Year: 1860

would BRING the amount to his employer,
and let him do as he pleased with the
money.


"Let people look after their own mis-
takes" said Mr.. Carman.


James Lewis pondered. these things
in his heart. The impression they
made was too strong ever to be for
gotten. cit may be right" he said to
himself, but he did not feel altogether
satisfied.


A month or two after the occurrence
of that bank mistake, as James counted
over his weekly wages, streceived from
Mr.. Carman, he discovered that he had
been paid half dollar too much. The
first impulse of his mind was to return
the half dollar to his imployer, and it
was on his lips to say, "You have given
me too much, Sir, when the unforgotten
words, "Let people look after their own
Mistakes" flashing upon his thoughts,
made him hesitate. To hold parley
with evil is in most cases to be overcome.


~ must think about this, said James
as he put the money into his pocket. If
it is true in necase, it is true in another.
Mr.. Carman don't correct mistakes that
people make in his favor; and he can't
complain when the rule works against
himself


But the boy was very far from being
in a comfortable state. He felt that to
keep that half dollar would be dishon-
est act Still he could not make up his
mind to return it; at least not then.


James did not return the half dollar,
but spent it for his own qualifications =
After he had done this it came suddenly
into his head that Mr. Carman had only
been trying him and he was filled with
anxiety and alarm.


Not long after Mr.. Carman repeated
the same mistake. James kept the half
dollar with little hesitation.


"Let him correct his own mistakes, "
said he resolutely; "that's the doctrine
he acts on with other people and he
cam complain if he gets paid inthe coin
he puts in circulation. [ just wanted
half dollar.


From this time the fine moral sense
of James Lewis was blunted. He had
taken an evil counsellor into his heart,
stimulated spirit of covetousness-
latent in almost every mind-and caused
him to desire the possession of things be-
yond his ability to obtain. ..


James had good business qualifca-
tions, and so pleased Mr.. Carman by his
intelligence, industry and tact with Gus
toners, that he advanced him rapidly,
and gave him before he was eighteen
years of age the most reliable position
in the store But James had learnt
something more from his employer than
how to do business well. He had
learned to be dishonest. He had never
| forgotten the first lesson he received in
this bad science; and he had acted upon
it not only in two instances, but in a
hundred, and almost always to the in
jury of Mr.. Carman. He had long since
given up waiting for mistakes to be
made in his favor, but originated them
in the varied and complicated transac-
tions of large business in which he
was trusted implicitly; for it had never
occurred to Mr.. Carman that his failure
to be just to the letter might prove a
snare to this young man.


James grew sharp, cunning and skill
full; always on the alert, always bright,
always prompt to meet any approaches
toward discovery of his wrong doing
by his employer, who held him in the
highest regard.


Thus it went on until James Lewis
was in his twentieth year, when the
merchant had his suspicious aroused by
a letter that spoke of the young man as
not keeping the most respectable com
pany, and as spending money to freely
for clerk on moderate salary.


Before this time James had removed
his mother into pleasant house, for
which he paid rent of four hundred
dollars. His salary was eight hundred
dollars; but he deceived his mother by
telling her that he received fifteen hun.
dred. Every comfort that she needed
was fully supplied, and she was begin.
ming to feel that after long and pain,
full struggle with the world, her happier
? days had come.


James was at his desk when the letter
was received by Mr.. Carman. He
looked stealthily at his employer as he
opened the letter, and observed him
change countenance suddenly. He read
it over twice, and James saw that the
contents produced disturbance. Mr.
Carman glanced towards the desk, anG
their eyes met; it was only for moment
but the look that James received made
his heart stop beating.


There was something about the move
ments of Mr.. Carman for the rest of the
day that troubled the young man. L
was plain that suspicious had beer
) aroused by that letter Obi how bitter
now did he repent, in dread of discovery
and punishment, the evil of which h,
had been guilty. Exposure would dis
grace and ruin him, and bow the heac
of his mother, it might be, even to tn,
grave.


"You are not well this evening"" saic
Mrs. Lewis, as she looked at her SOM
changed face across the tea-table, an,
, noticed that he did not eat.
l "My head aches"
"Perhaps this tea will make you fee
e better


L Gill lie down on the sofa in the par


lor for short time"
Mrs. Lewis followed him into tn
: parlor for a little while, and sittin,


down by the sofa ON which he was lyin;
t placed her hand upon his head. All
e it would take more than loving press


ure of mothers hand to ease the pail
S from which he was suffering. TIL


touch Of that pure hand increased tn
\ pain to agony.


). "Doyou feel better?" asked Mrs. Lewis
after she had remained for some tim


with her hand ON his forehead.
: "Not much" he replied; and risin
: as ne spoke, he added, II think a wal