The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-12-11
Mr.. BuFtenshaw, one OF the manaKefS


law motioned him courteously to E
chair, while he finished his letter
| which took only a few moments. ~
Whileihe was sealing 1t, he halfturn'
ed to his visitor. and said, mo bad
news? Morland's Is safe, of COURSE
"Well," said Burtenshaw, "there is 8
run upon our bank-a severe one. We
could not hope to escape the effects Of
the panic.
He then, after an uneasy pause, and
with apparent reluctance, added, 81 am
requested by the other directors to as.
sure you 1t is their present extremity
alone, that-in short, we are really com
advanced to you by the bank"
Wardlaw showed no alarm, but great
surprise. This was clever; for he felt
great alarm. and no surprise.
The eSI, OOO," said he. why, that
advance was upon the freight of the
Proserpine. Forty-five thousand ounces
of gold. She ought 10 be here by this
inert, no doubt"
Excuse me; she is overdue, and the
underwriters uneasy. l have made in
quiries."
AT any rate, she is fully insured,
and you hold the policies. Besides, the
stand for bullion"
Burtenshaw shook his head. "Names
are:at discouu to-day, sir. We can't
pay you down on the counter. Why,
our depOsitors look cross ut Bank Of
England notes." a.
To an inquiry, half ironical. whether
the managers really expected him to
find GSl 600 cash, at a few hours notice,
Burtenshaw replied, sorrowfulIy, that
they felt for his difficulty whilst deplor-
ing their own; but that, after all, It
was debt: and, in short, If he could
find no means of paying it, they must
suspend payment for time, and issue
u statement-and-
He hesitated to complete his sentence,
and Wardlaw did it for him.
And ascribe your suspension to my
inability 10 refund this advance?" said
he, bitterly.
81 am afraid that is the construction
1t will bear"
Wardlaw rose, TO Intimate he had no
more TO say.
Burteushaw, however was not dis
posed to go without some clear under
standing. MAY say we shall hear
from you, sir?"
Yes"
And so they wished each other good
morning: and Wardlaw sank into his
chair.
In that quiet dialogue, ruin had been
inflicted and received without any ap
parent agitaIlou; Ay, and worse than
ruin-exposure. rE
MorlHnd's suspension, on account of
money lost by Wardlaw e Son, would
at once bring old Wardlaw to London,
and the affairs OF the firm would be in
vestigated, and the sons false system
of book keeping be discovered.
He sat supplied awhile, then put on
his hat, and rushed to his solicitor; on
the way, he fell in with great talker,
who told him there was rumor the
Shannon was lost in the Pacific.
At this he nearly tainted in the street,
flee in a deplora0le condition. Allthis |
time he had been feigning anxiety |
about the Proserpine, and concealing |
his real anxiety about the Shannon. To |
do him justice, he lost sight of every \
thing in the world now but Helen. Hel
sent old PenfOld in hot haste to Lloyd's |
to inquire OF news OF the ship; and |
then he sat down sick at heart, and all |
he could do now was to open her por- |
trait and gaze ut 1t through eyes blind.
ed with tears. Even u vague rumor,
which he hoped might be false, had |
driven all his commercial mRneuvres |
out of him, and made all other caIami- |
ties seem small.
And so they all are small, compared |
with the creature we love.
While he sat thus, in stupor OF fear |
and grief, he heard a we'll known voice |
in the outer office; and, next after Bur-
it was the one that caused
him the most apprehension. twas his
from ooSrISrEDt