The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-11-22
THE REJECTED BANK NOTE,

IO W. N NAOoAtS Sety IN NA~AAN'
lounged over the counter and yawned.
The man 10 whom Alice Locke address
ed herself was .jaunty and middle aged
He was head clerk OF the extensive es-
adjustment of IIuntly &Warner, and
extremely consequential-in manner.
''This dressing gown we value at six
dollars-you shall have it at five, as
trade is dull to-day"
give dollars.n Alice looked at The
dressing gown longingly, and the clerk
looked at her. He saw that her clothes
though made and worn genteely, were
common enough in texture, and that
her face was very much out Of the COM
mon line. How it changed! now shaded,
now lighted, by the varied play of her
emotions. The clerk could almost have
sworn that she had no more than that
sum, five dollars, in her possession.
The gown was very good one for the
price. 1t was of common shade, toll
cradle merino, and lined with the same
material.
81 think'-she hesitated a moment,
~ think I'll take it.' she said; then
seeing in the face before her an express
sion 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, pompeus tone, "pass
up the bank note detector.
Up ran the tow headed boy with the
detector, and down ran the clerks eve
from column to column. Then he look
ed over with a sharp glance, and ex-
claimed:
"That's counterfeit bill, Miss
"Counterfeit! Oh, not cannot be.
The man who sent it could not have
cor hc ;.,t,
SIR
81 am not mistaken; Pm never mis-
taken, Miss. This bill is a counterfeit.
[ must presume, OF course, that you did
not know it, although SO much bad
money has been offered us Of late that
we intend to Sc eure such persons as pass
il. Who did you say sent it??7
"Mr. c., sir of New York. He
could not send me bad money! said
the trembling, frightened girl.
.Humphn said the clerk. Well,
there's no doubt about this; you can
look for yourself. Now don't let me
see you here again until you can bring
good money, for we always suspect such
persons as you that come on dark days
with a we'll made story
"But, sir"
"You need make no explanations,
Miss, said the man insultingly. s.Take
your bill, and next time you want to
buy a dressing gown, don't try to pass
your counterfeit money! and as he ham
ded it, the bill fell from his hands
Alice caught it from the floor and hur-
ried into the street.
Such a shock the girl had never re-
ceived. She hurried to a banking es-
adjustment, found her way in, and pre-
scented the note to a noble locking man
with gray hair, faltering out, sis this
bill bad one sir?"
The cashier and his son happened to
be the only persons present. Both no.
ticed her extreme youth, beauty, and |
agitation.
The cashire looked closely and hand
ed it back, as with polite bow and |
prolonged look, he said:
cts a good bill, young lady"
81 knew it Was,o cried Alice, with a
quivering lip-"and he dared"
She could go no farther, but entirely
overcome, she bent her head, and the
hot tears had their way.
81 beg pardon, have you had any
trouble with it?" asked the cashier.
ooh, sir, you will excuse me for Civ
ing way to my feelings-but you spoke
50 kindly, and l felt so sure that it was
good. And think, sir such men as
one of the clerks in Huntly 4 Warmers
should be removed. He told me it was
and added something that
am glad my father did not hear. l
knew the publisher would not send me
bad money"
"Who is your father, young lady?o
asked the cashier, becoming interested.
"Mr. Benjamin Locke, SIR"
"Benjamin-Ben Locke,--was he ev-
er a clerk in the Navy Department at
Westinghouse
eyes Sir; we removed from there.'
replied Alice. "Since then"-she hest
tated-"he has not been well-and we
are somewhat reduced. Oh why do |
tell these things sir?"
''Ben. Locke ducedn'murmured the
"the man who was the making
of me! Give me his number and street,
my child. Your father was one OF the
best, perhaps the only friend, | had.
have not forgotten him. No. Liberty
street. / will call this evening. Mean
time let me have the billet me see
I'll give you another. Since l come to
look, haven't got tive-here's a ten;
We'll make it all right