Passing Through the Fire
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"The trials of life are the tests which ascertain how much gold is in us."
Few men moved before the world in so blameless a life as Francis Hartley. For strict integrity, few bore so high a character. His word was regarded as equal to his bond; and this was said of him by hundreds.
"As honest as Frank Hartley!" passed into a proverb in the immediate circle of his most intimate friends.
That he was held in this honorable estimation, was no secret to Hartley. And the reader will not feel much surprise when we say that a knowledge of the fact was to him a source of no ordinary pride and pleasure.
"I am an honest man," he would often say to himself, in the silent chamber of his thoughts; and as he gave mental utterance to this impression, Mr. Hartley's bosom would swell, his head become more erect, and his step more stately.
"I am an honest man." With what an intense feeling of self-gratification would Mr. Hartley sometimes give utterance to these words! And this, not always in his own heart; for that which gives us a high degree of pleasure will find oral expression.
"Yes, I am honest," he said to a business man, one day, in whose account he corrected a mistake of five hundred dollars against himself. The words were in response to these words of like import —
"Mr. Hartley, you are an honest man."
"Yes, I am honest; and that reflection gives me the highest pleasure of my life," said Hartley, with something of pride in his bearing; for in him, the love of reputation was strong.
He did not remember, at the time, the quick impulse which moved him to an appropriation of the five hundred dollars to his own benefit; nor the brief struggle that followed, before he arose above the temptation. No! The struggle was brief — the conquest easy; so brief and so easy, that it left but a slight impression behind.
Well for Mr. Hartley would it have been if he had closely examined his heart, and learned by what power he so quickly overcame in this trial of his principles. Had he done so, he would have discovered that the argument — "It is an evil thing to wrong my neighbor; and, because it is evil, I will not take advantage of his error" — never once was urged. Instead thereof, there came this instinctive thought, followed by a low shudder —
"The mistake might be discovered, and then I would be disgraced."
A sense of pleasure supervened, as his mind pictured the surprise, gratitude, and admiration of the merchant, when he called upon him to rectify an error of five hundred dollars against himself.
The single instance referred to, may be regarded as one in hundreds that occurred in Mr. Hartley's business life. And the glimpse we have given of his true character, is sufficient to enable the reader to understand something of his real quality, and the difference between that and the appearance he presented to the world.
"I would scorn such an act," was a favorite expression of Hartley's, whenever instances of trickery, overreaching, or gross acts of dishonesty, happened to be the theme of remark in business circles.
This, and other expressions of a similar character, were ever on the tongue of Mr. Hartley; and, if judged by his actions, he would not have been found lacking.
"So much for honesty! So much for a good reputation!" he murmured to himself, after having received from one of the largest and wealthiest houses in the city, a proposition to wind up his rather limited business operations, and take charge of their Western branch, with a co-partnership interest.
When this proposition, so advantageous in every way, was made to him, it was accompanied with a frank avowal, that he had been selected, because it was known that he could be trusted.
The position of Western resident-partner, was one of great responsibility, and as the presence of the member of the firm who had been in Cincinnati for five years was needed at the East, it became necessary to bring into the business, another partner. Hence the offer to Hartley.
"So much for honesty! So much for a good reputation!" repeated Hartley to himself, over and over again, with a feeling of pride and self-elation that, for a time, gave a low, delightful tremor to every nerve.
It is usually the case that men who value themselves on the possession of certain good qualities — to despise those who do not possess the same qualities, and are often too prone to visit severely derelictions in that particular direction. Thus it was with Hartley. He never spared the dishonest man. The unfortunate, he pitied; but towards the dishonest, he felt anger.
Not always were his discriminations accurate in the case of the unfortunate. He was a sort of dishonesty-hunter; and quick to start his game; so quick, that he not infrequently shot the wrong bird!
Proud in the advantage which came to him, as the result of years of honesty in business, Mr. Hartley entered upon his new sphere of activity in the West. He soon found himself in the command of large interests, large influence, and immense sums of money — compared with the amount formerly handled. So entire was the confidence reposed in him by his partners in the East, that few of the usual checks and balances were arranged before his departure. And now was to come the great trial of his life — the test of his real principles. Hitherto, a love of reputation, and a belief in the old adage — "Honesty is the best policy," had made him scrupulously honest in all his dealings. But now his reputation was established — he was known as "Honest Frank Hartley" — and he had gained the reward of his honesty, in an association that would, in the end, give him a large fortune.
From this time, there was a change in the current of Mr. Hartley's thoughts and feelings. He no longer acted from a love of reputation — no longer had pleasant feelings as the thought glided through his mind that his name had passed into a proverb. A stronger affection possessed his heart — partially latent before — but now quickened into the fullest activity; this was the love of gain. And as it grew stronger, day by day, the thoughts of Mr. Hartley gradually became more active in the consideration of personal benefit, than it was in furthering the interest of those who had so largely confided in him.
Of this, he was at first scarcely aware, for our affections bear us on as the current of a stream bears a vessel upon its bosom — so quietly and pleasantly, that we hardly perceive the motion.
