The Jewish herald. (Houston, Tex.) 1908-1914, 1910-12-22

But laSI september as u DOlt IRON Clear
sky, came letter from one of our heaviest
shippers, stating that our agent was nothing
but drunken bum and gambler. Also
that he had lost nearly thousand dollars the
past Sunday night at cards in the back of
joint where the very lowest element congre-
gate. This sounded right serious and must
have had some foundation in truth for the
writer was very responsible farmer and mer-
chant. thought it best to keep the matter
from Mr.. Disbrow for the present or until |
found out more. / rang up his mother and
inquired if she had heard from her
customary. She replied she had not. told
her Simon was in u little trouble, and that I
was sending her the letter which would
plain the nature of it. l thought this
the wisest that in case he had been mis-
using the firm money, it were best that
those nearest him be not kept in Ignorance
till too late to make reparation. But it seems
his mother cannot read English for she had
her married daughter tell her the contents of
the letter His sister mercifully withheld the
ugliest features, merely telling the anxious
mother hat her boy had been caught playing
cards. nich was strictly against our rules
This explanation did not set her fears at rest
and caused her such upeasiness that she was
afraid to face me. The daughter came in the
mothers stead.
"Henceforh this concerns me personlly more
than the firm. / had, of course, set inquiries
atoot to ascertain the extent Of the mischief
his mise Dnducts entailed The invariable rule Of
the house was that once an employee was caught
flagrantly violating an important rule, it meant
his instant dismissal This was never deyiated
from, no matter how efficient the man. He had
become unsafe, and the service must dispense
with him. You may well imagine that in ST.
mon case, II could have meant nothing less
than dismissal, if not something worse. But
he is still with us, and, / think, wonders mt
his miraculous escape.
When his sister the next day,
instantly remembered her as having worked in
the district as bookkeeper. l inferred that
she was still single, but she speedily undeceved
me, informing me that she was married for
over five years and was the mother of three
thing else was the fact that her name was
Winthrop. This you must understand is no
Jewish name, and instantly my mind put two
ana TWO together, and gave me clue to the
grlet that was troubling Simon's mother. The
married daughter was not the wife of Jew.
ana now this new trouble with the crop
Ping up, l really felt perpleXed how to de-
eide my course of action. But on one thing
Immediately determined. Mr.. Disbrow nor
anyone else in the house must know anything
OF it.. With the help of the sister / intended
to adjust it as best we could | injured
most searchingy nto the habits of both fam.
lies ana found the information all that could
be desired She answered all questions with
perfect candor, but with the air of fright
ened child. Even when l assured her that I
would not take any steps Immediately that
would be harmful to their interest the terrified
look did not leave her eyes. j told her to re.
turn on the morrow and l would place before
her additional data which / awaiting from
the secret service man.
That afternoon l wrote Simon to nut his
affairs in such shape that he might leave for
few days. i did not wish to alarm him. so
was very careful to suppress every hint of
my knowledge of his escapade. l expected him
by the end of the week
The following day, promptly at twelve, Mrs.
Winthrop returned. Our house was entirely
deserted. Everyone but myself had gone to
lunch noticed she still regarded me with
trepdation and looked around fearfuly at the
deserted offices. ! shook her hand most cor.
daily and ushered her into my private office
After a most perfunctory preliminary converse.
ton, opened my desk and took out several
kilograms and letter These informed her
that her brother had been seen gambling on
several other occasions, but had never lost over
few dollars She looked at me in positive
horror was sorry to see her so deeply
affected Then she continued reading She
knew this had never interfered with the stric
performance of his duty On the occasion il
question:, he had, by a mischance, been in
yeRled into gambling den where he hae
lost eight hundred and thirty dollars of tn,
firms money, besides over hundred OF hi,
own This was authentic Information, an,
our o farmer friend was not far wrong Mrs
Winthrop did not speak for some time afte
She laid the letier and teleRrnms ON the daslr