Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-02-12
cslllngs Genuine Bill a Counterfeit.

= ~ nAOI4 w locke
sddressedsherself was jaunty and middle
aged-kHe was head clerk of the exten-
slFe establishment of Hunter & Warner.
n extensively consequential in his man
ner.
This dressing-gown-re value at six
you shall have it at five, as trade is dull
to-day"
Five dollars" Alice looked at the
aresslng1gown longingly, and the clerk
looked ut her. He saw that her clothes,
though made and worn genteely, were
copAaon enough in texture, and that her
lace was very much of the common line.
How it changed ! now shaded, now light
ened by the varied play of the emotions.
The clerk could nave almost sworn that
she had no more than that sum, five dol
lars, IN her purse or pocket.
The gown was o very good one for the
price. 1t was of common shade, a tolera-
blessmerino, and lined with the same ma
terial.
81 think" she hesitated q moment-"I
shiak III take it," she said; then seeing
IN the face before her an expression she
did not ike, she blushed as she handed
out the bill the clerk had made up his
mind to take.
dennis" cried Torrent, the head clerk.
i a quick, pompous tone, pass up the
Bank Detector."
Up-ran o toe-headed boy with the De-
tector, and up and down ran the clerks
eyes from column after column. Then he
looked with 8 sharp glance and exclaim-
ed:
This is q counterfeit bill, Miss"
Oh, how pale grew that sweet face!
Counterfeit Oh, no;9it Cannot be-
The man who sent il could not be so care,
Less. You must be mistaken, SIR"
"Im not mistaken; Pm never mistaken,
Miss. The bill is counterfeit. / must pre-
sumo, of course, that you did not knowit,
although so much bad money has been Of
fered US of late that we intend to secure
such persons as pass It. Who did you say
sent il :"
M. C, sir, of New York. He
certainly could not send me bad money"
said the ..trembling, frightened girl.
"Humph J" said the clerk. well,
there IS no doubt about this; you can look
foriyourself. Now, don't you let me see
you here again until you can bring good
money, for we always suspect such persons
as you who come on dark days, with 8 well
made story"
"But, sir"
You need make no such explanations,
Miss, said the man, insultingly. Take
Jour bill, and the next time you want to
buy q dresaing-gown, don't intend to pass
counterfeit money" and as he handed it
TO her the bill felIsfrom his hands:
Alice caught It from the floor, and hur-
ried into the street.
Such a shock, the gil had never roceiy-
ed IN all her life before. 1t was the first
insult she had ever knew, and it burned
her cheek and panied her heart.
S~ralghtway, indignant and grieyed, she
hurried to a banking establishment, found
her way in and presented the note to q
noble looking man, with gray hair, falter-
cd out:
"Is the bill 8 bad one sir 7v
Tho cashier and his son happened to be
she only persons present. Both noticed
her extreme youth, beauty and agitation.
The cashier looked at it closely and hand
cd it back, as with a polite bow and some
what prolonged look, he said:
Ii Is a good bill, young lady"
Il knew it was" cried Alice, with a
quIyering look, "he dared to"
q could go no further, but entirely
overcome, she bent her head, and the hot
teaE eoursed their way down her cheeks.
I beg pardon, have you had trouble
with IT, asked the cashier.
'Oh, sir, will you excuse me for giving
way TO my feelingsl but you spoke so
kindly and / felt SO sure that it was good,
and ! think, sir, such men as one of those
clerks in Hunter 4 Warmers should be
removed. He told me it was counterfeit,
and added something I'm glad my father
did not hear; l knew the publishers
would not send me bad money
Who is your father, young lady?' ask
ed the cashier, becoming somewhat in
terested.
Mr.. Benjamin Locke, SIR
Benjamin-Ben. Locke-was he ever q
clerk in the Navy Department at Wash
hgsozF I
Yes sir; We removed from there.
Alice. Since them she hesitat-
ed, he has not been well-and-we are
reduced. Oh why do l tell
these things sirr
Ben. Locke reduced murmured the
cashier; the man who was the making
Of mel Give mo his number and street,
my child. Your father was one of the
best, perhaps the only friend l had.
have not forgotten him. No 4, Liberty
/ win call there this evening" (,
Meantime let me have the billet me
see, III give You another. Come to look i
! haven't gotta fFe here's . ten; well
make il all right
That evening the inmates Of shabby, ,
house received the cashier of the |
. Bank. Mr.. Locke, 8 man of !
gray hairs, though numbering but fifty
Tears, rose from his arm chair, and much
greeted the familiar face. The I
son OF the cashier accompanied him, and J
while the elders talked together, Alice
nd the Young man grew quite chatty.
Yes, SIR, | have been quite unfortu- p
lase,' said Mr.. Locke, in an undertone.-
l have just recovered, as you see, from a
Rheumatic fever, caused by undue exer- :.
1on, and had il not been for that sweet =
1ri OF mine, l know not what I should ,
ave done. She by giving lessons in mu-
ac' md by writing for periodicals, has
lept me 20 far above want
You shall never know want, my old "
eieud.' said b cashier. 1t was a kind
'rcFidence thAtsdnt your daughter to me.
q place in bank Just made vacant Il
the death of . valuable clerk, and is AZ
our disposal. It is in my gift, and val
led st twelve hundred -
Pen cannot describe the delight with q
rhich this kind offer was received. The =
ay Of deliYerance had come.
On the following morning, the cashier
inferred the handsome store of Hunter Il Il
and asked for the head clerk. n
Sir said the cashier sternly. is that a
I'D motel
IL think not, sir, said the clerk stam- :,
e
The cashier went TO the door. From -
10 carriage stepped syoung girl in CON-
any viii bis daughter.
Did yeu not tell this young lady, Ward, 8
lat this note was . counterfeit? And,
did you not 50 faF forget
,ur selfrespect and the interest of your N
nplosers - - sfsr her ~ insHltf +