The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-06-04
A Lesson From Life

The Boston papers recently have
been filled with accounts of the trial
of the case OF one George W. Cole
man. bank clerk. who earned $l2 a
week and in two years stole more
than $4,000 squandering his stolen
money in fast living.
This is an old, old story, the details
varying slightly in individual instan-
ces, but always leading to shame and
misery. In an editorial entitled "A
Fool and Somebody Else's Money"
the Boston Traveller says of Coleman's
record:
He perfected a scheme for robblng
the bank which he hoped would defy
detection-and which, as matter Of
fact. did defy detection until the in
stitution was looted to the point of
failure. He had vast sums of money
often in thousand dollar bills. He
did not deny himself anything he
wanted-an automobile, a chauffeur
fashionable clothes, jewelry. expen-
sive rooms and food, champagne, the
/ companionship OF questionable young
women. lie gambled on a scale that
would have absorbed the income Of
millionaire. Other young men who
knew him and observed his pace may
have thought him especially forum
ate.
But he was never truly happy, even
for a moment. The fast life, the wine
the high stakes, all furnished a fever
ish excitement that might pass for
enjoyment, but always in the back
ground was the threatened discovery
/ that he was a thief-and in the fore.
4 ground, especially OF mornings when
/ the fumes Of wine had gone, the
knowledge that he was a fool.
The crash came as was to be ex-
pected He was caught. confessed
and was sentenced to prison. He has
had 10 tell the whole disgracefu story
"a story that bows his mothers
head and makes even the women
whom he made his associates sob with
shame as they sit In the court room
and listen. With the greatest possi-
BILE shortening OF his sentence for
good behavior he will remain In pris-
on more than eleven years and at the
age OF thirty-fOur he will come forth,
an eX-convict. What a price to pay
for less than two years OF fun that
wasn't fun az all
Most men OF mature years have
learned The lesson that one does not
have 10 wait for eternity 20 see re-
trihution follow sin and folly. Il has
come quickly to Coleman. and the
punishment has involved not only him
but all the members of his household
Every parent whose son evinces a
tendency TO wildness should see that
the boy hears the story Of this other
boy with as much detail as is proper
for him TO hear u may turn another
lad from the path Of the fool before
60 Is TOO late.
What wouldn't George W. Coleman
give 10 turn bach the pages OF the
past three years and face an honest.
decent life-even at Si2 week."
This review OF the case is PRO
foundly true and ought to serve as a
lesson 20 boys who are tempted to
be- sporty" That kind OF fun" new.
er pays. The bitterness OF the har.
vest always follows the sowing of
Wild oats. II boys only can see what
Coleman has loamcdwithout gaining
the knowledge In the hard school OF
experience it will be worth more TO
them than any legacy OF money. how.
ever great. And this incident should
be- a warning TO a great many lads.
Few go as far as Coleman on the
road 10 perdltlon, but a great many
foolishly gain the notion that they
cannot be real manly men unless they
have their fling" In other words. In.
dulge In vice TO a limited degree This
is dangerous and n pernicous idea.
In many instances those who start
/ such career never stop until their
lives are ruined Those who are able
to stop never are so clean and strong
as those who shun vice altogether.
That Il Is right to be decent and
that u pays best to be decent are
truths that should be impressed very
earnestly upon the mind OF every
child. We clothe evil with too much
romance and dress Il up too fine. The
results are anything but romantic.
sorrow. shame loss OF health and ones
good name. Surely happiness does
not lie In this direction Montpelier
Journal.