Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-03-22

WORD OF an absolute stranger, OF
vagabond, if ever there was one yet.
1t was madness-downright madness
in any man to have acted as had
done. l could hardly believe in it
myself. Iopened | the safe and looked
at the bank notes again. | locked it
once more, and flung the key down on
the liable in the fury of vexation
against myself. There the money was,
upbraiding me with my own inconcei-
vable folly, telling me in the plainest
terms that | had risked depriving N.Y.
self of my best and kindeSt friend
heIceforth and forever.
1t was necessary to do something at
once towards making all the atone
ment that lay in my power. | felt
that, as soon as | began to cool down
little, there was but one plain,
straightforward way now left to get
out of the scrape in which | had been
mad enough to involve myself. took
my hat, and, without stopping an in
slant to hesitate, hurried off to the
bank to make clean breast of it to
Mr.. Fauntleroy.
When | knocked at the private door
and asked for him, | was told that he
had not been at the bank for the last
two days. One of the partners was
there, however, and was working at
that moment in his own room.
SEM in my name at Cnce, and ask
ed to see him. He and | were little
better than strangers to each other:
and the interview was likely to be, on
that account. unspeakably embarrass-
ing and humiliating on my side. Still
could rot 90 home, I could not en-
dure the inaction Of the next day, the
Sunday, without having done my best
on the spot to repair the error into
which my folly had led me. Uncom
Portable as | felt at the prospect of
the approaching interview, | should
have been far more uneasy in my mind
if the partner had declined to see me
To my relief the bank porter re
turned with a message requesting Inc
to walk in.
What particular form my eXplana
tions and apologies took when I tried
to offer them, is more than | can tel
now. | was so confused and distress
ed that | hardly knew what | was
talking about at the time. The On,
| circumstance that | remembered clear
/ ly is that | was ashamed to refer tt
my interview with the strange man
and that | tried to account for my sud
den withdrawal Of my balance by re
ferring it to some inexplicable panic
caused by mischievous reports which
was unable to trace to their source
and which, for anything | knew to the
contrary, might, after all, have beer
started only in jest.
Greatly to my surprise, the partner
did not seem to notice the lamentabl,
lameness Of my excuses, and did no
additionally confuse me by asking any
questions. A weary absent look
which | had observed on his face whel
| came in, remained on it while ! wa.
speaking. 1t seemed to be an ef,or
to him to even keep up the appearance,
Of listening to me; and when | fairly
broke down in the middle of a sen
tence, and gave up the hope Of getting
any further, all the answer be gave m,
was comprised in these few civil com
monplace words:
Never mind, Mr.. Trowbridge
pray don't think of apologizing. W,
are all liable to make mistakes. Sa,
nothing more about it, and bring tn
money back on Monday if you still
honor US with your confidence"
He looked down at his papers as i
he was anxious to be alone again, ant
| had no alternative of course, but t
take my leave Immediately. | wen
home, feeling a little easier in m
mind now that | had paved the wa
for making the best practical atone
ment in my power by bringing my baI
ance back the first thing on Monda
morning. Still passed weary da
| on Sunday, rejecting sadly enoug
, that had not yet made my peace wit
Mr.. Fauntleroy. My anxiety to sc
/ myself right with my generous frien
: was so intense that risked intrudin
t myself on his privacy by calling at hi
: town residence on Saturday. He wa
: not there, and his servants could te
: me nothing of his whereabouts
e There was no help for it now, but t
S wait till his week day duties brougl
e him back to the bank.
), went to business on Monday mo
D ming half an hour earlier than usua
so great was my impatience to restor
n the amount Of that unlucky draft /
b my account as soon as possible afte
= the bank opened.
j. On entering my Office, | stoppe
l with a startled feeling just inside II
); door. Something serious had ha
It pened. The clerks, instead of bein
d at their desks as usual, were all hu
t died together in group, talking
each other with blank faces. Whc
a they saw me, they fell back behind n
r managing man, who stepped forwal
e with a circular in his hand.
% Have you heard the news, sir
n he said.
D NO-what is it ?"
He handed me the circular. \
e heart gave one violent throb the
d slant | looked att it. felt myself tul
k pale; I felt my knees trembling und
s me.
n Marsh, Stracey, Fauntleroy & Or
d ham had stopped payment.
ID "The circular had not been issu,
# more than half an hour continued q
le clerk. Il have just come from t
Is bank, sir. The doors are shut; the
to is no doubt about it. Marsh & G
st have stopped paying this morning"
= I hardly heard him; hardly knt
IN who was talking to me. Ny stran
le visitor Of the Saturday before had {
L ken instant possession of all my tho
~ and his words of warning seemed
vi be sounding once more in my ears.
This man had knowo the true con,
er tion OF the bank when not anoth
tn soul outside the doors was aware
st If Tho loot J,of+ paid oo,o,e :