, "we'll CO."
His wife accompanied him home
She was not in the most amiable
frame of mind, and she did not hesi
tate to express her feelings force
fully.
Nathan listened to her TRADE il
silence, finally saying, Martha dear
please don't go on so. We've beer
unfortunate, I'll admit. But take
the larger view of it-Your hus
bands been honest and truthful
where some men might not hav'
been. He's done nothing for which
the Lord can call him to account OF
judgment day, and, after all, that
the most important thing in life.
Nathan went to Boardville mex
morning for the mail, not that b
expected anything of Importance
but entirely as matter of habit.
The Postmaster handed him a let
ter, on the outside of which was tn
name and address of the insu-anc
company as we'll as his own. HI
was greatly surprised and wonders
what it contained. Losing no tim
in opening it, he read:
Dear Mr.. Wishmdn On my return to tn
office after an absence of three days, your los
was laid before me, the president OF tnlS con
| pany.
The disclaiming of liability by our secretar
was perfectly proper and the only tnlng 70 y
under the circumstances. 1t met Win my III
approval until learned your identity:
Upon ascertaining that l 1mmeoiately rea
lied that, although the company was not legall
liable, it must certainly be morally naole.
looked thoroughly into your case ana connrme