A GOOD many years ago a merchant missed from his cash drawer a gold piece. No one had been to the drawer, it was proved, except a young cleric whose name was Weston. The merchant had sent him there to make change for a customer, and the next time the drawer was opened the gold piece had disappeared.
Naturally, Weston was suspected of having stolen it, and more especially as he appeared a few days after the occurrence in a new suit of clothes. Being asked where he had bought the clothes, Weston gave the name of the tailor without hesitation. The merchant went privately to make inquiries and discovered that Weston had paid for the suit with a ten-dollar gold piece.
That afternoon the young clerk was called into the merchant’s private room and charged with the theft.
“It is useless to deny it,” the merchant said, “you have betrayed yourself with these new clothes, and now the only thing that you can do is to make a full confession of your fault.”
Weston listened with amazement; he could hardly believe at first that such an accusation could be brought against him, but when he saw that his employer was in earnest he denied it indignantly, and declared that the money he had spent for the clothes had been a gift to him.
The merchant sneered at such an explanation.
“Who was it who gave the money to you? Produce the person,” he demanded, “It was a lady,” answered Weston, “and I can not produce her, for she died last spring. I can tell you her name,”
“Can you bring me anybody that saw her give you the money or knew of your having it?” asked she merchant.
“No, I can not do that,” Weston had to answer. “I never told any one about the gift, for she did not wish me to, but I have a letter from her somewhere in which she speaks of sending the money, if I have not lost it.”
“I dare say you have lost it,” the merchant sneered. “When you have found it, sir, you can bring it to me, and then I will believe your story.”
Weston went home with a heavy heart. He had no idea where the letter was; he could not be sure that he had not destroyed it; and yet, unless he could produce it his character was ruined, for lie saw that the merchant was fully convinced of his guilt, and appearances, indeed, were sadly against him.
But Weston knew the Lord Jesus as His Saviour, and this was not the first time he had gone to Him with his burdens. He went home, got on his knees, and unburdened his heart to the Lord. He then began to overhaul the contents of his desk and trunk and closet.
He kept his papers neatly, and it did not take long to see that the letter was not among them. He sat down with a sense of despair when he was convinced of this. What else could he do? Again he got on his knees and asked the Lord for help, guidance and strength to endure whatever trouble God might choose to send upon him.
When he rose from his knees, he happened to catch his foot in an old rug that he had nailed down to the carpet because it was always curling at the edges. The nail at the corner had come out, and stooping down to straighten the rug he saw a bit of paper peeping out. He pulled it from its hiding place, and it was the letter.
How it got there he did not know. The fact that he had found it was enough for him. His heart went out in thanksgiving and praise to the Lord for such deliverance.
Weston brought the letter to his employer. It proved his innocence, and he apologized. A month later the gold piece was found in Mr. Finch’s own overcoat pocket. He had never put it in the cash drawer at all. Weston kept his job with a raise in salary.
ML-12/15/1935