Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-02-06
THEFIvE-DoLLAR NOTE.


sir2" asked a sweet faced young girl entering
the elegant store of Huntley 4 Warner, in a
city and the street of a city which shall be
nameless. 1t was cloudy day. The clerks
lOunged over the counters, read papers and
yawned. The man to whom Alice Locke ad-
dressed herself, was jaunty and middle-aged.
He was head clerk of the extensive establish
ment of Huntley 4 Warner, and extremely
consequential in his manner.
'That dressing gown-we value it at six
dollars-you shall have it for five, as trade is
dull to-day"
Five dollars2 Alice looked at the dressing
gown longingy, and the clerk looked at her.
He saw that her clothes, though made and
worn genteely, were common enough in tex
tnre, and that her face very much Of the
common line. How it changed now shaded,
now lightened by the varied play of her emo
tions. The clerk could almost have sworn
that she had no more than that very sum, five
dollars, in her purse or pocket.
The gown was very good one for the price.
1t was of common shade, tolerable merino,
and lined with the same material.
IL think''-she hesitated 'ent-ssI
think I'll take it, she said then seeing in
the face before her an expression which she
did not like, she blushed as she handed out the
bill the clerk had made up his mind to take.
"Jennis," cried Torrent, the head clerk, in a
quick, pompous tone, sspass up the detector." !"
Up ran q tOW-HeaQeu DOy WITH tue ueleClOr
and up and down the clerks eyes from column
TO column. Then he looked over with q sharp
glance and exclaimed
THAT'S a counterfeit bill, Miss"
Oh, how pale the sweet face grew!
Counterfeit! Oh, not cannot be =
The man who sent it could not have been
careless you must be mistaken, sr.''
81 IN not mistaken; Pm never mistaken,
Miss. The bill is counterfeit. I must pre-
sumo, of course that you did not know it. al
though so much bad money has been offered
OF late that we intend to secure such per-
as pass it. Who did you say sent iti''
"Mr. c., sir, of New York. He could not
send me bad money! said the trembling,
frightened girl.
sHumph, humph'' said the clerk. "Well
THERE'S no doubt about this you can look for
Yourself. Now don't let me see yon here a.
gain until you can bring good money, for We
alway. suspect such persons you, that come
dark days with we'll made story
"But Sir
'You need make no explanations, Miss
said the man, insultingy. sTake your bill and
The next time you want to buy a dressing
gown, don't try to pass counterfeit money!
and as he handed it, the bill fell from his
hands.
Alice caught it from the floor and hurried
into the street.
Such shock the girl had never received
she had ever known, and it burned her cheek
and panied her heart.
Straightway, indignant and grIevlng, she
hurried to q banking establishment, found
her way in, and presented the note to noble
looking man with gray hair, faItering out,
'Is this bill bad one, sir 7''
The cashier and his son happened to be the
only persons present. Both noticed her ex-
tremc youth, beauty and, agitation. The
cashier looked at it closely and handed it
back, as with polite bow and somewhat pro-
loDged look he said -
ssIt's good bill young lady"
81 knew it was,' cried Alice with culver
ing lip-"and he dared
She could go no further but entirely over
come. she bent her head, and the hot tears
had their way.
81 beg pardon, have you had trouble with
it 2" asked the cashier.
s'Oh, sir, you will please excuse me for CIV
ing way to my feelings-but you spoke so
kindly, and l felt so sure it was good And
| think, sir, such men as one of those clerks |
in Huntey & Warmers should be removed |
lie told me it was counterfeit, and added
some thing that 1 am glad my father did not
hear. knew the publisher would not send
me bad money!
"Who is your father, young lady 7'' asked |
The cashier becoming much Interested.
"Mr. Benjamin Locke, sir.'
"benJamln-Ben LOck-WaS he ever q |
clerk in the Navy Department at Washing |
ton p,
ayes, sir; we removed from there" repli-
ed Alice. "Since then'-she hesitated-s.he |
Ias not been well-and-we are somewhat re- |
Qnced Oh: why do / tell you these things, |
sir2,
"ben Locke-reduced :" murmured the |
cashier; ''the man who was the making of me
1--WE me his number and street, my child.
tha-r - flx.
1ny friend had. have not forgotten him.
Liberty street. l will call this evening.
Y.rahtlme Y.,, let me have the billet me see
give you another. Come to look, havn't
Tne-here's a ten ; we'll make it all right"
Ina, ihat evening the inmates of a shabby, gen.
vi ei mouse received the cashier of the M
aaH' Mr. Locke, man of gray hair, though
S'noerlng but fifty years, rose from his arm
fau, and much affected, greeted the familiar
nu Inc son of the cashier accompanied
Ica% I', % aad While the elders talked together, AL
an nu the young man grew quite chatty.
N. i,es' sir, l have been unfortunate," said
Hocke, IN low tone. ssI have but just
rnO'eted r,nOed as you see, from a rheumatic fever,
fo, .u .. Dy undue exertion-and had itlnot been
,bon1s anat sweet girl of mine, know not what
mpsiO msa nave done. She, by giving lessons in
cal. Ia ana French, and by writing for periodi-
ayA nas Kept me, 50 far, above want.''
fria.s 'g J, shall nc longer know want, my old
P,n.., said tue cashier" at was kind
Ib,Vence that sent your daughter to me.
place in the bank just made vacant