The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1870-12-22
A TERRIBLE NIGHT.
aud Nep.

the month of December, Is, and bust.
ness for the day being over, the porter
for the bank at W was closing the
doors of that establishment. As l wa,
accountant at the bank, l was busily
engaged in verifying the posting of the
ledgers, while the tellers were hard al
work counting the cash in the tills, and
the clerks at the various books and let
ters. When had finished an abstract
was making from some of the ledgers,
took it into the managers room. As
entered, the manager was just buttoning
his coat to depart.
al have done the abstract of profit
and loss on bills for the last month,
said l, placing the paper on his table,
"and find the result more satisfactory
than you expected"
al am very glad of it; the directors
are particularly anxious to improve this
branch of the business. I will take this
abstract with me, and look it over thi.
evening"" said he, putting it in his
breast pocket If there is nothing very
urgent to do in the office, l should like
you to come up and dine with me this
evening; in fact, l have some news for
you, which you will find as acceptable
as, l think, it will be unexpected.'
AS had no pressing reason for doing
any more work that afternoon, | accept
ed the managers invitation; the more
SO as he was very genial man, and
much of my advancement in the bank
was due to his kindly exertions on my
behalf We both sailed forth into the
main street. 1t was a miserable night !;
the rain and sleet came down at q sharp
angle, borne on piercing wind, and
under foot was half-frozen mixture of
mud and suow, which struck a cold chill
through ones feet. We soon found a
cab, and a few minutes saw us in the
porch of Mr.. Wilmot's house, and once
more in his cosy snuggery. AS soon as
to communicate to me the news of which
he had spoken. 1t is unnecessary to de-
tail our conversation, the sum of which
was, that he had very good reason to
believe that was on the point of being
promoted to managership. To make
this comprehensive to the reader, it is
necessary to explain something of the
organization of the bank in which held
the post of accountant. The particular
Office in which l was employed was
branch bank, forming part of great
joint-stock bank, having its head Office
in London, and branches in various pro-
vincisl towns. The manager of one of
our branches WAS about to retire on a
pension, and the board had that day
communicated to Mr.. Wllmot their in
tenton-on certain conditions-of ap-
pointing me to the post at their dispo-
sal. OF course, this was joyful news to
me, yet it seemed rather to spoil my ap-
petite for my dinner than to improve it,
and when we went into the dining-room
Mrs. Wilmot rallied ne on my seeming
rather absent.
"Oh !" said her husband, 81 have Just
been telling him some news that may
considerably affect his career in the
bank. and suppose he is ruminating
over it,"
"But 1 thought Mr.. Dandy was al
ways in the good graces of the directors,
! hope no change has taken placer" said
Mrs. Wilmot.
"None whatever" said Mr.. Wilmot.
"Come, Dandy, you ought to look more
cheerful than ever; but l can we'll un-
derstand that the prospect of attaining
the goal OF your ambition is too over
powering to induce sprightliness."
al can assure you," said /, "that the
prospect is very gratifying, and can
not tell why l should look so dull, for
feel SO joyful that am, in fact, quite
confused. Tomorrow l shall feel all
right, no doubt"
But" said Mrs. Wilmot, sis there
some great secret about Mr.. Danby's
prospects Z"
mo, my DEAR" said her husband.
." You are aware that Mr.. Kinnear, our
manager at S, is going to retire.
Well, the directors have decided to ap-
point Mr.. D4nby to succeed him, on
certain conditions, and as those condi-
'tions are, to my knowledge, favorable,
we may look upon the matter as set
tied"
Mrs. Wilmot expressed her pleasure
TAT my improved prospects, and then the
of the dinner interrupt
ed our conversation for time. When
we began to converse again, an acci-
dental remark of Mrs. Wilmot's led to
the introduction of topic which had
been mentioned in my pres
ence on former occasions, but which
had never properly fathomed. 1t re-
ferred to very mysterious affair con-
nected with the disappearance of valu-
L