The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-12-30
! YER the coffee cups on a De
cember morning the Rev.
J Richard Macmillan and Miss

~ Il
cember morning the Rev.
Richard Macmillan and Miss
Martha, his aunt, discussed a
problem of conscience, that same hard
riddle which has busted SO many
tongues and pens and is known by the
name of tainted money"
There was certain rich man named
Curtis Langdale. who had married
some years ago IL cousin of Macmillan's
mother. The young clergyman had re-
ceiyed various small favors from Lang
dale-presents at Christmas not only
for himself. but for Aunt Martha and
for Miss Amy Branford. to whom Mac
milan was engaged. In particular
there had been u check for $50 every
Christmas for the last three years, since
Macmillan had been pastor of the so
called Sandstone church of Southfield,
and this check was a contribution to
the charity fund of the church.
About year before the date of this
narrative the attention of the Rev. Mr.
Macmillan had been sharply called to
the fact that Mr.. LangdaIe was a very
modern financier, whose chief delight
and most recent form of profitable bust
ness consisted in half wrecking a bank
through conniyance with some official
thereof, buying control from frightened
stockholders and then putting the bank
on its legs again.
The knowledge of this truth SO af-
fected the Rev Mr. Macmillan that he
had a serious talk with Mr.. Langdale
in that gentleman's office in New York
and returned the last check for $50 on
the ground that his church would be
more blessed without it. On this oc-
casion Mr.. Langdale, who had genius
for Discrimination, professed to sym
pathiZe with Mr. Macmillan's opinion,
to be grateful for his friendly admoni-
tons and in all ways very ready to
serve him should occasion arise.
And now the occasion, vaguely
prophesied by Langdale. had really
come, and in such form that Macmil-
Ian knew not how to deal with it; for,
in certain sense. it was not his own
conscience that should render the de-
cisiOn, nor was the sacrifice his. It
was Amy Branford's.
Amy had just celebrated her twenty
first birthday and was certainly old
enough to be free moral agent She
had been left almost alone in the
! world by the death of her father two
years ago and was now living with
relatives i'll Southfield who We're in
narrow circumstances. Her father had
left considerable property, but in such
an involved condition that no income
coull be extracted from it, and the
estate itself drew nearer and nearer
to total extinction.
Mr. Macmillan was the trustee of
| this property. and he had strlven with
| all his power to save it. He believed
himself to be good business man; he
had confidence In the policy which he
| had pursued in this matter. and yet,
| almost in the moment of victory, he
| found himself face to face with total
| defeat Ready money-that was the
| only thing that could save the day. A
| few thousands in cash. not later than
| Dec. -. would put all right; the lack
| Of it would mean irreparable disaster.
| 1t was the morning of "Wednesday,
/ Dec. %, and he had failed to raise the
money.
| why don't you go to Mr.. Lang
dale?' said Aunt Martha. and that re-
mark had precipitated the discussion.
Now. it happened that in the news
| papers of that morning there was a
| particularly interesting story about
| Mr. Langdale. to the effect that he had
| begun his usual game upon the old
Dey Street National bank.
I'll 90 and see Amy said he. III
| ANYTHING is to be done there is no tima
| to lose"
| He found Amy engaged in SNOW
| ball battle with her cousins two little
| boys The girls cheeks We're Redeemed
| with the exercise in the crisp air: her
| eyes shone with alluring fires: her 1.-the
/ form uuivered with delicate and ac
/ cordant energies; the exquisite beauty
! of her youth seemed to transcend real
/ ity, and the man stood for some see
I ends unperceived, watching her with @
thrill of wonder But this divine en-
! chantrent could not endure. Surely
/ there was { malign and sordld spel
upon him working against the heaven
| iy powers for as she came forward &c
| greet him he observed that the sown
she wore was one that she had de
SPARED of repairing year ago.
| Amy" said he. breaking suddenly
from the lighter talk, Il want you tc
read this" and he laid the newspaper
article before her. Not all of it. The
| gist is in the first three paragraphs.
She scanned them rapidly and then
looked up at him.
do you think this makes any diff
ference?' she asked, timidly trying te
read his face perhaps it isn't true
Really. can't believe that Mr.. Lang
dale would do such a thing. And, be
sides. he wouldn't dare. He might be-
sent to prison"
He seized her little mittened hand In
tight grip.
Dear child" said he. do you wisf
me to so TO Mr.. Langdale?
"Why. Richard. not if you think its
wrong But somehow l can't believe
he's a bad man. He has such a fine
face. Couldn't you-that is, don't yo1
think that you could talk to him? HI
likes you so much. Don't you think
you ought to stand by him now tina
his enemies are saying such hard
things of him? Perhaps you might
/ advise
Precisely" said he. laughing in q
sort of nervous desperation. That's
| lust what Aunt Martha said And I'm