The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-10-06
"Does it not explain. itself?o

shook his head, to make his "no" still
more emphatic.
have always looked forward to
this time with pleasure that words
can hardly express" said Harry, lean
ing towards his father, and speaking
with sudden warmth of manner
These papers are simply the title
deeds of a house, which is yours. Take
them as some small return for all that I
owe you. A sons debt to a good
father can never be wholly cancelled" "
Mr.. Melville was touched by this act,
and softened by the mannerof his son.
For almost minute he sat with his
gaze upon the floor. Then, looking
up, he said, in low voice that trem-
bled with suppressed feeling, "My
dear boy, it pains me deeply to refuse
what, in the generous impulse of your
heart is SO freely offered. But this
house is not yours to give, and there
fore honor and right compel me to de-
cline its acceptance"
"Not mine to give!'' exclaimed
Harry. Father what do you mean.
"It belongs to your creditors, Har-
ry."
"My creditors p said Harry. cam
1, then, only q bankrupt in your eyes ?
Father, this is too much %
"You are scarcely two years in bus
mess, my son." said his father; " and
now you propose to take from that
business two-thirds of your original
capital, and put it into house for me. "
"But we have made above fifty
thousand dollars" said Harry, and are
actually coming money in our busi-
ness"
"Profts on paper, at BEST" an
swered the incorrigible old man.
"But, my word for it, if the balance
in your favor is so large, there is mis-
take in the figures somewhere. The
thing l regard as simply impossible.
You are dashing ahead at too desper-
ate speed, my son, as / have before
declared +; and as sure as any disas-
e trous change takes place, you will be
hurled suddenly TO destruction"
In anger Harry parted with his
father OH that day. On the next, his
bills were refused. He called in sur
prise upon his banker, to ask the rea-
son. There was a stringency in the
market, an unusual demand for money:
depositors were drawing out heavily
and the bank was restricting its loans.
This was the comfort he received. He
tried to borrow from accommodating
neighbors; but everybody had been
cut down or cut off at the bank, and
so everybody was "short." A pulse Of
tear throbbed suddenly in the heart Of
Harry Melville. He looked to his
bill-book, and ascertaincd the amoun,
which must be paid before o'clock
on the morrow. The sum reached the
uncomfortable aggregate of nearly
SIS, 1000; while the bank balance, was
below $4,000. So there were about
$4,000 more re1uired to meet his bill,
then due.
: Young Melville considered himself {
great inancier. His self confidence
overleaped all possibilities and impos
, sibilities. But the time of trial an6
proof had now come. Credit and con
: tidence are sensitive things. Wher
: banks restrict, private discount house,
: take the alarm, and the price of money
e goes up to ruinous figures. So om
e young trader found it. Melville's
financiering operations on thatday were
things for after remembrance; he has
probably not forgotten them UP to thi.
: time. BY o'clock his bills were al
v taken, but at sacrifice fearful to con
: template.
7 After glance at his bank book fol
f the next day, Melville started for hi
: luxurious home to meet his dainty
s fashionable wife, in state of mint
n bordering on despair, for the next day
!, payments were near as heavy. I'll,
b had seen and heard enough during tn,
d days financial experiments to satisfy
b him that not one-half of that sun
! could be raised and so vague tcrro
took the place of conceited self-confi
y dence; and the frightened young trad
Y er, who had come in and gone on
q with such an elastic tread and prou,
: bearing, entered home with all hi
!. feathers dropping. So quietly had h
r come in that his wife failed to hear tn
a familiar step in the passage. Wonder
f ing at her husbands long stay beyon'
the usual hour, she came down stair
: under the influence of restless feelin,
EnterinO tho narlor she started in sud