Daily Kennebec journal., 1870-05-17
NO.. III.
Tales aud Sketehes.
McFADDEN'S MASTERSTROKE.

Samuel McFadden was watchman in a
bank. lie was poor. but honest, and his
lie was without reproach. The trouble
with him was, that he felt that he was not
appreciated His salary was only four
dollars week, and when he asked to have
it raised, the president and cashier and the
board of directors glared at him through
their spectacles, and irowned on him, and
told him to go out and stop his insolence,
when he knew business was dull and the
bank could not meet its expenses now, let
alone recklessly lavishing one dollar u
week more upon such miserable worm
as Samuel McFadden. And then Samuel
McFadden was sad, and the naughty scorn
ofthe president and the cashier cut him to
the soul. He would often 60 out in the
side-yard and bow his venerable twenty
four-inch head, and weep gallons and
gallons of tears over his insignificance, and
pray that he might be worthy of the cash
iers and the presidents polite attention.
One night happy thought struck him;
gleam of light burst upon his soul. and
gazing down the dim vista of the years,
with his eyes all blinded with the mist of
joyous tears, he saw himself rich, honor
ed and respected So Samuel McFadden
fooled around and got jimmy, and
monkey wrench, and a cross-cut saw, and
a cold-chisel, and drill, and about half
a ton of gunpowdtr and nitro-glycerine,
and all those things. Then in the dead of
night he went to the fire-proof safe, and
after working at it for while, burst the
door and brick-work into immortal smash,
with such perfect success that there was
not enough of the safe left to make car
pet-tack Mr.. McFadden then proceeded
to load up with coupons and greenbacks,
and currency and specie, and to nail all
the odd change that was lying around
anywhere, so that he pranced out of the
bank with one million dollars on him.
He then retired to an unassuming resi-
dence out of town, and sent word to the
detectives where he was.
1t was all serene and beautiful for Sam
uel McFadden now He felt that it was
all right at last. and that the dark night of
sorrow bad passed, and the bright rays of
the sun of prosperity at last illuminated
his path. A detective called on him next
day with a soothing note from the cashier.
McFadden treated it with lofty scorn.
Detectives called on him every day with
humble notes from the president, and the
cashier. and the board of directors ard
clerks, and stockholders. At last the
bank officers got up a magnificent private
supper, to which Mr. McFadden was in
vited. He came, and. as the bank officers
bowed down in the dust before him, he
pondered over the bitter, bitter past, and
his soul was filled with wild exultation.
Git seems to me that that last sentence is
symmetrical and poetic! 1t strikes me so,
anyhow.) Before he drove away his car
riage that night, it was all fixed that Mr..
McFadden was to keep half a million Of
that money, and to be unmolested if he
returned the other half. He fulfilled his
contract like an honest man; but refused
with naughty disdain the offer ofthe cash
ier to marry his (McFadden's) daughter.
Mac is now honored and respected. He
moves in the best of society; he browses
around in purple and fine linen and other
good cloths, and enjoys himself first-rate.
And often now takes his infant son upon
his knee and tells him of his early life, and
nstills holy precepts into the childs mind,
and shows him how, by industry, and perse-
verance, and frugalty, and dnitro-glycerine,
and monkey-wrenches and enterprise. and
crosscut saws, and familiarity with the
detective system, even the poorest may
rise to affiuence and responsibility
FIGARO.