For a year, in all his actions Mr. Hartley was true to the trust reposed in him. There had been occasional allurements, though not so strong as to draw him aside. But he was in the way of temptation; for the balance of his bank account was frequently heavy, and he had so large a range of money operations, of which his partners were not cognizant, that it would be the easiest thing in the world to use funds for purposes of his own, reap a benefit, and return them, without any knowledge of the fact passing on to the East.
One day a keen money-speculator said to him —
"Do you want to make a few thousand dollars?"
"How?" was the question of Hartley.
"Have you four or five thousand dollars idle?"
"Yes."
"Buy up shares in the ___ Company."
"That stock has been running down."
"I know. But the tide is about changing. It will run up some twenty or thirty dollars a share. I say this to you as a friend. You can take advantage of it or not."
"Do you speak by the card?" said Hartley, with some eagerness of manner.
"I do."
"Very well. I'll think of it. Thank you for the information."
Hartley understood clearly the meaning of this. He knew that there was no change in the prospects of the Company to warrant a rise in its depressed stock; and that, if a rise did take place, it would be only the effect of speculation — or, in plainer words, falsehood, trickery, and fraud.
"Is it honest?" Was this the question he asked himself? No! That thought did not cross his mind. He was rather intent upon the question — "Can I fully rely upon this opinion about the stock?"
Satisfied, from his knowledge of the money-speculator, that his judgment might be trusted, he determined to make a temporary investment of five thousand dollars in the stock referred to, and to sell out as soon as the quotations reached a certain price. For the benefit of his partners, as well as himself? Oh, no! For his private benefit alone.
It must not be supposed that, when Mr. Hartley came to the act of checking to the amount of five thousand dollars on the funds in bank for his own speculating purposes — he was not warned by conscience of the wrong he was about enacting.
"Is this right?" It seemed almost as if a voice had given audible utterance to these words.
But he shut his ears and moved onward in the dangerous path he had entered. In two months from that day, Hartley sold the stock which had cost him five thousand, for eight thousand dollars. In the mean time, letters came from the East, asking for all the money he could remit, as large payments had to be made. Of course, the money invested by him in stock could not be sent. He felt a little uncomfortable about this; the more particularly, as the fact that he ought to have forwarded a larger sum, made him feel that his partners would expect a larger one. With some little uneasiness, he waited until an acknowledgment of the remittance was received. It was satisfactory, and Hartley breathed freely again.
This stock speculation was the initiatory step in a dangerous path. It was the first slight deviation in Hartley's line of virtue, or rather, his first deviation from the line of virtue. Two lines, projected side by side, may slowly diverge from each other in the beginning, so imperceptibly as scarcely to show a difference in parallel; but the longer they are continued, the wider will be their divergence, until the distance between them becomes immense. All this is equally true of the two lines of virtue and vice. At first, they often seem perfectly parallel to each other; and thousands have been led on to ruin for lack of a just perception of the difference. Thus it was with Hartley.
It is not our design to pursue Hartley, step by step, along the path in which his selfish desire for gain induced him to enter. His first successful speculation not only dimmed his moral perceptions, but awakened new and stronger avarices; and thus his mind was turned more away from the co-partnership interests — to such as were directly personal to himself. Daily, from this time, did his path of life diverge from that of the strictest rectitude of conduct. The love of gain was swallowing up or overlaying all the better principles of his mind. He had two interests now to subserve — that of the business entrusted to his care so confidingly, and his own interests separate from those of his partners. He found it, as all will find it, hard to serve two masters.
Five or six years passed away, and not a breath of suspicion had been wafted to the ears of Mr. Hartley's associates at the East; for he had, with great prudence, as he thought, remained apparently unconnected with large operations out of his legitimate business, in which he was really concerned. This very prudent arrangement proved his ruin.
About this time, we will again present him to the reader. He was sitting alone, with a stern cast of thought on his brow, when a man entered his little private office, with a hurried air.
"You must raise ten thousand dollars today for me," said the latter, in an excited, imperative manner.
"It is impossible. Did I not tell you so last evening, Mr. Parker?"
"I know you did; but, for all that, you must raise it. You can do it, if you will; and there is far too much at stake for you to hesitate a moment."
Hartley arose and crossed the narrow room four or five times in an agitated manner.
"Too much at stake!" How like blows did the words fall upon his heart. Yes, there was too much at stake.
"The notes of our firm are already out for over fifty thousand dollars," said he, with a look of distress, "and this independent of the regular business. Our credit will stand no more."
"Give me notes for ten thousand more, and I will trust to the good credit of your business," returned his companion.
"I dare not do it," said Hartley, in a quick, stern voice.
"Rather say you dare not refuse," answered Parker, who had regained his self-possession, and stood with his small, keen eyes fixed upon the countenance of Hartley.
For a considerable time, the latter remained in deep thought. Then slowly resuming his place at his desk, he opened a book of bill-forms and drew a note at ninety days, for ten thousand dollars, in favor of Andrew Parker, and signed it with the signature of the firm to which he belonged.
"That will do," said Parker, as he fairly clutched the little piece of paper. "All is safe. Good day. I will see you again tonight."
