Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-06-14
VOLUME XVII.

the bank and draw check for him. Ha
| was bad enough at his age"
An hour or two later found the rough but
worthy Doctor driving at a sober pace to-
ward the bank
" There goes Old Murder |" cried the pert
chemists assistant to an associate, who
was talking to him at the door of the shop
in the High Street
(" Yes There goes old four miles an
hour Did you hear of young Hardness,
and how he carried on last night at
the billiard-room? Swore he'd been cheat
ed, got noisy drunk, and fought three of the
men there with the but-end of billiard
cue. Oh, he's going the whole hog, he is
How he flashes his money, to be sure"
Well, Thatcher" said the manager OF
the bank, as the Doctor alighted from his
chaise, what can we do for you 2"
" want this check, Miller, for one hun
dred and fifty pounds, cashed, and want
to look at my book"
" Certainly. Edward, get DR.. Thatcher's
| book from the parlor."
g am going to the post-ofice, and will
call in minute or two. Pshaw how cold
it is Seen my son to-dayN
Drove by, Doctor, about half an hour
! ago, down Church Street"
Always at work. That's the way
Early bird picks up the worm"
Thought he looked i'll, Sir. Works too
hard"
Yes, it is is dog of life, ours. One
gets old before one has leisure to enjoy
what one has earned"
| The manager smiled deprecatingly, as
much as to say, Rich people will have
their joke"
The Doctor came to the post-ofice.
ANY letters, Mrs. Johnson 2"
Yes, Doctor There's one for you"
Hand it out"
The Doctor sat in the chaise and read it,
1t was from a hospital in London, con-
sumption hospital, to which he annually
subscribed twenty pounds. The secretary
wrote to tell him that two years subscrip-
tions were due.
"Stutf about due p growled the Doctor
Sent Jack to pay it into their bank a
month ago. He never forgets any thing"
Here is your book" said the manager,
handing the small parchment-covered book
to the Doctor as he entered the bank, where
farmer was scOoping up salmon-colored
! bag of sovereigns.
No, it is not entered" said the Doctor,
in a startled way "Did not my boy Jack
pay in twenty pounds the end of last month
| for Drummond's Surely? The last check
! he paid in. I've not sent since to you for
any thing"
"No, DIR. Thatcher, but he called last
week for the hundred pounds for you"
The hundred pounds ?"
Yes, didn't he, Edward 2"
Oh yes, Sir, and the week before for the
fifty pounds" ....
For the fifty pounds ?" the Doctor STAN
mered. "Let me see the checks, Mr.. Mill
er" The Doctor spoke quite calmly, but
his voice trembled Will you allow me
to sit down for momeut in your back par
lor till th6s gentleman has gone? There
has been some mistake about a subscrip-
ton quiet minute or so will set itright.'
Certainly, Sir Edward, show DR..
Thatcher in and give him a chair There,
Sir, are the checks. Edward, put on a bit
of coal, the fires low"
The Doctor, as the door closed behind
the manager, looked closely at the checks,
! turned the signatures up and down then
! he rested his head on his hands and burst
into tears. The signatures were forgeries.
see it all" he murmured. "Oh that
! unhappy boy and this, 7 fear, is not the
worst 0 AbsaIom my son, my son p
There's something up" said the clerk
to the manager, as he took a hasty peep
over the green curtain of the glass door.
Why, good gracious, Mr.. Miller, the Doc
tors tainted p
Good-morning, Mr. Miller" said the
| ,l,, h. l,oI ,,l
his seat once more in the chase there
is no blunder, after all. | see where the
mistake lay. | have taken all the checks
up to yesterday. Continue the draft. Young
man, be kind enough to turn the chaise.
Thank you" .a"'"
The Spartan boy kept the wolf hid till it
gnawed into his heart. DR.. Thatcher had a
secret whose teeth were sharper than even
the wolf In that half hour he had suffer
ed the pangs of death itself.
He drove straight to bis sisters, Mrs
Thatcher's, whose neat little cottage was
about quarter of a mile from the town.
and near the old parish church AS the
Doctors chaise drove up, Miss Paget ran
out, looking very pale and anxious
"Well, Lefty >how's Fanny ?"
every, very i'll, dear uncle. No appe
tite very weak, no sleep"
=" That won't do and has Jack been ?"
" Yes, and orders the same medicine, on
ly larger doses but Pm sure--Pm sure il
does not agree with her. Do give your ad
vice, uncle"
:" promised Jack, only two days ago
never to interfere with his patients but
this once | will. Send some one, Lefty, tc
take the mare round to the stables"
Mrs Thatcher, the Doctors sister, was
sitting up in bed, propped with pillows
Her handsome features were sharpened by
illness, her cheeks were sunken, her eyes
pale and anxious.
"Well, Fanny, and how is it with you p
Bad, bad, John; perpetual pain, nausea
no sleep no appetite"
The Doctors face changed, CHASTITY pal
lor came upon his lips.
LET me see the medicine, Lefty"
Miss Paget brought it. The Doctor look
ed at it eagerly, .hen tasted it. The mex
moment he had flung the bottle in the fire
A dew of nervous excitement broke out up
on his forehead .... .-..'
"Uncle?"
: Brother 2"