Year: 1874




IT has been many long days since then,
yet remember itall, just as though it had
occurred yesterday.


/ was carpenter, the foreman of a
large establishment, and as such possessed
the entire confidence of my employer,
who, by the way, had been an old school
mate of mine


One day he called me into his office to
look at some rare coins he had just pur-
chased.


Here" said he. placing in my hand a
heavy gold piece, "is one which is worth
more than all the rest put together. 1t is
great curiosity. paid 5000 for it, and
consider it cheap at that. | could easily
double my money in selling it; and so
you see, Harvey, it is good invest
ment"


"No doubt it is," said l, "though it
seems large sum to havelie idle"


l breathed an involuntary sigh as laid
the coin down on the desk, for 5000
would have seemed fortune to me just
then.


The severe illness of my wife and one
of my children, and the death of another,
made serious inroads on my purse, and it
had required the utmost economy to keep
myself free from debt; nay, had been
obliged to withdraw from the bank the
small sum which, besides my salary, was
Thinking of this, [ laid the coin down
with sigh, and turned away to attend
my duties.


The next morning / was again sum-
moned into the office, but this time met
with no friendly greeting as usual.


Harvey," said my employer, abruptly,
that coin we were looking at has disap-
peared. I have made thorough search,
but it is not to be found. It has been car
ried away by some one. You alone saw
or knew of it, and"


He paused and looked significantly
into my face. I finished the sentence for
him, the hot blood dyeing my cheek and
brow as | spoke.


"You mean, therefore, that 1 took it
Up


"What else can I think? The coin was
here; you alone saw it. I cannot recall
having seen it since it was in your hands
You are in need of money; you have told
me that yourself. 1t was great tempta-
ton, and forgive you because of our old
friendship, but [ cannot retain you in my
employ. Here is the salary due you"


Every WE'LL" said l, with forced calm
ness, " so be it. Since you have so poor
an opinion of me after years of faithful
service l shall not stop to defend my
SELF"


Then l took the money he had laid
upon the desk, and went out from his
presence well-nigh broken hearted man.
But for the tender love of my wife
doubt not but that | would have buried
my sorrows in the grave ofa suicide


Supported by that love, however, and
the consciousness of my own innocence,
/ took fresh courage, and set resolutely to
work to find new employer.


But powerful is the breath of slander
turn which way / might, 1 ever found
that the story of my dismissal for theft
had preceded me, and my application for
employment uniformly met with a re-
fusal.


Time went on; piece by piece of our
furniture and every spare article of cloth
ing found its way to the pawnbroker's,
until at length even this poor resource
failed us, and my children cried in vain
for food.


Yet did not sit down in idle despair
Icould not afford to do so; the life or
death of all l loved ON earth depended on
my exertions-and so, turning away from
home with heavy heart, [ once more
set out on the weary search for work.


AL Ill Vail! nCluSdl dIICT u10G
my entreaties for employment, and I was
turning homeward with listless step
when, passing an immense church, | was
attracted by group of lnen at its base.


Impelled by some strange impulse I
approached and mingled with them.


A workman was standing near by, look
ing up at the great steeple, which lowered
alOft some $50 feet above them, while a
gentleman, evidently an architect, was
addressing him in earnest language, and
at the same time pointing to the golden
cross at the summit of the spire.


{" | tell you," he exclaimed, as I drew
near, "it must and can be done. The
cross must be taken down, or the first
heavy gale will send it down into the
street, and lives will be lost Coward! is
this the way you back out of Job after
engaging to do it?"


| didn't know the spire was so high
up there. Do it yourself if you want it
DONE"


"I would if l were able" said the archi-
tect But go if you will, let it be. NV
honor is pledged to have it done at any
price-and l can find braver man than
you to do it."


The carpenter walked away with a
dogged, slouching step, and the gentle
man was about to move away also iwhen
stepped forward.


"What is it you want done, sir?"
asked. 81 am carpenter; perhaps can
do it."


He turned eagerly toward me.


g / will make it worth your while.
Take down that cross and / will pay you
"a hundred dollars. You will have to
ascend those ornamental blocks, and
tell you candidly they are not to be de-
pended upon; they must be weak and
rotten. for they have been there for
years"


looked at the spire; it was square at