Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1870-05-27
NUMBER 4S.

MCFADDES's MAsTE RsTROKE. Samuel Nc
Fadden was a Watchman in a bank. lie was
poor, bat honest, and his life was without re-
prOach. The trouble with him was that ne felt
he was not appreciated. His salary was only
four dollars a week, and when be asked 10 have
it raised, the president and the cashier and the
board Of directors gared at him through their
spectacles, anl frowned on him, and told him to
60 out and stop his insolence, when he knew
business was dull and the bank could not meet
its expenses now, let alone recklessy lavishing
one dollar week more upon such a miserable
worm as Samuel McFafleu And then Samuel
McFadden felt depressed and sad, and
the naughty scorn Of the president and the
cashier cut him to the soul. lie would often 20
ont in the side-yard and bow his venerable
twenty-four-inch head, and weep gallons and
gallons Of tears over his insignifcance, and pray
that he might be made worthy Of the cashiers
and the presidents polite attention.
one night a happy thought struck him
CLEAN 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, h0nOred and respected 50 Samuel
McFaiden fooled around and got jimmy, and 4
m0nkey-wrench, and a cross-cut saw, and a
cold-chisel, and drill, and about half a ton Of
gunp0wler and Hitro-glycariue, AM all those
things. Then in the dead hour Of night he went
to the fre-proof safe, and after working At it for
a while, burst the door and brickwork into i'm
mortal smash, with such perfect success that
there was not enough Of that safe left to make a
carpet tack Mr. NcFddien then proceeded to
load up with coupons and greenbacks, and cur
reucy and specie, and 10 nail alI the odd change
that Was lying around anywhere, so thar he
prance out OF the bank with one million dol
lars on him. lie then retired to an unassuming
residence out Of town, ami sent word to the de-
tectiyes where be was.
IL was all serene and beautiful for Samuel Nc
Fadieu now lie felt that il was all right at
last, and that the dark night Of SORROW hal
passed, and the bright rays If the sun Of pros
perity at last Illuminated his path. 4 detective
called on him next day with soothing note from
the cashier. NcFaiien treated it with lofty
scorn. Detectives cll.ei On him every day with
humble notes from the president, and the cashier,
and the board of directors, and clerks, and
stockholders AT last the bank officers got up
magnificent private supper, to which Mr. Nc
F4dien vas invited He csne, and. As the
tank Cficers bowed down ia the dust before him,
be pCuiefel over the bitter, bitter past, AMI his
sjul was f.leI with wild exultatiou. (It seems
20 ne that the last sentence Is symmetrical and
poetic It strikes ne So. anyhow Before he
drove away in his carriage that night, it was all
fixed that ]lr. McFaIlen was to keep half mil
Lon Of that money. AMI to be unmolestei if he
returned the other half lie fulfilled his contract
like an homes. man but refused with naughty
disl4iu thaol=r Of the cashier TO marry his Nc
Failen's daughter.
Mac Is nov houorei and respected. He moves
in the best society le browses around in purple
and fine linen ami other good clothes, and enjoys
himself drst-rlte. And often now he takes his
infant son upon Bis knee and tells him Of his
early le and iustis holy precepts into the child
mimi AMI shows him how, 3y industry. and
perseverance, aaI frus4liry, and ni,ro-glyceriue,
and monkey y-wreuehes, ami enterprise, and
crc>s-cut saws. ami familiarity with the detec-
tive system, even the poorest may rise to atau-
euce and Iespec-abiliry