Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-02-24
DEDBY WILDER,
OR
The Hundred Dollar Note.
BY SsBA SMITH.

DER, lul Two hours before DeoDy ""'
ready to start; and Mr.. Wilder had
been out half q dozen times to examine
the saddle, to see that everything val
right, and had lifted up his horses feet
one after another, all around to zee i
any of the shoes were loose. And when
At last Debby was ready, he led old grey
to the horse block, and held him until
she was seated in the saddle, and then
he handed her the reins, and shortened
the stirrup leather, and buckled the
girth little tighter to prevent the sad.
dies turning, and when he had seen that
all was right, he stepped into the house
and brought out small riding whip and
placed it in her hand, and giving her a
hundred charges to take care Of herself,
and DO careful she did not get fall, he
steppcd upon the horse block, and stood
and watched her as she turned into the
road and ascended tie hill till she was
out Of siglt.
Debby trotted along leisurely over the
long road she had to travel but she
was too full Of pleasant thoughts and
bright anticipations to feel weary at the
distance or lonely at the solitude. The
road was but little travelled and she met
but two persons in the whole distance
one as she was ascending bill about
milo from home, and the other in q long
valley Of dark woods, about midway on
her journey. Had she been OF timid dis-
position, she would have felt good deal
Of uneasiness when she saw this last
person approaching her. His appear
ancc was dark and rutiianIy, and they
were two miles from any house, in the
midst Of deep and silent Wilderness
But Debbv's nerves were unmoved, she
returned his bow in passing, and kept on
her way in perfect composure.
She reached the end of her journey
in due time-hitched her horse in the
shed at the village hotel, and inquired
Of the waiter At the door the way to the
bank. As he was pointing out to her
its location. she observed tall, dark
looking man, with dark whiskers and
heavy eyebrows, looking steadily at her.
She, however, turned away without no
ticlng him any farther, and went direct
to the bank. When she reached the
door she found it closed, and learned
from the bystanders that the bank, for
some reason or other, was closed that
day. In her exceeding disappointment,
what she should do.
SIS there anything can do for you
Miss Z asked gentleman at the adjoin-
ing shop door.
Debby replied thas she wanted to
change bill at that bank.
Ooh, I'll change it tor YOU said the
gentleman, 'f it inst too large-come,
step in here
She accordingly stepped into the store
and giving him many thanks, handed
him the bill.
ooh, hundred dollars ! said he. 4
cannot do it | haven't half that amount
in the store. But If you 90 across tLe-e
to the apothecary's / think it likely
enough may do it.
Debby thanked him again, and went
across to the apothecary's. Here she
made known her wishes, but with no
better success, As she turned to go out
she encountered . man behind her,
who seemed to have been looking over
her shoulder.
She looked up at him and recognised
the tall man with black whiskers, whom
she had noticed at the hotel. Leaving
tho druggists, she observed large dry
goods store, and thought she would try
her luck there. Still she was unsuccess-
full.
As she was leaving the store, she met
the tall man with black whiskers again.
He looked smilngly at her, and asked
her to let him see the bill; for he thought
he could change it. After looking at
it, he returned it to her again, observing
sif it had been city bill he would have
changed it, but he did not like to change
. country BILL
Having tried two or three places with
out affecting her object, Debby found
she must give it up, for she was now
told it probably would not be possible
for her to get it changed till the bank
should be opened the next day. Coase-
quen,ly, she concluded to return imme
diately home. AS she rode out Of the
hotel yard, she observed the tall man
with black whiskers standing at the cor
ner of the house, apparently watching
her movements. But she rode on, and
was no sooner out of sight than he was
out Of her mind, for her own perplexing
disappointment engrossed all her
thoughts. She passed over the first two
miles of her homoward journey almost
unconscious Of the distance, SO busily
was she turning over in her mind vari-
GUS expedients to remedy the failure Of
her present undertaking. She thought
Of several of her ncighbors Of whom she
thought it might not be impossible to
borrow a few dollars for q short time
But then she knew her father was so
strenuously opposed to borrowing, he
would never allow it to be done; and
would never forgive her should be find
ont that she had done it without his
knowledge or consent. She might get
trusted for most Of the articles she
wanted; but some of them Of the most
Importance were at Henry Miller's store,
and she would not ask to be trusted
there, if she never obtained the articles.
Her reveres were at length broken
off by the sound Of horse coming at
rather quick trot behind her. She
looked over her shoulder, and there was
Tho tall man with black vh;sL or. u,our<