Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-09-03
His Portrait
How a Rich Man
Paid For an
Injustice
BY ANDREW c. EWING

Edgar Beckwith, at eighteen, having
shown marked artistic ability, wished
10 be an artist. but his father had
recently died leaving no estate. and
Edgar, far from having the means to
study a profession. was Obliged to
support bis mother. He obtained a
position In the mercantile house OF
Goodwin & Co. at SIS week.
Mr. Goodwin claimed that business
pIant should be run ON strictly bust
ness principles. He paid very low
salaries. not inauiring into the honesty
OF his less important employees, his
chief object being to get his work done
cheaply. He figured that he could af.
ford to lose small sums now and then
rather than pay an increase of salaries
for honesty. Besides, he had an In.
expensive detective service which con-
sisted Of himself only. He would
place bills ON bis desk In his private
Office. go out. set a watch on who
entered. and II the bills were missing
on his return would know who had
stolen them. Then he would discharge
the thief.
One day no placed bill on his desk
and went out. intending to be gone
only few minutes. Half an hour
passed before he returned to find
Edgar Beckwith Just leaving the room.
Come back said Goodwin.
Edgar went back into the room and
when asked what he had wanted said
that he had been sent with n message
by the head OF one uf the departments.
while he was delivering the message
Goodwin was looking for the bill he had
left exposed. II was gone. He said
nothing about It to Edgar. but the next
morning the boy was notified that he
was discharged.
Edgar was not minded to submit pa
tiently to an imposition. He went tt
Mr. Goodwin and said to him that since
his services were no longer required ht
would not object to leaving the con
Germ. but certificate OF good charac
Ter would be necessary to enable hin
TO find another place.
Its against my rule to give certih
Gates OF good character / require nons
when hire persons. and what | don't
ask don't give
Then tell me the reason OF my dis
charge"
give you the reason you would call
upon me 10 prove 1t. That woald take
tine. Time is money"
Edgar saw by the resolute look on
the mans face that he would gail
nothing by pressing the matter anc
left with anger In his heart. He went
straight to the head OF his department
and asked for an explanation. He wa,
given the reason of his discharge ano
advised not 10 stir the matter. because
1t could only result to bis injury.
There had been two other persons In
Goldwin's private office besides Edgar
one OF whom bad taken the bill, BuI
II would be difficult to prove this ever
III an opportunity had been offered
Edgar went home and talked the mat
ter over with his mother. After think
Ing OF II she counseled him 10 swallow
the pill. Since be had not been openly
accused II was not incumbent upor
him to make a defense. and IL he madt
y defense there was every chance thar
he would not be able to prove his limo
cence.
1t happened at this time that newi
came of the death OF an uncle OF Ed
gars. who left him the sum OF $1,000
He resolved to apply a part of 1t t.
studying art. and since this would OBJ
vtate the necessity of his obtaining an
other position be concluded to accep
his mothers advice. But he swore ts
himself that a companion object t.
success In his profession should be t.
get even" with the man who had re
fused him an opportunity to vindlcatt
himself Nom charge Of being thief
Young Beckwith's talent lay In trans
uniting human face TO canvas. This
was evident from the first. and be re
solved to become portrait painter
Nevertheless he painted portraits fol
years before be obtained reputation
for excellent work. But at last be
received an order to paint the portrait
OF prominent Judge ON the bench
and succeeded In making very life
like representation Of his subject The
painting was hung In, courthouse
and every one who saw 1t admired It
From this time Beckwith received
orders from prominent men. and every
portrait Of such added to his reputa'
ton. Not only prominence In his art
but money. came TO him. Persons OF
wealth fiocked to him TO have them
selves represented on canvas.
Twelve years passed since Beckwitn
had ceased to be a clerk and become
IN artist He had grown a beard. and
his hair was already tiecked with gray.
a great change had come to his ap' |
pearance since he had been an en-
ployee In the house Of Goodwin & Co.
One morning a carriage drove up to
his studio and a man came up the
stairs. The moment he entered Beck
ovftb racoOuixad him as his former l