The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-11-25
.tThis is withdrawn from the bank

q an glad to hear it," replied tho
clerk. = | think it was your note did the
harm. He had taken up the Others, and
went out two hours ago, after having been
all the morning on the street to try to get
the sum required to lift this one, but be
failed, and the consequences were more
than he had strength to look at calmly.
He is Just and kind hearted man, Mr..
Bancroft. We who live with him can
bear that testimony"
Mr.. Bancroft stood nearly motionless
for q long time.
"Where docs Mr.. Cartwright liver
he at length inquired.
"At number - Fifteenth street.
y TO the dwelling of Mr.. Cartwright no
went in all haste He found everything
there to confirm bis worst apprenensions.
The hemorrhage had been very profuse.
Already SO large a quantity of blood had
been lost, that the sick man was reduced
to state of insensibility, and still the
bleeding continued. The family were, Of
course in the deepest distress. He saw
Mrs. Cartwright for a moment, aud in
that moment the impression Of her white
grief-stricken face was transferred q page
in memory's book that no after event
could dim or obliterate. A beautiful
daughter, just on the verge of woman
hood, glided past him once, and her face
of terror remained to haunt him for life.
He saw the physician, and to his inqui-
ries received no hopeful answer.
When Mr.. Bancroft left the house Of
sorrow, he went forth almost stealthily,
and with a feeling of guilt in his heart.
MY work. my work = q voice within
him kept repeating; and, do what he
would, he found it impossible to silence
the accusing spirit.
Il can never forgive myself if be should
DIE" said Mr.. Bancroft to himself. 20.
what evil is sometimes wrought by pas
sion in an unguar,led moment; why did
I not think before speaking?"
Alas! the dreaded evil came. Mr..
Bancroft was at his store an hour earlier
than usual, next morning.
-sHave you heard from Mr.. Cart
wrights" he inquired anxiously of q clerk.
Yes, sir"
"How is he!"
Dead =
"Dead!'' Mr.. Bancroft stepped back
a pace or two, as if q hand were bearing
against him.
Yes, sir. lie died at seven o'clock
last evening: 50 the newspaper says"
Mr. Bancroft sighed heavily; and then
walked back to bis desk, sat down, and
remained in troubled thought for long
time. There was only single aspect Of
the case that gavo him any relef, and
this was the probable ignorance Of every
one but himself of the Immediate cause Of
Mr.. Cartwright's death. He had not, it
was presumed, mentioned the unteehng
repuIse which he had received when, at
the eleventh hour, and as q last resort, he
had gone to one from whom he had con-
faentlv expected not only kind considera-
ton, but prompt relief; and SO the secret
had died with him.
Mr.. Bancroft did not visit the house Of
mourning He could not look upon the
distress which his own conscience charged
him with originating; but his heart was
assailed with gloomy shadows.
There was no one to represent Mr..
Cartwright in his business, which had to
be closed. An active, hard-working mer-
chant, he had succeeded, through many
disadvantages, in establishing trade that,
prosecuted with industry for a few years
would have given his family moderate
fortune. But he was stricken down at
an inauspicious moment. Serious losses
occurred in the settlement OF his affairs,
and when all his debts were finally paid
there was nothing over for his family.
Poor Mary Cartwright said Mrs.
Bancroft to her husband, one day, about
six months after the death Of Mr.. Cart
wright. 81 saw her at Mrs. Marvin's to-
day. She gives music lessons to her
daughter Helen. How changed she is?'
Mr.. Bancroft made no reply, and his
wife was in some doubt as to whether he
had really heard her remark.
s.She says that her mother has never
been out of the house since her fathers
DEATH
Still Mr.. Bancroft made no response.
But how the words did smite him. All
there was a thorn in the memory that
time could never extract.
aThere was moi a dollar left for the
family from poor cartwrighfs estate..'
said .lnerchant.