Weber State University - Acorn Yearbook (Ogden, UT)

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Cf)t Scorn of tfje ©Htbrr jfetafec Scabcmp The city seemed the only place to go, but a friend to the family offered to take Tim to his sheep-camp. He said Tim could not do much at that time of the year, but he would pay him all he could afford. Tim accepted the offer and spent four of the most dreary months he ever had in his life. At last the time for the long looked for home trip came. It was the day before Christmas. As Tim boarded the train at a near by station, the men whom he was with, who were headed for the “smoker,” called to him, “Come on kid, don’t go in there with civilized folks, lookin’ as you do.” He took no notice of them, but started into the other car. He turned, however, before he got inside the door. Seth Lennox was on the front seat, and he did not want Seth to see him in his sheep-herder clothes, so he decided to go with the men. When the train stopped at Tim’s home town, he was the last one off. He wanted to be sure not to meet Seth; but as he was leaving the train he ran into Seth, before he knew it. Seth hailed him, and asked him where he had been and all about himself, but Tim evaded his questions as much as possible and in the hurry, Seth found out nothing about what had happened. There was a happy meeting that night when Tim reached home. He never had been away from his mother before, and the life on the desert had been so different from what he was used to that he appreciated her and home more now than ever before. And he also became more firm in his resolve that at some time he would make her happy. After Seth left Tim that night, he began to wonder where Tim had been. His father might have sent him out on one of his ranches, but there was none in that direction which he knew of. And then Tim’s appearance showed that he had not been in civilization for some time. He could find out about it as soon as he got home. Nothing was said about it, however, until at the breakfast table next morning, when Seth asked about Tim. Mr. Lennox disliked to speak of the matter, so he merely said he had found 4]

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Wbe Alcorn of tlje ©Heber £btabe gcabemp “Yes, sir. I have been in the house several times for things I needed,” was the reply. “Did you see my desk open while you were in?” he con- tinued to ask. “I did not notice, I had no reason to. Why do you ask, Mr. Lennox?” “To be plain, did you or did you not, take a ten dollar bank note from a drawer in my desk?” “I can say most emphatically that I did not,” said the boy almost bewildered at the question. “And yet you say no one has been here?” “Not that I know of, and I can say just as truthfully that I did not take the money,” said Tim, and he broke down and cried bitterly. At this Mr. Lennox softened a little and told Tim he would take part of the blame himself for leaving the desk open, as he knew money was a great temptation to boys, and that if Tim would admit taking the money and give it back, there would be nothing done about it. But as Tim’s denial became stronger, Mr. Lennox said, “Well, if that is all I am to get for what I am doing for you, you may go, and the sooner the better.” Thus all the hopes Tim had been building for the past month were shattered. This was the first time he had ever been accused of doing anything wrong and it made him feel most miserable. His mother did not believe that he was guilty for a minute, and she and Tim tried to think of a way to prove his innocence, but the circimstances were so against him that it seemed impossible. All he could say was, “it does not appear so, but I am inno- cent.” Though falsely accused, he knew he was right, and this consciousness gave him strength. Tim determined to go away to work until it was found out that he was not guilty, so he would not have to hear the jeers of his companions, or meet the suspicious glances of the town people. He could earn enough, he thought, from then until Christmas holidays to take him to school the rest of the year, and by that time he hoped his innocence would be found out. [3

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e Alcorn of tfje ?GHcl)cr :$£ tafee gcafcemp Tim was not what he thought him to be, and had let him go. Seth insisted upon knowing the particulars, and when he learned what it was all over he simply said. “And it is all my fault.” “What!” said Mr. Lennox. “Why, I took the money. I ought to have said something about it, of course I had, but I thought you would know.” Mr. Lennox’s head dropped as he said: “How easy it is to misjudge another!” Then they were both glad and sad. Glad because Tim had not taken the money; sad because they had caused Tim and his mother so much trouble. It was decided, though, at that break- fast table to make it right with them. That afternoon Tim and his mother were at their humble home enjoying each other’s company and the nicest things Mrs. Norris could afford for Christmas, when a knock came at the door. Mrs. Norris answered it, and to her surprise found Seth Lennox there. She could not imagine what he wanted and was almost dumbfounded when he said he had come to take Tim and her to his home if they would go. She could not think what was wanted of them the Lennox home, but as Seth in- sisted, she made preparations to go. That evening there was a great reconcilation between the two families. Mr. Lennox expressed his regret for having ac- cused Tim of taking the money, but he had learned to be sus- picious of people and from the circumstances it looked as though no one else could have done it. To right the wrong he had done, and to reward the first person, as he said, he had ever known not to gain by being dishonest when he had a good chance, he asked Tim and his mother to come and live with him, and said he would see that Tim had the education he had so longed for. Tim was a happy boy that night, not so much because of himself as for the favorable prospects of making his mother happy. [5