Year: 1869

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a sort Of modification at having done what
MIR. Carman was pleased to call silly thing,
and he made up his mind that il they she uld
even overpay him thousand dollars at the
bank he should bring the amount to his en-
ployer, 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
own heart. The impression they made was
too strong ever to be forgotten 1T may be
right" he said, but he did not feel altogeth-
er satisfied.


A mouth or two after the occurrence of
the bank mistake, as James counted over
his weekly wages, just received from Mr..
Carman, he discovered that he Was paid a
half dollar too much.


The first impulse of his mind was to re-
turned the half dollar to his employer, and
it was on his lips to say, You have given
me halt a dollar too much, SIR" when the
unforgotten words, Let people look after
their own Mistakes flashing upon his
| thoughts, made him hesitate. To hold a
| parley with evil is to be overcome.
Il must think about this, said james,
| as he put the money into his pocket ST
! it is true in one case it is true In another.
Mr.. Carman don't correct mistakes that
people make in his favor, and he can't com
plain when the rule works against himself. y


But the boy was far from being in a COM
Portable state. He felt that tokeep a half dol
lar would be dishonest act. Stillhe 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 qualification. After he
had done this it came suddenly into his
head that Mr.. Carman had only bean trying
him, and he was filed with anxiety and
alarm.


Not long after Carman repeated the mis-
take. James kept the half dollar with less
hesitation.


Let him correct his own mistakes, said
he resolutely; that's the doctrine he acts
on with other people, and he can't complain
if he gets paid back in the same 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 counselor into his heart, stimulated
spirit of covetousness, latent in almost
every mind, which caused him to desire the
possession of things beyond his ability to
obtain.


james had good business qualifications,
and SO pleased Mr. Carman by his intelli-
gence, industry, and tact with customers,
that he advanced him rapidly aud gave him.
before he was eighteen years of age, the
most reliable position in the store. But
james had learned something more from
his employer than how to do business well
He had learned to be dishonest He had
never forgotten the first les 'on he had re
ceIved in this bad science; he had acted
not only in two instances, but in hundred,
and always to the injury of Mr.. Carman.
He had long since given up waiting for mis-
takes to be made in his favor, but origina-
ted them in the varied and complicated
transactions of large business in which he
was trusted implicitly; for it had never oc-
Cured to Mr.. Carman that his failure to be
just TO the letter might prove snare to this
young man.


James grew sharp. cunning and skillful |:
always on the alert, always bright and ready
to meet any approaches toward a discovery
of his wrong doing by his employer, who
held him in the highest regard.


Thus it went on until James was in his
twentieth year when rhe merchant had his
suspicious aroused by letter which spoke
of the young man as not keeping the most
respectable company, and as spending mon
ey too 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. but he deceived
his mother by telling her 1t was fifteen hun
dred. Every comfort that she needed was
fully supplied, and she was beginning to
think that after a long and painful struggle
with the world, her happiest days bad come.
James was at his desk when the letter was
received by Mr. Carman. He looked at his
employer and saw him change countenance
suddenly. He read it over twice and James
saw that the contents produced disturbance.
Mr.. Carman glanced toward the desk, 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.. Larman for the rest of the
day that troubled the young man. 1t was
plain to him that suspicion had been arous-
ed by that letter. o, how bitterly did he
repent, in dread of discovery and punish
ment, the evil OF which he had been guilty.
Exposure would disgrace and ruin him, and
bow the head of his widowed mother even
to the grave.


You are not we'll this evening, said
Mrs. Lewis, as she looked at her son S chang.
ed face across the table, and noticed that he
did not eat.


My head aches"


Perhaps the tea will make you feel bet
| ter"


.J'll lie down on the sofa in the parlo,