Year: 1866

i
determination.


| l now returned to the house of
business. There was considerable
sum in the till, of which | kept the
key-more than one hundred and
tifty pounds. | took from it, tremb-
ling the while like leaf, the money
needed, and not shilling more,
and shortly afterwards, pleading a
violent headache, | returned home
and paid out the broker, to the great
Joy of my wife.


The dinner passed off in most
satisfactory manner, although perhaps
it appeared more so to me than it
really was from the quantity of wine
that | had drank to drown the thought
of the action l had committed. The
next morning | rose with a severe
headache; and my wife was so over
come with her exertiens the day be-
fore, that | left her in bed when
went to business. However, argued
it mattered but little? the next day
would be Sunday, and then [ should
have ample time and opportunity to
express my determination to my
wife, for | was fully resolved l would
sell every stick offurniture l possess
ed, and enter some cheap ready-fur-
nished lodgings nearer the house Of
business. On the Sunday I told my
wife the resolution | had come to,
and terrible scene we had of it.
She accused me of gross cruelty and
meanness. She told me | might at
least have waited till the wedding
was over, and then she would have
offered no objection. Many times I
was on the point of telling her of the
desperate action | committed, for [
would not acknowledge to myself it
was dishonest one, although should
have considered it infamous to an
other. Charlotte at last came to my
wifes aid, and her tears quite sub
dued my courage. As the license
for her marriage had already, been
obtained, at last gave way; and it
was understood between US, that as
soon as the marriage came of, which
was to take place in a fortnight my
plan would be adopted.


One morning in the next week |
received a message from the firm to
attend at the city house of business
about some alteration in my duties,
| Immediately suspected there was
some change to be made in the man.
ner of paying the weavers, which had
already been limited at once or twice
and that ny accounts would be audit
ed on the next Saturday, the last IN
the month. When [ arrived, there
was no one in the counting house, and
on the desk was a new blank-cheque-
book. The devil prompted me, and
neatly abstracted from a blank
oheque and put it in my pocket.
When | saw the head partner he re-
ceived me very cody, and told me
that on the next Saturday my books
were to be examined, and a new sys-
tenn was to be adopted. | promised
everything should be in readiness,
AVID left him.


was now desperate, and resolved
on forging my employers name to a
cheque for one hundred pounds; but
when took the pen in my hand, |
lost all courage. Still, | argued, it
must be done; and went to the pub
lie house, and after drinking two
glasses of gin and water, | had suffi-
cient nerve to commit the forgery.
| But now how was | to get the
cheque cashed? At last | remem-
bered that my daughters suitor was to
call in the evening, and | resolved to
make him my tool. When | arrived
at home | again applied to the bottle
for courage, and as he was leaving
the house | told him | should be
obliged to him if he would get cheque
cashed for me at the London and
County Bank the next day, and bring
me the money in the evening. He
readily promised to do so, and kept
his word: but unfortunately he was
personally acquainted with the cashier
and they had some little conversation
together on different subjects. To
shorten a sad story the fraud was
detected, and | was tried and found
guilty. My employers recommended
me to mercy on account Of my previ
GUS good character, and | was sen


fenced to only three years imprison-
ment. My daughters marriage was
of course broken off, and my wife has
died of broken heart. Some weav
ers kindly assisted my children, but


the youngest were sent to the work


house and my family broken up.
: have paid dearly enough for couple
of years gentility. When l leave


here, God only knows what shall do
my character is gone, and nobody vii
employ me.


The EDITORIAL TREADMILL.-Tht
Home Journal thus describes the edi
torial burdens:


at is one of the hardships of oul
profession that its working wheels
brain and heart-are not allowed tt
. lag for sickness or stop for calamity
t of sorrow. The judge may adjourn