The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-09-08

ing, put them into a leathern r~eticule, and
went out, the whole transaction not con
suming over two minutes. When she
had gone I rose from my desk, went over
10 Johns and cast q glance over his shout
der. He was holding the cbeqle in his
hand st the time, and after giving me an
angry side stare, thrust it into his drawer.
l took tie rebuff quietly, as ! knew I de-
served it, and returned 10 my seat.
A few days had passed, when one even
ing, just as we we're about to close the
office, we were electrified by q passion
ate outburst from old Pennypacker
directed against John Barrett. For some
minutes none OF Us understood the mat
ter, but at last, through the invectives Of
Ephreim and the explanations of a gentle
man who had entered with him, it came
out that John had paid S forged cheQue
for eight thousand dollars, bearing the
name of Abendroth g Co., one of our
largest depositOrs. The forgery had
been discovered on the monthly return of
cheques to that house, and the spurious
paper now lay on Johns deck, apparently
striking him sree1hless. When he could
find tongue, it was to tell that this was
the cheQue presented by the lady some
DAYS before; and as it was drawn TO
the order of Messrs. Abendroth Il Co.,
and endorsed in their usual manner, he
had felt no doubt about the ..propriety
of paying it. The forgery had been neat-
" executed there could be 40 doubt Of
that. In those days, even some very
large hotses-that of Abendroth e Co.
among others-dij not have cheques
printed especially for their own use. hut
awaited themselves OF such 81 we're to be
found at the ststicnefs. 1 shall never
forget tie faye of oil Penpypacker. He
showed il in every way short OF using his
fists upon the unfortunate culprit. Ee
had just method enough in bis madness
not to do that,
This affair upset the equanimity of the
establishment for q week. John Was
| banished to an inferior position, and I'M
der threat Of having his whole salary cut
off for q hundred ~years-for nothing less
than that would ha re made good the loss
was Kept 9 close prisoner at the desk,
except when summoned Gas was also fire.
uuently my own case) before ca linguistic
rial board consisting of Pcnnypecker and
a corps Of detectives. On such occasions
we were called upon TO repeat the de
! scriptions we had so often given of the
woman who had presented the cheque.
In these descriptions John and / did moi
agree, but as it was supposed that ne had
enjoyed a better opportunity of seeing
her. and had more interest in her de-
lection than |, his account seemed TO
carry the most weight. However, no
clue was found, and in q few months
John was restored to his former position,
for vel old Pennypacker knew that lie
could get no one Of equal ability at the
same salary. The forged check was filed
away II the archives of the establish
tient, and the affair ceased to be dis
dussed.
Now comes the second event in my
story. I have spoken Of Lydia Penny
packer, but l have net mentioned tina
l always knew that John Barrett was
very fond Of her, and took every oppor
tunity to show it when her father wa:
out of the way. In fact, it was about the
only subject upon which John was mo-
taciturn, and upon this. he would tall
with DC Cor hov1s If I gave hial a chance
which did not often do, for l liked Lydis
myself, though not in the way John did
but rather in a brotherly manner
could not say that Lydia liked him; OF
the contrary, l thought she repulsed hin
at every opportunity /; so much 50 some
liz co " CACltC LIS QCCpSSJ Ic, all
draw forth, in the solitude of our cham
Der, threats l did not like to hear, bu
feared 20 resent. Then l considered tina
John was q fine young man, and likely t
rise in the world, being steady and indus
trious, and | could think OF no good rea
son why Lydia should not like him, un
less the fact that / had seen her man,
times liz the street, especially on the wa
home from church, with a hardsom,
young ScOtcEman, an engineer, name,
Alexander Graham, had something to d,
with it. I said as much to her one even
ing, and the blush and faint laugh whicI
were her only reply went e good way t
confirm my suspicious. AS the meeting
with Graham grew more frequent, Lydia
dislike TO John and her disgust with nom
were more plainly expressed. Troubl
. was rising, and one night itculminated i
: a contention between father and dsugI
ter heard all through the house, and enc
: ing In the sound Of blows. | stoo
trembling at the foot of the stairs, and j
: q lew moments down rushed the girl, wit
hair disheveled and dress torn, maxim
: straight tor the street o 1t was but
: little after dark, and | was the only on
! of the clerks LETT in the house. l caugh
her in my arms, but she tore herse
!, fiercely away, exclaiming:
. "Let me go! The last blow is struc
, that I'll ever bear"
4 Where are you going?"
! "Anywhere! anywherei SO that I 81
: away from this accur5ed place"
! I still struggled to hold her, and after
5 few moments she seemed to relcnt: SUI
denly bursting into tears, she caught III
hand and said:
"Oh, no (! l was wrong to speak so, fl
7 you have always been kind to me, but
4 must GO"
: l drew her to me, trembling all IL
> while-not with passion, but from fear
L old Ephraim coming upon us-and trie
every persuasion to make her foregO h,
purpose. l pictured the perils of a your
girl going forth into the world penuile,
and with no means of earning her brea
For a time she was resolute, and no wore
e could dissuade her, even though, as ST
y owned, she was going to certain ruil
God help me! what could | do for ht
with my beggarly two hundred dollars
year Just enough to provide me wit
u clothes and such necessaries as old Ed
rain did not comprise in his stingy tari
a A. last | exacted e promise from her tn,
a she would go 10 her room and put off l..
intention till morning, when we migl
c consider the situation more calmly. SO
e parted from her, drying her tears wi,
my handkerchief, and kissing her as 81
: went away. That night | loved Lyd
e ~Pennypacker well enough TO have MAJ
her my wife an act of pure madness, fl
n l was then only eighteen.
s The next morning she did not con
q q to breakfast, and as this OMISSION W,
a fearful breach Of discipline, the sc
e want was sent for her. She was gon.
gone, taking with her nothing but
bonnet and cloak in addition to u
is clothes which she mad worn the evenir
IS before, and in which, as was to be i
ferred from the appearance Of her be
d she had passed the night, without 9th
a covering. In the carly morning 81
he had fled. Had a cat or dog stayed ava
ID | think it would have affected Ephrai