Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-08-26

Jy
fluence, and met with adequate reward.
In this way five years passed, quietly enough
to all outward appearance; but Michael Arm
strong was working actively and desperately
beneath the surface, and biding his time
In those upper rooms to the right, exactly
facing our counting houses, lived an old clerk
named Barnard, with one child, a daughter
named Esther. The place was a refuge provid-
ed for an old and faithful, poor and nearly
worn-out servant of the house; and the salary
he received was more like pension, for his
presence was never required in the Office except
when he chose to render it, The daughter
superntended the home of the two brothers,
who as [ have said BEFORE lived upon the pre-
misses in those rooms over the arches.
Esther Barnard, at this time, was not more
than twenty years of age; rather short in figure
very pretty and interesting, with large, dark,
| thoughtful eyes, Her manners were-quiet and
| timid, the natural result of life spent chiefly
I within these redbricked walls, in attendance
upon an infirm father and two old merchants.
She went out very seldom, except on Sundays
and Wednesday evenings, and then only to
! that lold city church just beyond the gate
way, whose bells are ringing even now. In
! the Summert time after buSineS5-hourS she used
! to bring her work and sit upon this bench,
under this tree; and in winter her favorite
place, while her father was doing over the
} fire i'll a deep leathern chair, was in the dark
I recesseS Of that long window, in the corner of
their sitting-room overlooking the garden
! She was very modest and retiring, never APP
| pearing more than was absolutely necessary
during the day; but for all her care, many a
busy pen was stopped in the Office as her small
light form Fitted rapidly under the archcd pas
sage; and many an old heart sighed in rcmem-
brance of its bygone youthful days, while
many young heart throbbed with something
more Of hope and love.
In this way, the daily life went on for sever
al months Michael Armstrong, by care-un-
ceasing care-perSeverance and talent, rose,
day by day, ia the respect and estimation Of
The partners Much was entrusted to him :;
and although he was not vsibly promoted over
the heads of his seniors, he was still the conf
dental clerk and the one in whom was cen
tered the management of the banking and f.
nancial transaction of the house. We presum-
ed--for we knew nothing then-that he was
still working stea!thiiy on the information that
| he gathered in the partners room and which
1 his new position, more than ever, gave him op-
/ portunities of using. 1t was a busy time for
speculation about this period. Fortunes were
made and lost by Safeguarding, in a day and
! Michael Armstrong, with his active calculating
! brain, was not the man to allow the tempting
stream to rush by without plunging into it.
Onr firm had an important branch house at
! Liverpool, through which it conducted its ship
! ping trade with America. Every six months
it was the custom of one Of the partners-ei-
their Mr. James or Mr. Roberto 90 down
to pay visit Of inspection to this house, a task
that usually occupied ten or twelve days. Mr.
james Fordyce, about this time took his de-
parture one morning for Liverpool leaving his
! brother Robert in charge of the London affairs
| can see them, even now shaking hands, out
side that old gateway, before Mr. James step
ped into the family coach in which the broth
erS always posted the journey. Michael Arm
strong was gliding TO and fro with certain re-
! CURED paperS-unobtIucsive but keen and
watchful AS the coach rolled away up the
narrow street, Mr. James looked ont Of the
window just as his brother returned slowly back
under the archway. | twas the last he ever seen
Of him alive.
For several days after Mr. James Fordyce's
departure everything went on as before. He
started on a Friday with a view of breaking
the long, tedious journey, by spending the Sun
day with some friends in Sta atordshire. On the
following Wednesday, towards the close Of the
day, pigeon express arrived from Liverpool
bearing a communication in his handwriting
which was taken in to MIR Robert Fordyce in
lis private room No one in the olice--ex-
cept, doubtless, Michael ArmStrong-knew for
many DAYS what that short letter contained ::
but we knew too well what another snort let
ter conveyed, which was placed i'll melancholy
haste. and silence the next morning under the
pigeons wing. and started back to Liverpool.
This was in Michael Armstrong; handwriting.
Mr. James Fordyce, upon his arrival at Lii
verpool, had found their manager committed
to large purchases in American produce with
out the knowledge of his principals, in the face
of market that had rapidly and extensively
fallen This gentlemans anxiety to benefit his
employers was greater than his prudence; and,
while finding that he had made fearful error,
he had not the courage to communicate it to
London, although every hour rendered the po-
SitiOn more runous.
Il Mr.. James Fordyce. after a short and anx-
ous investigation, sent dispatch to his broth.
j er, for sum of many Thousand pounds-an
4 amount great as the house could command
upon so sudden an emergency. This money
was to be forwarded by a special messenger,
without an hours delay in Bank of England
draft nothing less would serve to extricate
/ the local branch from its pressing difficulty,
and save the firm from heavier loss The let
ter arrived on Wednesday, after the bank had
closed and when nothing could be done until
the following morning. In the meantime, in
all probability, Michael Armstrong received
instructions to prepare statement Of the
available resources of the firm.
That evening about half-past eight o'clock,
when Esther Barnard returned from church,
she found Michael Armstrong waiting for her
at the gateway. He seemed more thoughtful