Year: 1877


| IL has been many long day since then,
yet l remember it all just at though it had
occurred but yesterday.
was carpenter, the forman of large
establishment, and as such, possessed the
entir confidence of my employer, who, by
the way, had been schoolmate of mine
one day he called me into his office to see
some rare coins that he had just purchased.
Here" said he, placing a large gold


coin in my hand, {" is one worth
more than all the rest put together. It is
great curiosity, paid 5000 for it, and
consider it chegp at that. 1 could easily
double my money in selling it; and so
you see, Harvey, it is really good in
vestment."


"No doubt IL is" said 1 "though il
idle"


breathed an involuntary sigh, as 1
lad the coin down on the desk, for $500
would have seemed fortune to me Just
then.
The severe illness of my wife and one
OF my children, and the death of anothe,
made serious iHroads on my purse, and it
required the exercise of the most rigid
economy to keep myself from debt; nay,
l had been compelled to draw from the
bank the small sum, which besides nv
salary, was all possessed of worldly
treasures. Thinking of this, laid the
precious coin down, and with a sigh
quietly turned away to attend to my du-
ties.


Ihe next morning l 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 dis
appeared. l have made thorough search
but 1t is not to be found. 1t has been
carried away by some one. ou alone saw
or knew of it, and"


He paused and looked significantly in
my face. l finished the sentence for him,
the hot bleod dyeing my cheeks and brow
as spoke.


"You mean, therefore, that took


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


"Very WE'LL" said 1, with forced calm
ness, $50 be it. Since you have so
poor an opinion of me after years of
faithful service, shall not stop to defend
myself"


Then l took the money which he had
lain upon the desk, and went out from
his presence a well nigh broken hearted
man.


But for the tender love OF my wife,
l doubt not but that l would have
buried my sorrows in the grave of a sui
eide.


Supported by that love, however, and
the consciousness of my own innocence, 1
took fresh courage, and set resolutely to
work to find a new employer.


But powerful is breath of slander,
turn which way might found the story
ofmy dismissal for theft had proceeded me
and my applications for employment met
with refusal.


Time went on; piece by piece our furni-
ture and every article of clothing found
its way to the pawnbrokers, until at
length, even this poor resource failed
us, and my children called in vain for
bread.


Yet did not sit down in idle dispair,
1 could not afford to do so; the life or
death of all loved on this earth depend
ed on my exertion-and so, turning away
from them with heavy neart, l once
more set out on the weary search for
work.


All in vain! Refusal after refusal met
my entreaties for employment, and 1 was
home with listless step, when |
passing an immense church, was attrac- |
ted by group of men at its base.


Impelled by some sort of strange i'm
pulse, l approached and mingled among
them.


A workman was standing near by look
ing up at the great steeple which lowered
aloft some 270 feet above them, while a
evidently an architect, was ad-
dressing him in earnest language, and at |
;he same time pointing toward the golden
cross at the summit of the spire.


81 tell you," he exclaimed as l drew
near, '';t can and must be done. The
,ross must be taken down, or the first
leavy gale will send it down into the
street and lives will be lost. Coward! is
his the way you back out of ajob after
engaging to do it?'


~ didn't know the spire was so high.
Do it yourself if you must have it DONE"


81 would, if l were able" said the ar
,hitect. "But go if you will; let it be.
Ny honor is pledged to have it down at
my price-and can find braver man
han you to do it."


The carpenter walked away with dog
ed, slouching step, and the gentleman
vas also about to move away, as / step
,ed forward.


"What is it you want done, sir?" l ask
d. 81 am a carpenter: perhaps l can do
l."