Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1864-05-07


with them new made graves happiness to
| some and grief to others
Towards the last they brought the great
commercial crisis Of 1857, when houses
that seemed built upon rock tottcrei all
at once to their fall. Do no, many remem.
ber that time all too well, when merchants
with anxious faces, ran from one to ano,h-
er to solicit help, and met only averted
and disrusfu looks?
Aud how was it in that time Of un;ver.
sa! famine with our friends Stacy and
Wilbur?
Up to 1857 they had been doing an ex>
cellent business. They had gradually en-
larged the sphere of their operations, and
were rapidly growing rich, when this
crash came.
They Immediately took in sail Both
were prudent, and both felt this quality
was urgently needed.
BY great efforts they had succeeded in
keeping up till the l4th of Feb, 1S58.-
On that morning a note Of two thousand
dollars became due. This was their last
peril. That surmounted, they would be
able to go on With assured confidence.
But alas? that was the rock of which
they had the most apprehension. They
had taxed their resources t. the utmost
They had called upon their is who
were employed in taking care of them
selves, and the selfish policy was the one
required then.
Look out for number ONE superseded
the golden rule for the time being.
AS | have said, two thousand dollars
were du, on the l4th Of February.
"How much have you got towards it ?"
asked Wilbur, as Stacy came in at half
past eleven
Three hundred and seventy Eve dol
lars was the dispirited reply.
"Was that all you could raise? p in-
quired the partner, turning pale.
"All'
I" Are you sure you taught of every
body?'
II have been everywhere. I'm tagged
to DEATH was the weary reply of Stacy,
rs he sank exhausted into a chair.
"Then the crash must come," said Will
bur with gloomy resignation.
" suppose it must
There was silence. Neither felt in.
clined to say anything. For six months
they had been struggling with the tide. -
They could see shore, bat il sight Of it
they must go down.
At this moment note was brought in
by boy. There was no postmark. Evi.
dently he was special messenger.
1t was opened at once BY Mr.. Wilbur.
to whom it was directed. 1t contained
these few words only:
yr NJ, IL
ately at No. -. Fifth Avenue. he viii learn
something to his great advantage"
There was no signature. John Wilbur
read it with surprise, and passed it to his
partner What does it mean 90 you
think ?''
Il don't krow but advise you to 90
at once
at seems to be feminine band
writing,' said Wilbur, thoughtfuIIv
"les Don't You any lady on Fifth
avenue p
"Nnue."
Well, it is worth noticing. We have
met with so little to our advantage lately
that it will be refreshing variety
In five minutes John Wilbur jumped
into horse car, and was On his way to
n o. - Flith Avenue.
He walked up to the door of magnili
cent brown stone house and rang the bell.
He walked up TO the door OF magni;i-
cent brown stone house and rang the bell.
He was instantly admitted, and shown in>
to the drawing room, superbly furnished.
He did not have TO wait long. An ele.
gantly dressed lady. scarcely thirty, enter.
ed, and bowing said, You do not remem.
Der me, Mr.. Wiibur?'
"No madam. said he, in perplexity.
ave will waive that, then, and proceed
to business. How has your house borne
the crisis in which SO many Of our large
firms have gone down?'
John Wilbur smiled bitterly.
1--WE have struggled successfully till to.
day." he answered "Bnt the end has
come. Unless we can raise a certain sum
Of money BY two, we are ruined
What SUN will save your was the
lady's question.
The note due is two thousand dollars
Towards this we have bat three hundred
and seventy five.
"EXcnse ms 4 moment said his hos
tess. She left the room, but quickly re.
turned.
There said she, handing a small strip
Of paper to John Wilbur, "is my cheek
for two thousand dollars. You repay it at
your convenience. II you should require
more, come to me again.
MADAM, you have saved u.s. exclaim.
ed Wilbur, springing to his feet in delight.
"What can have inspired in you such
benevolent interest in our prosperity 2"
"Do you remember. Mr.. Wilbur" said
tho lady, "a certain valentine. containing
a ten dollar note, which you sent to a
young girl occupying an attic room in
your lodging house eight years since p
IL do, distinctly. have often wonder.
ed what became Of the young girl, think
her name was Helen Morris
"She stands before you,' was the quiet
response.
''You, Helen Morris |" exclaimed vii.
bur, starting hack in amazement. "You,
surrounded with luxury
"No wonder you are surprised. Life
has strange contrasts. The money which