For the space of nearly half an hour, Hartley remained almost immovable in body, but there was a tempest of agitation in his mind. For some time past, he had not been altogether satisfied with the movements of his partner in gain, outside of the firm of F. Hartley, Jones & Co., with whom he had involved himself and the firm to the amount of over a hundred thousand dollars. And he had good reason to be troubled. Before his first arrangement with this man, he should have remembered that it is always dangerous for anyone to put himself in the power of another who is willing to enter into a league with him, in operations of doubtful morality. What was exceedingly doubtful on this score in the operations of Hartley and Parker, was the use of the money and credit of F. Hartley, Jones & Co. in operations outside of their business, and for private benefits. Such use of money and credit was not honest.
A very troubled day for Mr. Hartley followed. More than once, during the past few weeks, had doubts of Parker crossed his mind; and now, as a thought of his playing false occurred to him, he shuddered, and became really heart-sick.
It was about half-past three, and Mr. Hartley had just returned to his store after dining, when a notary came in and asked for the payment of a note of five thousand dollars drawn by Parker & Co., and endorsed by F. Hartley, Jones & Co.; and the payment of a note of like amount, drawn by F. Hartley, Jones & Co., in favor of Parker & Co.
"Have you seen Mr. Parker?" asked Hartley, in a hoarse voice. He had become instantly as pale as death.
"I called at his place of business, but he was not there."
Stunned and bewildered, it was some time before Hartley could collect his thoughts sufficiently to say —
"I will have all right before bank-hours tomorrow morning."
The notary departed, and Mr. Hartley left a few minutes afterwards hurriedly. He had not proceeded far, before he met a friend, who said to him, "Have you heard the news?"
"What?"
"Parker has been protested."
"So I have just learned," replied Hartley, in a disturbed voice.
"Does he owe you much?"
"Yes, a good deal," was answered evasively.
"It will be a bad failure, in my opinion."
"You think so?"
"I'm pretty sure of it; Parker is a slippery fellow. This is not his first failure."
"Does he owe you?" asked Hartley.
"Not a dollar. He tried to draw me into some of his wonderful money-making schemes, but I'm too old a bird to be caught with such chaff. I'm only sorry you did not know him better."
"Good-day," murmured Hartley, as he turned off. To Parker's place of business he went, but did not succeed in finding the person he sought — nor was he able to see him until near eleven o'clock that night. The first ten minutes of the interview that followed, satisfied him that he was a ruined man — ruined in fortune and reputation. He had been playing a desperate game, and the cards had turned up adversely.
A week from that time, protested liabilities of the Cincinnati branch of the firm in which Hartley was a partner, came to the East for collection. They were in heavy sums. These, with a brief, hurried, and unsatisfactory letter from Hartley, proved to his partners the first intimation that anything was wrong. It was to them as sudden and astounding as a clap of thunder from an unclouded sky. In Hartley, they had reposed the most implicit confidence. Not in a single instance had doubts as to his unflinching integrity, under the severest enticements, crossed their minds.
The result is told in a few words. One of the partners proceeded to the West immediately. He found Hartley self-possessed, and inclined to evade a severe scrutiny into his business operations. The love of reputation, the desire still to be thought an honest man had returned, and he was anxious to conceal the fact that he had been using the money and credit of the firm to an enormous amount, in private enterprises.
But evasion and hindrances of investigation were of little avail. The whole affair was sifted to the bottom, and Hartley's operations exposed to the public eye.
It was then that the unhappy man fell from a dizzy height. It was then that he shrank, as it were, into very nothingness. It was then that he saw his real face in a mirror, and knew what kind of man he was. Not "Honest Frank Hartley." Alas, no! He had never been honest at the core; had never shunned wrong to his neighbor, as sin. He had tried to appearhonest in the sight of man, but not in the sight of God; and when the great trial of his life, which was to test his quality, came, the apparent gold which glittered so brightly before the world's eye, vanished into worthless dross!
Ten years have glided away, and there is now, in a far western city, an unobtrusive man engaged in a small trading business; he shuns society, and has only a few friends. Those who can get near enough to him to understand his disposition and character, like him. He is intelligent, but has little to say about the moralities of life; yet, to all appearance, his own life is blameless. He is known to be strictly honest in his dealings, man with man, and he is esteemed a kind husband and father by all his neighbors; but his expression of countenance is always sober, and at times troubled.
This man is Francis Hartley. In the great trial of his life, a small portion of gold remained after the gilded dross, which the world thought gold, had vanished. There was yet in his heart a germ of integrity; and, happily, this was preserved in its feeble vitality.
Humbling himself before God and man, he began a new, a true, and a better life. But for this great temptation, in which he fell, he never would have known the real quality of his heart. He would have remained puffed up in proud self-estimation, and hugged to his bosom a soul-destroying evil — the evil of dishonesty. Now he saw himself as he really was, and in the sadness of a stricken soul, sought earnestly to be what he had only before seemed to be.
Yes, it was even so. "The trials of life are the tests which ascertain how much gold is in us." And these trials, which come in the order and permission of Providence, are for eternal purposes.
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