Peter Garnet's Great Sorrow.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1579, 26 May 1874, Page 229

Peter Garnet's Great Sorrow.

HOUSEHOLD WOBDS. - C Continued from our last.) Peter retired to his table at night, and bade Alice gave him a candle; as he wanted to get the school accounts finished making up for the quarterly audit next Monday. She did as she was bid; and then, as it was not nearly dark, she treated herself to an idle half-hour at the window, watching the few passers-by with a good deal of interest. Presently she saw Peggie Hartop's brilliant feather and flounce, flourishing up the street, and in close attendance upon it, Mark Liversedge ; his whole person contorted either with civility or spasms,, until he looked as if he were btrung on wires that had got twisted out of all order. Peggy was brandishing her bead, and looking mightily dignified and condescending towards the young man. "Oh, you pretty pair!. I wish you would bewitch each other!" said Alice, Imlf-aloud;," I should like to make your weddiug-bormet, Peggy Hartop!" Meanwhile, Peter Garnet was puzzling bis wits over, some refractory figures. Alice had shut the window, and began fo clear one end of the table for the purpose of laying the supper-cloth.' , "Be quiet, Alice," exclaimed her father, in a low, impatient tone ; "let the things be, till,l have done." She immediately, desisted, and stared at liimin astonishment. He.bad got the little black box, with the perforated brass ornalaents open, and was fiugering its contents in a bewildered way, as if he had doubted ilie evidence of his senses.

"There were certainly three—three of Downham's fives," said he. "What is the matter, father ? have you lost something ?" Alice asked. " I don't know what I've lost; my head, 1 think," he returned, sharply drawing icross the table a small ledger. He began to add up column after column, and to do it several times over ; but each time with the same results. There was the expenditure; there was the income and subicriplions; and, in the black box was the overplus; but the overplus deficient five pounds—no more, and no less. . " What's the good of it ? I knew there Kere three notes in that box last Wednesday AVeek," said he softly, and lying a trembling finger on his lip. Alice put the bread and cheese at hand for his supper, and went off to talk to Irs Hart for a little while ; saying, as she closed the door, that she would come in and see him again before going to her own room.

Mrs Hart lived in the girl's house across the court-yard, within the gateway ; and ill her flock being stowed away for the light, she was sitting down by the fireside, to, regale herself with a cup of tea, as Alice went in. Of course, Alice must have icup of tea, too; and over it they began biking, first of one thing aud then of mother, until they mentioned old Nanny liversedge. _,'.,.. " She says she has raised the money to ky Willie's discharge, all but about ten sbllings," observed Mrs Hart. " Then Mark must have given her sometHng handsome, I suppose," said Alice, a good deal astonished. - '

" I dou't know.' Mark's very near ; but she had been to Mr Elsworthy,.and to old Sirs Cameron; they're charitable folks, ind as she told me you'd given'her five shillings—" ■ ' "Just like her I I never gave her anylling of the kind. There's very little good in Nanny.. She thought to get more Mt of you by that story." "Then she was mistaken, for I gave her H nothing at all. I said I should ask I'M first; and she need not come again until J sent fpr her." ■'<■ •: '

While this talk' was going forward in Sirs Hart's parlor, JPeter Garnet was still poring oyer the school accouuts. He had pushed his scanty hair straight from his forehead, and looked like a miserablo nenomancer detected in working some demoniacal charm. . All sorts of temptations "ere whispering in his ear. At first sight, 'lis defaultin his accounts had not struck I'itu in all its: bearings; and, when it did, 'lcame upon his moral sense with all the force of a crushing blow. Why he might ta dismissed from his.situation at Saint inn's, after having held it with credit, »oiior, and success for forty years! He might he dismissed,as a.thief who had a Ppropriated to his own use, money en''usted to him for the benefit of the school! f thaj; thought he: broke out in a cold and at the ; little box with Merrible eagerness;; :, -:n' ,v ' ; •:•'.'•: '" The habit'of being respected-and looked jjpto was as strong withhiin as any other Pit, and the ideaiof Oosing H was madding,, But.where.had the money gone? Who-had access -to* the place wherO' the. "ox was: kept?. ; >Whyj only himself, i and' Alice, and old Nanny • Liversedga when •lie came to clean theM'ooins. 9 There was 110 adequate solution of the mystery. He Jjitist have taken it out himself, and lost it. «ill there was a deficiency. Could he 'lake it good? • Not die; ■■.■■ he /had; never Sa ved money in his life; he/had only been %ays just on the, point of beginning, ■tat Alice might have a little fortune %n he died; but ho had not begun yet/

His last quarter's salary was all gone except a few shillings, and his ne:it would not be paid until after the audit of the accounts on the following Monday. By that time the default would be known all over Broughton.

