The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-03-16

piStOt tdt VcpTcSentatlUu vi u IeH1ale nara at
work ut the washtnb, the cast Of beauty be.
ing decidedly Hibernian.f
Helen Morris laughed absentIy, bat did
not open her letter while Bridget remained
"a little to the disappointment of the curl.
Gus damsel hEa 7
Helen slowly opened the envelopes. A
bank note Of ten dollars dropped from Il to
the floor. She eagerly read the few words
on the paper.
From st. Valentine 7
Heaven be praisedi' she said, folding
her hands gratefully. sThis sum will ena.
bic me to carry out the plan which / had in
view q so
Eight years passed away. Eight years
with their lights and shadows, their joys
and sorrdws. They brought with them
new made graves-happiaess to some and
grief to others
Toward the last they brought the great
commercial crisis Of '5F, when houses that
seened built upon rock tottered at once
to their fall. Do not many remember that
time all to well, when merchants with
anxious faces, ran from one to another to
solicit help and met only averted faces and
istrustful looks
And how was IT in that time of universal
famine with our friends-Stacy & Wilbur I?
Up to 1857 they had been doing an ex.
cellent business. They had gradually en-
larged the sphere of their opera tions, and
were rapidly growing rich, when the crash
came.
They Immediately took 10 sail. Both
were prudent, and both felt that this was
the time when this quality was urgently
needed 3H sHa
By great efforts they had succeeded in
keeping up till the 14th of February. 1858.
On that morning note of two thousand
dollars came due. This was their last peril.
That surmounted. they would be able to go
on with assured confidence But alas this
was the rock of which they bad the most
apprehensions. They bad taxed their re-
sources to the utmost. They had called up
on their friends. but their friends were EN-.
ployed in taking care Of themselves, 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Look out for number one superseded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 due on the lst Of February
'How much have you got toward it p
asked Wilbur, as Stacy came in at eleven
o'clock
Three hundred and seventy-five,' was the
dispirted reply @
WAS that all you could raise p Inquired
his partner, turning pale.
sAll'
'Arc You sure you thought Of everybody. >
Il have been everywhere Pm tagged to
DEATH was the weary reply of Stacy, as he
sunk exhausted into chair
'Then the crash must come, said Wilbur,
with gloomy resignation.
Il suppose it must
There was silence Neither felt inclined
TO say anything For six months they had
been struggling with the tide. Tbey could
see shore, but in sight OF It they mus: go
down
AT this moment note was brought in
by a boy. There was no postmark. Evi.
dently be was special messenger.
1t was opened at once by Mr.. Wilbur, to
whom it was directed. Ii contained these
few words.
If Mr.. John Wilbur will call immediate
iy at No, Fifth Avenue, he will learn
something to his great advantage
There was no signature.
John Wilbur read it with surprise, and
passed it to his partner. what does 1t
mean. do you think p
Il don't know was the reply, but I ad-
wise you to so at once
1T seems to be in feminine handwri-
ting said Wilbur.
Yes, don't you know any lady on Fifth
Avenue p
None
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 in.
to horse-car and on his way to No.-Fifth
Avenue.
He walked up to the door ofa magnifi-
cent brown stone house and rang the bell.-
He was instantly admitted. and shown in
to the drawing room superbly furnished.
He did not wait long. An elegantly
dressed lady scarcely thirty, entered, and
bowling. said: You do not remember me,
Mr.. Wilbur ?
we 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.
We have struggled successfully till to-
day he answered. But she end has come
Unless we can raise certain SUN by two,
we arc ruined.
What sum will save you ? was the lady's
question.
The note due is two thousand dollars
toward which we will have but three hun.
dred and seventy five.'
Excuse me a moment said his hos tess .
She left the room. but quickly returned
There said she, handing small strip Of
paper to John Wilbur, lis my check for
two thousand dollars. You can repay IL at