The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-04-28
Sketrbrs 1T Iifr.
A PEEP INTO THE OFFICE
OF A SAVINGS BANK.
DY MRS. DAVID oGILvy.

There are no places in London NOR
provocative Of speculation to the thought
fll stranger than the public buildings anC
offices Of business. Their huge door, ban
ging continually with the ingress ant
egress of visitors, the large lettcred name
on their faccs-cabalisti to the stranger
familiar rs household words to the " cit,
man their mysterious blinds, the grav,
faces Of the folks who hurry in and out
a,:".d particularly the utter impoSsibility o
knowing wha: they went in to do, o.
what they have done coming out; these
are all SO many stimuiaEts to the aTI,"otit'
of the curious gazer, and stir him - the
more to longing desire to penetrate theil
solemn tastncsscs.
"But are You going in here to this
small, shabby, brown-blindcd house Z"
"fcs-i have some money to get there
for sick servant. Come in-you will
see page not unchcquercd in the daily
history of this wonderful metropolis
You see at once this is no bank for the
moneyed keepers Of carriages, wherein
to deposit their thousands, and their tens
OF thousands. 1t bears legibly on its front
" For the Poor" written in the dingy wire
blinds, thickened by layers of impenetra-
bic dustin its narrow entrance-its I'M
imported passage. Here are no swing
doors glaring with brass plates, no carpet
cd ante-room, no plate-gIass windows and
airy office. You find the straitened pas
sage, still further straitened by n greasy
wooden railing your foot passes over a
fozy old mat the well handled door at
the further end is dark and repellinp-
everything speaks of the Poor. The very
air is scented with memory Of their va
rlous trades; the groom has brought here
hint from the stable, the washerwoman
gave Whit of soap-suds, the dyer his
most fragrant weeds; and to crown all, the
pipes and the mock Havannas have left
records Of their visit to the savings bank
yes, the place smells Of the Poor! ..
You have now entered by the half.door
the other side Of which conducts the pass
ers out along the other path from which
you, coming in, are divided by the aiore-
said greasy wooden railing. The room is
lighted-like melon-bed---by sky-lights
OF very small panes it is as hot as a me
lon-bed and as close, for this is June, and
the attendance is very numerous. All
round the walls runs bench, which owes
its glossiness not to French polish, but TO
the ever changing crowd Of occupants.--
II is at present crowded, but you and /
having given in the book of the bank. be-
longing to the absent depositor, must find
Granny somewhere to bestow our per
sons until the unknown operations, hid
den from our view by that high balustrade
have put our affair in train for our further
assistance. This is the day for withdraw
ing deposits, and there is much to make
us melancholy in the sight before us. Far
diherent is the day for putting in money
how happy then look the prou ! possessors
OF supeffiuocA cash how they fling down
themoneyyand feea,for the moment, ,as great
men as Rothschild or Cout,s WHY Il was
only last week chat little boy With his clothes
so neatly darned, brought ten shillinos Of
ms own earning, and retired with the air
OF "a man Of cspital-one whomight expect q