Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1913-10-31
His Portrait
How a Rich Man
Paid For an
Injustice
By ANDREW C. EWING

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shown a marked artistic ability, wished
30 be an artist, but his father had
recently died leaving no estate, and
Bdgar, far from having the means y
study a profession, was Obliged b
support bis mother. He obtained a
position in the mercantile house Of
Goodwin & Co. at SIS a week.
Mt. Goodwin claimed that a business
plant should be run on strictly busi-
ness pnncipleA He paid very low
salaries, not inquiring into the honesty
Of his less important employees, his
chief object being 10 get hts work done
cheaply. He figured that be could az
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 his desk In bis private
ONCE, go out, set a watch on who
entered. and II the bills were missing
on bis return would know who had
stolen them, Then be would discharge
the thief.
One day be placed a bill on his desk
and went out intending to be gone
only a 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 be had wanted said
that be had been sent with a message
by the head Of one Of the departments.
While be was delivering the message
Goodwin was looking for the bill he had
left exposed. 1t was gone. BE said
nothing about 1t to Edgar. but the next
morning the boy was notified that he
was discharged
Edgar was not minded t submit pa.
dently to an imposition. He went to
Mr.. Goodwin and said to him that since
bis services were no longer required be
would not object to leaving the con.
Germ. but a certificate Of good charac.
ter would be necessary to enable him
to 6nd another place.
It's against my rule to give certin-
Gates Of good character. l require mont
when | hire persons, and what 1 don't
ask don't give"
Then tell me the reason of my dis
charge"
THAT I decline to do also. should |
give you the a you would call
upon me to prove IT, That would take
dme- Time is money!
Edgar saw by the resolute look on
the mans face that he would gain
nOfhfnO hv nra,sfro A. $500. -.
left with anger In his heart he went
straight to the head of his department
and asked for an explanation. He was
given the eaSOn OF his discharge and
advised not to stir the matter, because
1t could only result to his injury.
There had been two other persons In
Goldwin's private ONCE besides Edgar,
n OF whom had taken the bill. But
It would be difficult to prove this even
II an opportunity had besn offered
Edgar went home and talked the mat.
ter over with his mother. After think.
ing OF IL she counseled him 10 swallow
the pill. Since he had not been openly
accused It was not incumbent upon
him to make a defense. and II he made
a defense there was every chance that
he would not be able to prove his limo.
cence
IL happened at this time that news
came Of the death Of an uncle OF Ed
gaTH, who left him the sum Of $1,000
He resolved to apply a part Of It TO
studying art. and since this would OBJ
viate the necessity OF his obtaining an
other position he concluded to accept
his mothers advice. But he sworo to
himself that a companion object tU
success In bis profession should be 20
get even" With the man who had re-
fused him an opportunity to vindicate
himself from 9 charge OF being a thief.
Young Beckwtth's talent lay Ii trans
hitting a human face to canvas. This
was evident from the first and be 70
solved to become a portrait painter.
Nevertheless be painted portraits for
years before be obtained q reputation
for excellent work. But at last be
received nm order to paint the portrait
Of a prominent judge on the bench
and succeeded In making a very life
like representation Of his subject The
painting was hung in a courthouse.
and every n who saw It admired IT,
From this time Beckwith received
orders from prominent men. and every
portrait OF such added 20 his reputa
ton. Not only prominence In his art.
but money. ZANE to him. Persons Of
wealth dOcked to him to have them
selves represented on canvas.
Twelve years passed since Beckwith
had ceased TO DO a clerk and become
an artist. he had grOwn a beard. and
bis hair was already hecked with gray.
A great change had come TO his ap-
pearance since be had been an EN-.
plOyee In the house OF Goodwin & Co.
One morning a carriage drove mp 20
his studio and a mar Sam0 up the
stairs. The mcment he entered Beck
With recognized him as his former
employer. But the artist saw that he
was not himself recognized.
Il believe you are q portrait painter.
cir" said the visitor In a tone be would
have used II be had been asking II a
nold monno trana.