There was another way, the tempting demon suggested ; the chance donations of strangers and visitors to Saint Ann's were given to him, and he had to render an account of them to the governors. Was it not possible so to diminish the amounts attached to each name as to make up the missing sum? That was a very subtle, because safe temptation. Peter knew it was safe; and his staring eyes fixed on the list of casual subscribers very miserably. Should he do it? Ho had'got his hand'stretched out to draw the paper.to him, wheu Alice suddenly re-appeared. ','. " Why, father, you look thoroughly mazed over those accounts!" she cried, coming up to lnm anxiously,." and you've never touched your supper. Go to it now. I won't let you spend another minute over your work to-night. Why, we shall have you ill, and then what will happen ?" Peter seemed, as she said, mazed, lost, lie obeyed her as it he had been a little child, and suffered her to put away both box and papers in the table-drawer without making any attempt whatever to prevent it. She also saw him go off to bed before her, and, as she was going herself, she said, "I cannot think what ails him. I never saw him in this way before; he looked as if he'd seen a ghost, when I came back from Mrs Hart's." She thought over it a good deal before she fell asleep, , and hoped it did not'mean anything but that he was over tired. Then the poor tempted father was pushed out of her mind by a dream, in which Richard Preston was very conspicuous. Mr Elsworthy and lawyer Hartop were the auditors of the accounts at Saint Ann's; and, although everybody had implicit confidence in the master, the auditors always made a point of going over his books as systematically as if he had been' one of the most suspected rogues in Christendom. They came to the gateway about half-past ten, and there was to be-a general meeting of the governors at Iwelve. Peter Garnet had had a miserable time of it; but he had struggled through, an honest man sti'.l, though appearances were sorely against him. He had determined to tell his plain tale—that the money had disappeared, and that he could not account for its disappearance —and leave his long services and spotless character to bear him through. There was a great deal of business to get through at the meeting—three boysto elect from amongst seven candidates, and three girls from twice that number—besides the talking and unnecessary arguing over trifles which always takes place on such occasions. Peter was very exact in his personal appearance that day, and made Alico brush his coat the last thing before he went to the board-room ; but he could not put off the careworn anxiety of his countenance, nor lessen its sickly pallor. Tie had not told his daughter anything of what was impending, and sheonly supposed that he was nervous and upset by the pressure of his work, now that he was growing older; so she triqd to spare him where she could, and privately consulted the school-doctor, who assured her there 'was nothing to fear. Peter left her sitting at her work, with an eye to the window, lest the Fordham waggon should go by ; and, with his poor old heart thumping against his ribs as if it would come through, went his way to the board-room, to receive the auditors. They cam© befure their time, as it seemed to him; Mr Elsworthy as benevolent, and lawyer Hartop as sagacious as usual. Well, where were the books, and how was the subscription list this quarter ? The subscription •list was even fuller than usual; but—and, standing up opposite to them, and speaking in a voice that shook,.in spite of all his efforts to be calm, Peter told his tale ; adding that it was his desire to make up the deficiency from his quarter's salary, then due. Mr Elsworthy had looked him coinmisoratingly in his face while he was speaking ; but lawyer Hartop, who would jiot have done his sagacity the violence to trust any man while there was the smallest, circumstance of suspicion against him, kept his eyes on the table, and was drumming softly with his fingers when the master had ceased. \ ■: *:• ■■■

" It is a grievous pity, Mr Garnet," said Mr Elsworthy ; a very grievous pity ; how do you account for it ? "

Peter could riot account for it all. He might havo taken it out with other money, and lost it;'

" Come, come, Mr Garnet, that won't dp!" cried Lawyer Hartop, with derisive jocularity; " methodical men like you don't take out money unconsciously, and then lose it. We must lay the circumstance before the governors."

Poor Petor was sorely wounded ; but he head the courage to speak up for himself. . "You'have known me from a boy, Mr Hartop, surely you won't be the first to suspect me ? " he said, proudly, while Mr Elsworthy looked away from him sorrowfully.

" I never profess to know any man, Mr Garnet, till his coffin-lid is fastened down upon him, and we come to reading his will," replied the lawyer; that I call the test of character; and I've known it to upset, a score of times or more, all my foregone conclusions."

