Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-05-16
Nj r s. IR E T O N;
OR DIGBY, THE BANK DIRECTOR

| ed not bolts and bars, checks and counter
checks for their security. Isaac Dgby's
hawk eve was enough He seemed to have
a mysterious sort of preciseness in regard
to the stability goodness, he called il. of
every man who applied for discount. He
could tell you Of failures months before
they happened, and when the parties them
selves did not dream Of such a calamity.
| Among the commercial houses which
stood mistaken during the disastrous re-
vulson of 1886 '37, was that to which Mr..
Ireton belonged. The worst Of the storm
seem to have passed by. and the partners
were indulging in apparent security, when
an unanticipated delay in the arrival of one
Of their ships from Canton, with rich car
90 Of Teas, threatened them with a COM
nusory resortt TO suspension of payment,
unless thew could procure accommodations
from the banks. They soon found this i'm
practicable. AT all the institutions where
their paper was known, they were check
mated old Digby, with his pigtail and velvet
breeches.
Ireton was plunged into the lowest depths
! Of dependency by this unexpected obstacle.
The want Of few thousands threatened to
make hin, and his associates losers to the
extent of hundreds Of thousands Of dollars.
| His good name was at stake.
In vain was old Digby reasoned with and
| importuned. He was as memorable as an
east wind-obstinate impenetrable.
Mrs. Ireton saw with regret the disturbed
state OF her husbands miAG; and, on ascer-
tanning the cause, called in person upon
the obdurate bank directors. Rarely had
she failed in gaining point with a subject
Of the masculine gender. There was a
spell in her smile which wonders with all;
except old Isaac Digby. He laughed in
her face-cried "gammon!"-told her to
go home. put on a shilling calico, and take
in sewing-then began to accuse her hus-
band Of improvidence and nattention to his
business.
The offended wife took leave Of the mo-
neved cync, Indignant at his brutality, and
bent upon saving her husband, peacenbly,
if she could, but OF any rate, upon serving
him. The case was indeed hard ONE
Here we're Ireton and his partners, with
property exceeding in value the amount Of
The liabilities bv some hundreds Of thous-
ands Of dollars, threatened with bankrupt
CIV for the want Of ten or fifteen thousand
| Such instances were not rare in those days
Of ruin and explosion.
Walking hastily towards her home. Mrs.
Ireton formed a resolution, which.while we
cannot but condemn, was strongly provok-
| ed bv the circumstances under which she
acted. Opening her husbands pistol case
she took from it brace of dueling instru
ments. satisfied herself that they were un-
loaded, concealed them under a pelerne,
and sailed forth towards the house of the
banker. Entering the counting-room, she
had the good fortune to find him alone. She
closed the door, to sed off her bonnet, and
asked old six per cent. if he still persisted
in preventing her husbands firm from OBJ
tanning the discount, which was necessary
| to the preservation Of their credit.
.You here again." exclaimed Digby,
who was sitting at his desk in his dressing
gown, calculating the amount Of his next
quarters dividends.
81 am here; and demand that you yield
YOUR consent to the discount which we have
asked"
"Hav'nt told you fifty times; no, no."
said he, turning round in his big arm chair
and growing very red in the face, 81 new
err met with such woman in my life. |
have said no, and will stick TO it. When
old Isaac Digby has set his head upon a
thing the devil himself cant't make him
give itup."
Quick as thought, Mrs. Ireton slipped
from under her arm, where they had been
concealed by her pelerne. the brace Of
pistols--and presenting one at the old fe-
lows breast, while she held the other Sc
curely in her left hand, she exclaimed,
evil you give it up now9 Hush if you
make the least noise will blow your brains
out. You wicked old man! What pref.
ty figure you are cutting now, with your
hands up, your eyes starting from their
sockets. aud your pig tail in the airl"
"Do-o-o-on't freI' gasped forth the shi-
veling old sinner. 81 will do any thing
you want, only don't fire."
"Now you talk like man of reason.
All that wanted is your written consent
to the proposed discount for my husbands |
house. Write it out fairly and well-sign |
your name, and will not shoot you. Hes
itate. and"-
ooh don't. it shall be done-it shall be |
donel" murmured Isaac, submissively, ia
king slip of paper and writing as svis-
tier directed.
She examined it, when he had finished, |
admitted it to be correct, placed it in her
bosom. and coolly made preparation 10 de-
part. The moment her back was turned,
Isaac stamped with his equity feet on the
floor, and uttered a cry for assistance
Mrs. Ireton instantly wheeled, presented
one of the pistols, and pulled the trigger.
She then took her departure. A servant
who entered the room an hour afterwards, |