The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-12-29

error into Whlcn my own 1olly nau feu me:
Uncomfortable as felt at the prospect of the
approaching interview, / should have been far
more Uneasy in my mind if the partner had
declined to see me. -l--- 80 .-s -2ii H---5
= To my relief, the bank-porter returned with
a message requesting me to walk. m What
particular form my explorations and apologies
took when I tried to offer them, is more than
I can tell now. i / was so confused and dis
tressed that L hardly knew what ] was talking
about at the time The one circumstance
which I remember clearly, is that I was
ashamed to refer to my interview with the
strange MARI and that T tried to account for
my sudden withdrawal of my balance by re-
ferring IT to rome inexplieableA I'anie; caused
by mischievous reports which I was unable to
trace to their source; and which, for anything
/ knew to the contrary, might after all, have
been only started in Jest. Greatly to my sur
prise, the partner did not seem to notice the
1atnentable laIneness of my excuses, and did
not additionally confuse me by asking any
questions a weary, absent look, which had
observed on his face whenI came in, remained
on it while / was speaking. 1t seemed to be
an effort to him, even to keepup the appear
anee of listening to me- And when, at last, I
fairly broke down in the middle cf sentence
and gave up the hope of getting any farther,
all the answer he gave me was comprised IN
these few civil, commonplace words:@ 69fliE
''Never mind, Mr.. Tfowbridge; pray don't
think Of apologising. We are all liable to
make mistakes. Say nothing more about it;
and bring the money back on Monday if you
still honor us with your confidence. - F'-.i5
He looked down at his papers, as if he was
anxious to be alone again; and had no al
tentative, of course, but to take my leave
Immediately. / went home, feeling little
easier in my mind, now that .hae paved the
way for making the best practical atonement
in my power, by bringing my balance back
the first thing on. Monday morning Still,
passed a weary daylon Sunday, rejecting, sadly
enough that l had not yet made my peace
with Mr. Fauntleroy, My anxiety TO set my
self right with my generous friend was so
intense, that risked intruding myself on his
privacy by calling at his town residence Oh the
Sunday He was not there; and his servant
could tell Inc nothing of his Whereabouts
There was no help for it now but to wait till
his weekday duties brought him back to the
bank. - u f .-...,.-.,..- !. --.1 .-t.
IweRtto business on Monday morning, half
an hour earlier than usual, so great was my
impatience to restore the amount of that un-
lucky draft to my account as soon as possible
after the bank opened. On entering my Office
] stopped with startled feeling, Just inside
the door. Something serious had happened
The clerks, instead OF being at their desks as
usual, were all huddled together in a group, |
talking to each other with blank faces When |
hey saw me, they fell back behind my mana |
ging man, who stepped forward with a circular |
n his hand. -.as-aa-. 5.- ;.srse1.-1 |
"Have YOU heard the news, sir?" he said. |
"No. What is it?" -5i.sel /
He handed me the circular. My heart gave |
me violent throb the instant looked at it. / |
cit myself, turn pale; L felt my knees trcmb-
ing under me. I'd sI ~ /
{ Marsh, Stracey, Fauntleroy,. and Graham
lad stopped payment. a5-.e--rst IL
'.The circular has not been issued more than
N hour, continued my managing-clerk. 81
lave lust come from the bank, sir. The doors
re shut-thcrc is no doubt about it. Marsh
md Company have stopped this morning
| hardly heard him; l hardly knew who
ras talking to me. Ny strange visitor of the
saturday had taken instant possession Of all
ny thoughts; and his words of warning seem
d to be sounding once more in my ears. This
nan had known the true condition of the bank
Then not another soul outside the doors was
ware of it. The last draft paid across the
ountcr of that ruined house, when the doors
losed on Saturday, was the draft that 1 had
0 bitterly reproached myself for drawing; the
ne balance saved from the wreck was my
alance Where had the stranger got the in
ormation that had saved me; and why had he
rought it to Dly ears? ~ 80 .-t .-,
l was. still CROPPING, like man in the dark,
or an answer to those two questions-I was
till bewildered by the unfathomable mystery
doubt into which they had plunged me,
hen the discovery of the stopping of the
ank was followed almost Immediately by a |,
scond shock, far more dreadful, far heavier to
ear, SO far as / was concerned, than the first.
While and my clerks were still discussing +
fb.A.G I
llo were friends of mine, ran into the office,
nd overwhelmed us with the news that one I
the partners had been arrested for forgery.
ever shall L forget the terrible Monday morn }
g when those tidings reached me, and when |
knew that the partner was MIR. Faun tleroy '
| was true to hin--I can honestly say was is
iie in my belief in.nly generous friend-when r.
tat fearful news reached me- My fellow }
efchants had got all the particulars of the i,
rest. They told me that two of Mr. Faunt- Il
roy's fellow-trIistees had coflesup to London
make arrangements about Selling out some C
ock. On inquiring for Mr. Fauntleroy at the Il
mixing house, they9had been informed that y
was not there; and, after leaving the ines 1
sc for him. they had gone into the city to &c
axe an appointment with their stock broker
r a fhtufel day, when fheir- fellew-tTtstee II
ight be able to Attend The, stockbroker II
to make certain business inquiries y
the spot, with a. view to saving much + b
ne as possible, and left them at his Office to o
7ait his return. HI came back, looking very +
uch amazed, with the information that the d
,ck had been sold out, down to the last fpc b
inbred pounds The affair was instantiyiin N
stigated the document authorizing the sell b.
g out was produced and the two trustees ii
" ON ie, side by side, with Mr. Fauntlerey's
,nature, the forged signature of their own 81
es!shThis happened on the Friday; and nj
E trustees, without losing moment, sent
g oficersiof justice in pursuit of Mr.. Faunt- 81
oy. Hewas arrested, brought tup before the u
lglstratcd,- and remanded on the Saturday. sc
% the Monday i heard from. my friends the A
rticuars which / have justlnarrated. a ? +;
Butlthe events, of that one morning were NJ
destined tocnd, leven yet / had discov- al
ID the failure of tho bank, and the arrest