Butte record., 1854-12-30
From Dickens Household Words
THE GRANpFATHER's STORY.
When | first took nav seat as a c

was far le saf', than il is now. The
roads were not only unconscious of Nc
Adam, and fatal in many places 10 wheels
and springs, but dangerous in still more
alarming degre- from the outrages and
robberies to which travellers were ex-
posed Mems minds were unsettltd by
the incidents of the war upon which we
had just entered commerce was inter-
rupted, credit was at an end, and dis
tress began to be discovered among
whole classes of the population who had
hitherto lived in comfort Howey
hArshly the law was administered, it
seemed to have no terror for the evil-do-
er, and; indeed, the undescerning cru lty
of the Statute DO / defeated its own
object by punishing all lines alike.
But time OF peeuniary pressure is not
Il bad season fer Il bank. The house
fourished though the country was in
great straits and the enormous profits
at that time realized by bankers which
enabled them to purchase large estates
and outshine the old Territorial alistoc
racy, made the profession as unpopular
among the higher classes as it had alrea-
dy come among The unreaso soning mas
SIS. By them n Banker was looked up
on as a sort of licensed forger, who ere
ated enormous sums of money by merely
signing square pieces of fimsy paper ;
and am persuaded the robbery Of a
bank would have been considered by
many people quite as meritorious a ac-
tion rs The dispersal of a band of a band
of eoiners. Tlese, however, were not
the sentiments Of us bankers clerks
We felt taat we, belon.ng to ii mighty
corporation, on whose good will depend
ed the prosperity of half the farms in the
country. We consideled uuselves The
executive government, and carried on
the business Of the Office with pride
and digni that would have fitted US for
Secretaries of State. We used even to
walk the ctreets with braggadocio air,
as If our pockets were loaded with gold;
and if two of hired a gig fol a country
excursion, we pretended 10 look under
the driving seat as if to see to the safttv
of inconceivable amounts of money os-
tentatiously examining our pistols, to
show that were determined to offend our
treasure or die. Not seldom these pre-
cautions were redaircd in r. atty for
when pressure tor gold occurred
among our customers, two Of our most
coura geous ofthe clerks were despatch
ed with the required amount, in strong
leathern bags deposited under the seat of
the gig, which bags they were TO guard
at the risk Of their lives. Whether
from the bodily strength l was gifted
with, or fiom (, me idea that was not
given to boasting, | might Iealy possess
the necessary amount of boldness, I do
not know, but | was often selected us
one of The guards to a valuable cargo of
this description and as if to show an
impartiality b tween the most silent and
the most taikative of their servants, the
partners united with NE in this service
the most clustering, boastful, good d-hear-
ted and loud-yoiced young gentleman
have ever known. You have most OF
you heard of the famous electioneering
orator, Tom Ruddle, icho stood al every
vacancy for county and burough, and
passed his aohole life between the cleo
tions, in canvassiug for himself or friends
Tom Ruddle was my fellow clerk, and
generally the companion of my drives in
charge of treasure.
Fl" What would you do l said to Tom
sin case we are alta cked :"
"Tell yewhat," said Tom, with whom
that was fayorite way of beginning al
most every sentence, '.Tell We what
I'll shoot 'em through the head'
\ '.Then You expect there viii be more
than one -
Il should think So" said Tom; ''if
there was only one, I'd jump ont of the
gig anG give him precious licking. Tell
ye what, 'twould be a proper punish
ment for his impertinenco."
"And if half dozen should try it -
"Shoot 'em all ~
Never was there such a determined
customer as the gallant Tom Ruddle.
One cold December evening we were
sud leuly scat off in chtrge Of tn zee bags