The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-09-25
@iseellaueuns.
No. O7.4S2.
A STORY.

II was not on first impulse, but after
due reflection, that !, George Dunning, ar
,icled clerk in the office Of Messrs. Butler
and Clark, solicitors, decided OH retaining
the hank note which had found behind
my desk. ..
My first impulse, I need hardly say. was
to carry il to one Of the firm, with an ex-
PLANTATION Of the way in which had dis.
covered Il. For the money was certainly
not nine; and 1 hope was sufficiently
honest man, if a poor one, to scout tho
idea OF keeping what did not belong to me.
So, as say. my first thought was to carry
1t to one OF my chiefs the earliest thing
next morning. and to relate how, moving
my desk in u search after my favorite pan,
which had slipped behind 1t and the wall,
I had come upon this Bank Of England
note amid the dust and scraps there accu.
mulated.
Hut second thoughts brought doubt, and
perhaps grain Of selfshness. Suppose, l
argued to myself, (the rest Of the clerks
were gone for the uight-l had the Office to
myself, and plenty Of leisure for rcfection,|
suppose this money does not belong to But.
Ter Clark, more than to myself' They
have only tenanted this office for about two
years, and the note is dusty enough to have
lain between the desk and the wall for eight
or ten years. Then Butler and Clark took
the furniture as Il stands, OH moving in. II
is possible the note may have lain there all
the time. lf,hey had lost il should sure
" have heard something Of il. All things
considered, may have n right to keep tho
money without forfsiting my claim to be
considered an honest fellow; at all events,
I shall acquire that right il I convince my
sell that the note never bclon ged 10 Butler
& Clark. .gt ... .... . ..
Thinking il out thus, | again scruinized
the valuable scrap Of tissue paper in my
hand. Upon frs, finding it, had thought
It was some such trash rs Tom, our office
boy, was accustomed to purchase in the
street. Tom was forever buying cheap
penknives which would not cut; cheap
cas,.iron cannon which burst with tho first
discharge. And favorite bargain otTom's
was to spend penny in curious assort-
ment Of useless articles, including four
brass rings, sham breas,.pin. counter
fei, sovereign, a printed puzzle, couple Of
ballads, and note for five pounds on the
"Bank OF Elegance" Therefore thought
my treasure ,rove might be one Of Toms
precious Bank Of Elegance notes.
Yet It was no sham paper mino; but .
veritsblc Promise to Pay, signed on behalf
Of tho Governor and Company Of tho ma
tional establishment. No. 07,4s2; and for
500 pounds.
Trembling with the hope Of so sudden
an accession to foriune-more wealth than
had ever owned at once-and with tho
fear Of losing Il Us suddenly, rcopcncd tho
safe which Il was my duty to lock nt night,
and took out the bill.book npportioncd to
Bank OF England notes. ! ran my eye
down the money columns, looking out for
fve hundred pounds. A chill sense Of die
appointment struck me as came upon tho
entry opposite 'lato Of some eighteen
months back. Number o., ,482 had passed
through the hands Of Butler & Clark.
Moreover II stood recorded As having been
paid away to William Wylde; and there
Was marginal note attached: "Ses letter
OF instruction from Theophilus Langbrace,
esquire" with number and date quoted.
Hero was mystery ut the outset. No.
OF, ,4s2 had been paid to William Wyhs,
eighteen months ago, and yet I held il in
my hand. hunted up the letter Of ins,ruc.
ton referred to, among the iied-up corres-
correspondence Of . couple yean back.
The entry wss correct. found tho lsstsr
Of ThsoPhiius L nsbrace, one Of the firms
clients, authorizing Messn. Butlsr b Clark
70 pay, William Wylde tho sum Of tivs hun.
drsd pounds ain discharge Of al claims"
on TheopAilus Lsngbrace, and tusher 70.
9uiins Msssu. Butler and Clark to obsain
Wyide's reeeip, in full fot the amount. ,.r
9 remembered Wyldo now. A shabby
.c,or ,.ho fllsd .ecoudary parfa n n truus.