The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-18


the years do rush away. Richard Par
menter IL that's your father, was
clerk with me. | hadn't the practice
got together afterward; but l had
three or four clcrks; and two at least
OF them were rascals. Not your father,
child. Purvis and rellow named Dig
gle. or some such name. Well, your
l.father got under the influence of these
two. and into some very bad company
outside the office, l mink"
Did you ever hear the name of a
Mrs. -Merridew?" asked Olive.
Bless my soul. of course did! i
remember it well. They told me he
was MIXED up with a woman of that
name. Dear - haven't thought of
that name for nearly thirty years. But
my memorS's still pretty good when
it's brushed up bit. She was an
actress. or something and he paused
and nodded his heac reminscently.
she claims that he married her, Mr..
Ringrose.'
Does she? All, don't know any
thing about that. Well. money began
to be missed from the office. and as
Parmenter kept the books and acted
as cashier, l. not unnaturally, sus-
pected him; and a number of little
things We're brought up to my notice,
e,..,;a,o. 49,. ~ III. eass ma ,ae
aaniaa a.. ~ s,d,,,. III ,ai;a,.e
hin, aItto,,a,, aonldn,. IT. ~. l,,,a
~ .n,,ti;ra VIZ. ,,,a;t vs. sia
hear that he was going to marry that
woman, Merridew of course 1 did.
Purvs told me and limited that Par
menter was spending a lot of money
on her Purvis was an Internal ras-
cal, and was deliberately poisoning my
nwn crin,es. ee' ~ '''s
re paused a moment 10 mink. yes,
'heil came ehe tfouple. DIE amount
was sihs-.petWeeh Two ana three
l Il Pouhds--ahd mad TO put my
ioot Gown. ~ meant good zeal TO
me IN those Gays. carpeted every
poay' ana sWore ! would prosecute the
iot u'iess lhe money was returned. i
remember Pafmenter was out at the
time, ana PurVis suggested that l
sIo.'id at once search al the clerks
desks. ala II, and found some twenty
or .hlr,y POUNDS concealed IN Parmen-
Ter s. lie came In Just then and turned
as white as sheet when he saw me
at his desk, and took him at once
for the thief. OF course did. You
see ~ looked as back as possible.
pldh NJ! ne asked With sugges-
tlon OF apology to olive.
Please go on Mr.. Ringrose, cried
owe, pale and Very excited.
Don't be frightened, child. Your
iather mad nothing 10 do with 1t. 1t
Nas ouis my h'istahe ana PurVis's ras-
ea!ity.
On, thahk Heaven for that!
Iariile't ter protested his Innocence,
declaring that his fright was because
ne llau letters IN ms desk he did not
w!sh me to see. didn't believe him;
and as IBcouldn't afford to lose the
money gave him the choice of re-
turning what he had taken or of going
before the magistrates. He tried all
1hat day TO lind out the truth, and
came TO me in the evening to say he
mad failed He could not prove his in
hocence and begged for time, saying
he would repay the money if he could
not find the thief. was hard; 1
saw that afterward. said / should
! aiplS ior Warrans in the morning.
! aldnt; and don't think / ever should
nave done; because l liked and really
oeileVed In him at bottom But /
never saw him again"
| am sure he was innocent He was
the very soul of honor declared Olive.
- know that now 1t was that
rascal, Purvis, all the time. He rob-
bed me right and left; and at last.
when prosecuted him, it all came
out and he confessed He was as
! clever forger as ever got into iail;
and the last | hearG of him was that
ne got caught again and sentenced TO
! twenty years penas servi:ude. And
4 he deserved every minute of II yon.
fathers only fault was getting miyad
4 ny with bad lot You know he
4 wrote me wear o. two arte,u,, !,
| protesting his innocence; and he sont
me the fun sum that had been tal,an.
and on three separate occasions after.
ward he sent mo like amount