The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-02-28
THE CIPHER DISPATCH.

to see me.
"Who is it, Thomas ?" 1 asked.
"I don't know who is, replied the
servant. " He's dressed fashionable, and
didn't say his name, sir, and is young
chap l think as maybe it's young fel-
Ter for the clerkship as you wanted.
Hows'e ever he didn't say, sir."
Very well, Thomas" said l. You
may show him into the parlor, and l will
be down presently"
The servant according withdrew, and
soon after l descended into the sitting
room where sat fne-looking young
man, aged % Or thereabouts, who imme-
diately arose upon my entrance and stood
by his chair in an attitude Of the most
profound respect
"Good morning, sir" said l, "You
wished to see me, | believe"
Yes sir" said he, becoming seated
again as l took chair " owe an apol-
ogy for the inconvenience to which ]
have subjected you by so early an intru-
sion"
"The inconvenience is so light as not
to require on apology" said l. Pray
proceed"
q l saw your advertisement for book
keeper, and wishing to engage myself in
that capacity, called to see about it" he
said. AZ can give unexceptionable refer
ence as to my ability, and with me IL
large salary is not so much desired as Il
straightforward situation"
1t came over me as he sat there with
his eyes rowing all over the room, talking
in the same even, unchanging voice as he
did, that this man had learned his speech
by heart and was delivering himself
of certain prescribed form (without
any idea what it meant), while his mind
was busy with an inspection of the con-
tents of the apartment-or that he was
like some wooden-talking machine with
no feeling in what he said, and he himself
entirely disconnected from it.
"Who are your references? 2" asked.
Lindsay, Weed, Storms e. Co.," he
said, giving his handkerchief another
turn. " [ was their assistant bookkceper
for six months, and during that time
fulfilled the position with ability and to
the credit of those concerned"
Very vel" said l, rising; {" you may
call around to my office at nine o'clock,
and perhaps we may effect some arrange
ment"
With parting glance all over the
room, which included everything but my
self, he bowed himself backward out of
the door and vanished.
That morning on my way to my place
of business, called on the importing es-
tablshment of Lindsay, Weed, Storms &
Co., and ascertained that what the young
had said in reference to himself was
strictly true; therefore, when he made
his appearance at my office promptly at
nine O'clock, l engaged him Immediately
aud he entered upon his duties forth
with.
He was, I confess, the best penman |
had ever seen, and being thoroughly ac-
quainted with the art of double-entry
bookkeeping, fulfilled the position for
which l had employed him with entire
satisfaction to myself Aside from this
work, there was something about the
young man did not exactly like-a pc
culiar, reserved way with him that, dur.
ing his stay with me, never understood
and | suppose 1 might always have re
mained in ignorance concerning its mean
ing had not the circumstance | am about
to relate thrown some light upon his true
character.
One forenoon about two weeks after
the engagement of my new clerk had oc,
casion, while he was absent, to so to his
desk and saw, lying on the floor just be
meath it, a half sheet of foolscap paper OF
which were inscribed, in my book-keeper'
handwriting the following characters
which appeared to constitute key tC
some secret record or correspondence
IA Is l 2 16 II 3 Is 10 5 6 2C
III
b d g k ! IN n {
8 % % 8 10 "a rs IL II 26 n IL
p q u W z q
On what slight incidents are great
events based l carelessly put the piece
ofpaper into my pocket, where it lay fol
months, forgotten by myself, to be
brought forth at last as the instrument
wherewith two Williams were brought t.
justice, and as the means by which | wal
saved the loss of large sum Of money
One day, after the banks had closed
was paid the sum of three thousand dol
lars which | placed within drawer
in my small Office safe, intending il
should remain there over night, and thC
next day l would put on deposit