Peter said no more'; but—when Mr Elsworthy, assured him heshould havnhis support with the governors, and added that he saw no adequate reason for the withdrawal <of their confidence from a man who had been their faithful servant for forty years —his heart swelled 'within him. , The board-room clock ticked itself slowly round to twelve, and then the governors and candidates for election,'with their mothers and the voters came all together, and the business was goi:e into, and done quickly ; fpr Mr Elsworthy had whispered to the, chairman that there was something serious to come on concerning the master, and he was anxious to get' the rest disposed of. There was a full attendance of governors; and, when the hoard-room had been cleared of strangers, Peter's case was brought forward, and stated ;by himself. They were astonished'to a man;, but how ho was to be dealt with caused great diversity of opinion, and he was requested to withdraw, that they might consider it. One gentleman suggested that, as the: master offered to make good the deficiency, they should pass

the matter over; another feared the loss argued a very careless keeping of his trust; and the chairman offered it as his suggestion that it was a beginning of evils which they, as governors of a public charity, were bound to check in the bud. The chairman's remark found many echoes ; lawyer llartop's voice the most distinct amongst them. Mr Elsworthy begged that the master's long services and unimpeachable character might have their weight; and, after a little more discussion, it was carried, by a largo majority, that Peter Garnet should be advised to resign. He was, accordingly, called in and informed of the resolution. ■ ■■• ■>'

Peter Garnet was proud and obstinate ; and, as soon as he saw his fate written in all those faces,familiar,most of them, since they were boys, a sudden resentment fired his heart, and gave his lanky figure, for the 1 moment, an heroic air. Being advised to resign was tantamount to a dismissal ; but Peter would not so understand it.

" Gentlemen," he said, resting one hand on the table where he stood, opposite to the chairman, and looking from one averted face to another as.he spoke,

" Gentlemen, I am as well fitted for my duty as I have ever been, and I will not condemn myself by accepting your permission to resign." " Then it only remains for us to dismiss you," replied the chairman. Accordingly Peter Garnet was formally dismissed from the office of master of Saint Ann's School, on account of an irregularity connected with his keeping of the books. Having heard his sentence, the old man, with another long row of nails driven into his coffin-lid, made his mechanical bow to the governors, and went up to the gateroom, where Alice was just recovering from a blush aroused by the transit of the Fordham waggon. There was no need for her to ask what ailed him now ; for, the moment he entered the room, he said, while a crimson spot burnt on his sallow cheek.

" Alice, pack up all that belongs to thee and me, and let us be going. lam no longer master of old Saint Ann's! " " I was born here. Why are we to go, father? What has happened ? " " The governors have dismissed me, Alice." Pie could not bear at first to tell her why. . She looked at him sadly, but said no more ; and they both sat down mechanically to eat the dinner which had been waiting on the table for ever so long. While they were thus occupied there was a knock at the door, and in came Mr Elsworthy, his fine countenance full of a genuine compassion.

" I hope you don't require any assurance from mo, Mr Garnet, that I am persuaded this is all a miserable mistake," he said extending his hand to the ejected schoolmaster; "I shall lose no opportunity .of expressing that opinion everywhere." "You're very kind, Mr Elsworthy. I thought I'd had more friends of your stamp than I prove to have," he replied bitterly. "Don't let it get the better of you, or else you'll die of it—l see, Peter, how you are taking it to heart," said Mr Elsworthy, relapsing into the familiar form of address, as he remembered that they had been boys together at the grammer school. "Die of it?" repeated poor old Peter; " no, I'll live to see myself righted, if it be only for the sake of Alice there." " That is the proper spirit to meet an injustice with. The governors commissioned me to pay you your quarter's salary, and I hope you'll let me do you justice if they would not. You know the master of Saint Ann's, if he hold the office for twenty years,,is entitled to the retiring pensionwell, I mean to pay it you myself as a testimony of what Broughton owes you " " Thank you, Mr Elsworthy, for your noble intentions; but there's work in me yet, and, please God, while there is, I'll be no man's pensioner," replied Peter, with gratcfull resolution; " this is my due, and there's the written receipt—the last time I'll sign my name to ought concerning Old Saint Ann 4 5." He gave a slip of paper into Mr Elsworthy's hand, and sat down heavily, "It is very heard, after forty toilsome years, to be sent adrift like this ; but I'll not believe you'll suffer long," said Mr Elsworthy, encouragingly," if they had taken a night to sleep on it they'd have acted differently. Peter, you must receive the pension. You know I can spare it well, and the boys and girls will never miss it," " They needn't sir. But it's not that, Mr Elsworthy; it's the principle of the thing. Let me keep my own respect, if I must lose other folk's, We'll say no more about it, if you please, sir." And, seeing that Peter was firm, Mr Elsworthy pressed it no more. (To he coiwkided iii our ne.it.} '•■'■