"I laid it all on your desk, sir."
Mr. Thomas looked steadily into the boy's face, and seeing nothing but
an honest purpose there, said, "Another time put the money into my
hands, my boy."
When the busy season came on, one of the head clerks was taken sick, and
William rendered himself useful to the bookkeeper by helping him add
some of his tall columns. Oh, how glad he was now for his drilling in
arithmetic, as the bookkeeper thanked him for his valuable help.
[Illustration: _William Helped the Bookkeeper_]
Ashton often asked William to go and ride, or to visit the oyster
saloons, or the bowling alley, or the theatre. To all invitations of
this kind, William had but one answer. He always said he had no time, or
money to spare for such things. After the day's work was done, he loved
to get back to his chamber to read. He did not crave perpetual
excitement, or any more eating and drinking than was supplied at his
usual meals.
Not so with Ashton. This young man had indulgent parents, and a plenty
of money, or it seemed so to William; and yet he ate it, or drank it, or
spent it in other things, as fast and so soon that he was often
borrowing from the other clerks.
Ashton joked William upon his "stiff notions," but the truth was that
William was far the happier of the two.
At last a half bale of goods was missing; searching inquiries were made,
and the theft was traced to Ashton. O the shame and disgrace of the
discovery! but alas, it was not his first theft. Ashton had been in the
habit of stealing little sums in order to get the means to gratify his
taste for pleasure; and now that his guilt had come to light, he ran
off, and before his parents were aware of it, fled to a far country, an
outcast from his beautiful home, from his afflicted friends, and from
all the comforts and blessings of a virtuous life.
William is rapidly rising in the confidence and respect of his
employers, fearing God, and faithful in duty.
[Illustration: "_An outcast from his beautiful home_."]
[Illustration: _The Fatal Ten Minutes' Delay_]
[Illustration: "_Ten minutes more to sleep in his chair_."]