Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1853-09-02

the gooseberries, about June. William took it
philosophically. A few bad debts, a customer or
two in the Gazette; but, on striking our periodi-
cal balances, we became quite reconciled to the
frowns of Fortune.
Gooseberries had gone out. Apples were in
1t was in one of the blandest months of autumn
that we were favored with an extensive order
considering our then status-from a stylish per-
son, yerging on the hashy, but still within the
bounds ofapparent respectability. We were, Of
course, glad to do business. The terms were
agreed on one months credit and no discount.
The affair seemed all but settled, when William
limited that, perhaps our friend, being per-
feet stranger, would not object to give refer
ence. Certainly not-quite proper-not the
! least obiection-owcd endless apologies for not
having been the first to suggest it. The reference
was given and we started well satisfied with each
other. The reference was man who had pur-
chased and paid cash for several parcels of our
goods, so that the newl ly-Ordered articles were
sent to the neighborhood of Kensington with a
feeling that we had perhaps been little too
straight-laced and particular in the transaction.
A perfect gentlemen really.
When the months credit had expired, and our
of bright shining sovereigns, [ did feel that we
had been over nice. But whcn-pleasant gentle
menly person that he was-he chatted about the
weather, the hard times, and the crops, throwing
in here and there little flatte1y of our liberal and
punctual mode of doing business, and the excel
lence ofour goods suffered the rcmorse of the
basest intrigue. After our patron had dashed off
few more pleasant remarks about the expansion
of the Colonial trade and the tightness ofthe mon
ey market, he turned to business again, and de-
delighted us with commission for treble the
amount of the previous transaction. The goods
were put in hand forthwith-d delivery having
been promised within day or twO-and our
warerooms became quite eXhilaratcd with the
warmth and hustle of that extensive order.
I can hardly remember how it first occurred
TO me; but when the pangs Of conscience for our
unjust suspicious had time to subside the idea
flashed across my mind that our customer spor-
ted too many rings ON his fingers, and that there
emanated from him too strong and stale an odOr
of bad tobacco for him to be a thorough man of
business. Mere misgiving arose at length to
grave doubt. This mentioned, as a matter of
course, to William, who though not quite think
ing with me, agreed that little caution would
be wCii employed, Tor the amount Of the order
was a serious consideration to us.
We were novices in the police of the CONNER
cial world ; and, being utterly at a loss how to
proceed, stepped over the way TO a sturdy Man
chester warehouseman, and begged his advice
how to proceed with prudent secrecy. Our neigh
Dor at once relieved good part ofmy anxiety by
telling me that l ought at once to enrol our firm
subscribers to Perys Bankrupt and Insolvcnt
Registry office, where we should be certain to OBJ
tain the fullest and most valuable information
regarding all suspected or improper charac-
ters.
| took down the address ; and, without paus-
ing to tell William my mission, made my way
directly to Kings Arms Buildings, Change Al
ley. l had been through the Alley hundreds of
times yet had never caught sight of this office.
Even now that l went in search Of it in broad
midday, it was no such easy matter to find it.
Turning sharp round that corner of the paved
court which is graced by dozens of gaudy frames
enclosing pictures of enormous mansions, with
parks, fish ponds and a lady gracefully leaping
a siX-barred gate, a thorough berd hunter with
a neck like the middle arch of London Bridge
(Which l in my early days believed were the ac-
tual representations of the many fine properties
advertised for sale at Garraway's close by,) |
found myself ascending wide, dark and dngy !
staircase.
The strange old cdificc abounded in lofty orna-
mented ceilings, carved wainscots, and heavy
creaking doors. Once it had been City Hotel F.;
and when turned in through the wide folding
doors and looked about me, saw that
ment had been, in days long past, a concert and .
ball room. How changed since then! The lit
tie raised orchestra was piled up with dusty re-
cords of insolyency the fiddles and flies were re-
placed by files of the London Gazette and reports
of police cases. The sounds of mirth and revelry
were exchanged for a word or two murmured
through that enormous old room from one OF
the few clerks, as though they proceeded from
defunct or smothered trombone The whole
place appeared gloomy and mysterious. An en-
closure warded off all visitors from the interior
From one end to the other nothing was visible
but books-sold grubby, hard-fsted books
They Iooked-frowning solemnly down upon me
like the condemned ranks in Dante's Inferno,
bidding me take warnings or winked at me, as
if to lure me on to knavery from miles of shelves
They beckoned to me hideously from acres OF ta-
bles. Puckering up their parchment fronts, or
turning upon me their forbidden backs, [ felt my
self tempted and menaced by turns and
rounded by lost characters and dead regulations,
fancied had got into a Chamber of Commercial
Horrors, or an Old Bailey with all its sentences
ruthlessly docketed, and ready to be put in force
at minutes notice by the Recorder himself,
who stood beside me, calmly waiting to execute
judgment.
And his clerks, how solemnly they went about