NEXT DOOR TO CRIMINALS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12621, 2 October 1901, Page 6

NEXT DOOR TO CRIMINALS.

A postman who had retired on a pension,, after many years of faithful service, once told the writer of one great temptation in his younger days, which was resisted, under the following circumstances. His wife had been seriously . ill nearly twelve months, and, as if -t/liab were not trouble and expense enough, Ms two children got scarlet fever, and when they came out of hospital the local sanitary authority sent him in a stiff bill of expenses. His funds were almost exhausted and he knew not where to turn. He was clearing a let-ter-box early one morning, and 'there was not a soul about. It was in a district where he knew some of the letters would have valuable contents. Close driven as he was to. pay his way, he locked all and finding himself unobserved, he slipped a handful of letters inside the breast of his tunic instead of into his collecting bag. His intention was to steam them open an home. Just at that moment a sudden gust of wind banged the letter-box door to, and this brought him to his senses. He saw the door of the Post Office closed against him, and the door of a prison shut behind him. He saw his wife heart-broken and his children disgraced. He put the letters into the proper receptacle,-locked the let-ter-box, and hurried away to the office. That incident was the lesson of his 'lifetime, and no man was more trusted, and deservedly so, to the close of his official career than he was. That awful experience strengthened his will to be honest and play the man, and he was " ABOVE TEMPTATION FROM THAT DAT FORWARD. A young fellow who held a responsible position in.a leading wholesale drapery house, had formed acquaintanceship with a set which, though not exactly wild, Irad more means at their disposal than he, with the inevitable result that he got jnto debt. Being in the counting-house, he frequently handled the firm's money, and one day, in desperation, he " borrowed" an amount which had 'been paid to him by a country customer. When he got home, his wife asked him, after tea, to lock after the little one, who was suffering from a cough, while she went to the nearest chemist for some remedy! He took the sweet little mite of three into his arms and sat her on his knee. The little one, who could prattle nicely, after playing with his watch and chain, dived into another pocket, where were several gold coins representingthe value of the notes which he toad cashed at a hotel where he was known. With a cry of glee ,the child pulled out a tiny handful and exclaimed; "O, papa! What pretty money! Is it yours?" He almost dropped the child to the floor. It was not his. money, and the' fact was thus driven 'home, and) as sow as lire could next day, without causing comment, he placed th* money 'to ithe credit of,the firm.. But 'he never forget the: shock occasioned THE INNOCENT INQTJIBT OF HIS CHILD. InXamother instance, a cashier who was in financial straits elaborated! with care a scheme for falsifying bis accounts. He went over the whole thing carefully, and assured himself 'that detection was wdl•oigh impossible. He had fixed the date: to put his sohcipe into operation, and the night before he sat up going over the d'eteils. In the morning, on his way to the offier, he decided to postpone until the following day the eommii'ttal of the crime. Throughout the day he was pale and agitated, and one of the partners spoke most kindly, and urged him to stay at home the following day airi rest. This coirj'sideration so touched him tfeat he resolved to abandon his dishonest scheme and deserve itiie confidence of his employers. Tho second partner, noticing' hie absence the next miorning, inquired the reason of the head partner, ar.id the former eonfid'ed! to ham that he had G'bs::rved Mr So-acd-So's demeanour for soma time, and be cculd not get out of his mind that perhaps his accounts were not in

order. For his own satisfaction that night THE BOOKS WERE OVERHAULED AND FOUND ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. But the partners little knew how perilously near their oaishier Ihad ueen to a criminal aot. A lady's maid purchased; at one of the shops in Regent Street.'an imitation diamond ring. She shortly took up new duties in attendance on a young lady who is a' noted society belle'. The young lady ,inv question had a great deal of jewellery, esn&f as is often the case, she was very careless with regard to it; and, indeed, but for the care of her maid, much of it might have been missing. The iriaid frequently found a ring here, or a brooch there, in.her lady's rooms, and one of the rings -struck her as bearing a remarkable resemblance to the imitation diamond purchased' in Regent Street. The temptation to substitute one for tho other was strong, and in a weak moment the maid effected the exchange. The young lady did not notice anything, and on more than one occasion went into society with the imabaition diamond ring cm her finger. The lady's-maid, however, vras tinually apprehensive, and remorse at her dMionest act ind'uead 1 her to effect another transfer, and restore the genuine ring to its case. The following' day the young lady took it into her head to have all her jewellery valued*, amd 1 took them to a .jeweller's for the purpose. The lady's-maid had: a narrow escape from guilt, -v..