Year: 1860

ONS WORDS,


Have you examined that bill, James


Yes, Sir


Anything wrong?


l find two errors.


Let me see.


The lad handed his employer long bill,
that had been placed ON his desk for ex-
animation .-


Here is an error in the calculation of
ten dollars, which they have made against
themselves; and another error of ten dol
lars in the footing


Also against themselves?


Yes, sir.


The merchant smiled in way that
struck the lad as peculiar.


Twenty dollars against themselves. he
said in a kind of pleasant surprise. Trus-
ty clerks they must have


Shall | correct the mistake? asked the
lad


No. let them correct their own mis-
takes. We don't examine bills for other
peoples benefit, replied the merchant It
will be time enough for us to rectify these
errors, when they find them. All so much
gain, as it now stands.


The boys delicate moral sense was shock
ed at so unexpected remark. He was
the son of poor widow, who had given
him good instruction and taught him
that to be just was the duty of all men =
Mr.. Carman, the merchant in whose en-
ployment he had been for only few
months, was an cid friend of his fathers,
and person in whom his mother reposed
the highest confidence In fact, James
had always looked upon him as kind
of model man; and when Mr.. Carman
agreed to take him in his store he felt that
a great good fortune was in his way.


Let them correct their own mistakes
The words made a strong impression on
the mind of James Lewis. When first
spoken by Mr.. Carmaa, and with the mean
ing then involved, he felt as we have said,
shocked; but as he turned them over and
over again IN his thoughts, and connected
their utterahce with person who stood so
high in his mothers estimation, he began
to think that perhaps tie thing was fair
enough in business, Mr.. Carman was
hardly the man to do wrong.


In few days after James examined the
bill, clerk from the house by which it
had been rendered called for settlement.
The lad, who was present, waited with
considerable interest to see whether Mr..
Carman would speak of the error But he
made no remark on the subject. A check
for the amount of the bill as rendered was
filled up and receipt taken.


Is that right? James asked himself
this question. His moral sense said no
but the fact that Mr., Carman had so acted
bewildered his mind


But it may be the way in business. So
he thought with hmself-but it don't look
honest. | would not have believed it of
him


Mr.. Carman had kind way with him
that won upon the boys heart, and nat
urally tended to make him Judge whatever
he might do, in the most favorable light.


l wish be had corrected that error, he
said to himself a great many times when
thinking, in pleased way, of MIR, Carman,
and his own good fortune in having been
received into his employment. It don't
look honest but still maybe it's the way
in business.


One day he went to the bank and drew
the money for check In counting it
over he found that the teller had paid him
fifty dollars too much Sc lie went back
to the counter and told him of the mistake.
The teller thanked him, and he returned
to the store, with the pleasant conscious
ness in his breast of having done right.


The teller overpaid me fifty dollars, he
said to Mr.. Carman, as he handed him the
money


Indeed replied the latter. aligbt break
ing over bis countenance. And he coun-
ted the bank-bills. The light faded as
the last bill left his, fingers.


There's no mistake. A tone Of disap-
pointment was in his voice.


OIL gave back the fifty dollars, Wasn't
that right?


You simpleton! exclaimed Mr. Carman,
Don't you know that bank mistakes are
never corrected If the teller had paid
you fifty dollare short they would not have
made it right.


The warm blood stained the checks of
james under this reDroof 1t is often the
case that more shame is felt for blunder
than a crime. In this instance the lad
felt sense of modification at having done
what Mr.. Carman was pleased to call a
silly thing: and he made up bis mind that
if III au Should oyarpav him, thnuSand dol
lars at the bank he would bring the
amount to his employer and let him do as
he pleased.


Let people look out for their own mis-
takes, said Mr. Carman.


james Lewis pondered these things in
bis heart. The impression they made was
too strong ever to be forgotten. 1t may
be right, he said to himself, hpt be did not
feel altogether satisfied.