Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-08-30
THE STOLEN NOTE.
BY A RETIRED ATTORNEY.

BY RETIRED ATTORNEY.
Except that he INDUCED too freely In
the use Of the Intoxicating cup, John
Wallace was an honest, high minded
man. His one great fault hung like
dark shadow over his many virtues.
He meant well, and when he was sober
he did well.
He was halter by trade, and by in
dustry and thrift he had secured money
sufficient to buy the house III which he
resided. He had purchased it several
years before, for three thousand dol
lars, paying one thousand down and
securing the balance by mortgage to
the seller.
The mortgage note was almost due
at the time circumstances made me
acquainted with the affairs of the fam
lily. But Wallace was ready for the
day; he had saved up the money there
seemed to be no possibility of an aeci-
dent. I was well acquainted with him.
having done some little collecting, and
drawn up some legal documents for him.
One day his daughter, Annie, came to
my office in great distress, declaring
that her father was ruined, and that
they should be turned out of the house
in which they lived.
g Perhaps not, Miss Wallace" said
I, trying to console her, and give the
affair, whatever it was, bright aspect.
"What has happened 2,'
My father, she replied, g had the
money TO pay the mortgage on the
house in which we lived, but it is all
gone now"
g Has he lost it ~
81 don't know; | suppose so. Last
week he drew two thousand dollars
from the bank, and left it to Mr.. Bryce
for ten days.
'FWho is Mr. Bryce %
He is a broker. Ny father got ac-
quainted with him through George
Chandler, who boards with US, and who
is Mr.. Bryce's clerk"
FEDoes Mr.. Bryce refuse to pay it 2"
"He says he has paid it"
"Well, what is the trouble, them"
g Father says he has not paid it. .
Indeed But the note Will prove
that he has paid it. OF course you
have the note?n
"No Mr.. Bryce has it. -
'EThen, of course he has paid it. y
eEI suppose he has, or he could not
have the note
"What does your father say 60
He is positive that he never re-
ceived the money. The mortgage, he
says, must be paid tomorrow"
q Very singular! Was your father"
I hesitated to use the unpleasant
word which must have grated harshly
on the ear Of the devoted girl.
"Mr. Bryce said father was not quite
right when he paid him, but not very
bad >
Il will see your father
@ He is coming up here in few mo-
ments; / thought [ would see you first
and tell you the facts before he came !"
CT do not see how Bryce could have
obtained the note, unless he paid the
money. Where did your father keep
it ?''
"He gave it to me, and I put it in
the secretary.
s'Who was in the room when you put
it in the secretary %
E'Mr. Bryce, George Chandler, my
father and myself"
The conversation was here inter
rupted by the entrance of Mr.. Wallace.
He looked pale and haggard, as much
from the effects of anxiety as from the
debauch from which he was recovering.
s'She has told you about it, L sup
pose, " said he, in very low tone
"She has"
[ pitied him, poor fellow, for two
/ lor
for him to accumulate in his little bus
mess. The loss Of it would make the
future look like a desert to him. L!
would be misfortune which one must
undergo to appreciate 1t.
''What passed between you on thai
day2"
"Well, / merely stepped into his
otfice-it was only the day before yes
terday-to tell him not to forget tt
have the money for me tomorrow. HI
took me INTO his back office and as
sat there he said he would get the
money ready the next day. He the1
left me and went to the front office
where [ heard him send George out tC
the bank, to draw check fortwo thou
sand dollars; so supposed he was
going to pay me them
What does the clerk say about it p
HE says Mr.. Bryce remarked, whel
he sent him, that he was going to pa,
the money"
Just so"
"And when George came in he wen
into the front Office again and took th,
money. Then he came back to m,
again, and did not offer to pay me th,
money"
Had you the note with you?"
Ono; now [ remember, he said b,
supposed [ had not the note with me
or he would pay it. I told him to come
IN next day and L would have it ready
that was yesterday. When [ came t.
look tor the note it could not be found
Annie and [ have hunted the house al
over"
& You told Bryce 50"
81 did. He laughed and showed hi
note, with his signature crossed owe