The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-12-30

back behind my managing nan. who stePped
forward With circular in his hand. -
''Hate you heard the news, sir 1" be said
"NO. What is hf'' .- 'a-'2
He handed me the circular. Ms hesrl
gave ono violeit throb the instant | looked
at it. l felt myself turn pale; I felt my
knees trembling under me. Fa Il
Marsh, Stacey, Fauntleroy, and Graham
had stopped pay ment. |
"The crcilat hae not beeh issued ;moie |
than half an hour" continued my managing
clerk. II have just come from the bank, sir.
The doors are shut-there is no doubt about
it. Marsh and Company have stopped this
morning.. d.. .r..s aI
Ihardly heard him / hardly knew who
was talking to me. NY strange visitor of
the Saturday had taken instant possession Of
all my thoughts and his words Of warning
seemed to be sounding once more in my ears.
This man had known the true condition of
the bunk, when not another soul outside the
doors was aware Of it The last draft paid
across the counter Of that ruined house when
the doors closed on Saturday, was the draft
that l had so bitterly reproached myself for
drawing the one balance saved from the
wreck was my balance. Where had the
stranger got the information that had saved
me and why had he brought it to my ears
was still gtop!ug, like man in the dark.
Tor an answer 10 those two questions-I was
still bewildered by the unlathomable mystery
Of doubt into which they had plunged me,
when the discovery OF the stopping Of the
bank was followed almost Immediately BY a
second shock, far more dreadful, far heavier
to Bear, SO far as was Concerned, than the
first. While and my clerks were still dis.
cussing the failure OF the firm, two mercan.
tile men, who were friends of mine, ran in.
10 the Office, and overwhelmed us with the
news that one of the partners had been ar
rested for forgery. Never shall / forget the
, terrible Monday morning when those tidings
reached me, and when knew that the part.
J heE was RlT' auhlIeEoy. .-. - .,..- ..-. g.
II Twas true to him-I can honestly say
D was true to my belief in my generous irient
when that fearful news reached me. Ny
fellow.merchants had got all the Particular
! Of the arrest. They told me that two of Mr.
I Fauntleroy's fellow trustees had come up tc
London to make arrangements about selling
out some stock. On inquiriDg for Mr.. Faunt
leroy at the banking house, they had beer
!ntotiied that he was not there and, aftel
leaving message for him, they had gon
g into the city to make an appointment vii,
their stockbroker for future day, .whe
q their fellow trustee might be able to attent
/ The stockbroker volunteered to make Gel
,t tain business inquiries on the spot, with
v view to saving as much time as possible
. and left them at his Office to await his re
!. turn. He came back, looking very muc
amazed, with the information that the stoc
- had been sold out, down to the last FIVE hul
A dred pounds. The affair was instantly inve
tigated the document authorizing the sci
ID ing out wus produced and the two truste,
saw on it, side by side with Mr.. Faun
d leroy's signature, the forged signature
their own names. This happened on the Fl
:: day and the trustees, without fo6ing m
a, ment, sent the officers of justiceih pursuit
70 Mr.. Fauntleroy. He was arrested, btodg
. up before the magistrate and remanded c
" the Saturday. On the Monday, ! heal
10 from my friends the particulars which ha,
=, just narrated.
10 But the events Of that one morning WEI
II not destined to end, even yet. ! had disco
i cred the failure OF the bank, and the arre
;, Of Mr.. Fauntleroy. was next to be e.
- hghtened in the strangest and the saddle
"a manner, on the different questions of his i
>. nocence or his guilt. Before my friends b.
left my office; before had exhausted the a
!. guments which my gratitude rather than n
!. reason suggested to me, in favor of the u
! happy prisoner, note, marked immedia'
was placed in my hands, which sileneed d
:, the instant / looked at it. II was wrilt
l., from the Prison by Mr.. Fuuntleroy. and
a contained two lines only, entreating me
N apply for the necessary order, and to 60 a
IN see him Immediately.
shall not attempt to describe the fiutt
-, of expectation, the strange mixture OF DIRE
% and hope that agtated me, when ] recogu
h. ed his handwriting, and discoved what it "
=, -, that he desired me to do. l obtained the {
der, and went to the prison. Phe autho
be ties, knowing the dreadful situation IN wbi
ID he stood, were afraid of his attempting
M destroy HIMSELF and had set two men
M watch him. One came out as they open
"a his cell-door. The other, who was bound n
a to leave him, very dellcately and considera
~ ly affected to be looking out Of the wind
90 the moment was shown in. s., sa ID.
an He was sitting on the side Of his bed W
al his head dropping and his hands hanging Ii
- lessly over his knees, when first caut
NV sight Of him. At the sound Of my apPro'
eL he started TO bis feet, and, without speak,
mn q work, be flung both his arms round
He neck. w *g III a.s-.'. A. y, ,.g
anl Ny heart swelled up. "Tell me lie
,.s true. sir For Gods cake, tell me lie
y. truem wss all / could any to him. y
un rovar answareA--.(lh me he ne