The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-08-19
CHE Albang gegister.
Tue stolen Note.
BY A RETIRED ATTORNEY.

GuG uSC III TIC T., " Oits
Wallace was an honest, high, minded
man. His one great fault hung like a
dark shadow over his many virtues. He |
meant well, and when he was sober he |
did we'll
He was a halter by trade, and by In
dustry and thrift he had secured money
enough to buy the house in which he
lived. He had purchased it several
years before, for three thousand dollars,
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 acquaint
ed with the affairs of the family. But
Wallace was ready for the day; he had
saved up the money; there seemed to be
no possibility of an accident 1 was well
acquainted with Wallace, 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.
s'Perhaps not, Miss Wallace" said I
trying to console her, and give the affair,
whatever it was, a bright aspect. "What
has happened 2"
"My father" she replied had the
money to pay the mortgage on the house
in which we live, but it is all gone now"
s'Has he lost it ?''
"I don't know I suppose so. Last
week he drew two thousand dollars from
the bank, and lent it to Mr.. Bryce for
ten days"
"Who is Mr. Bryce"
stHe is broker. My father got ac>
quainted with him through George Chan
dler, who boards with US, and who is Mr..
Bryce's clerk"
s'Does Mr.. Bryce refuse to pay it?"
s'He says he has paid it,
swell, what is the trouble then p
s'Father says he has not paid it,"
'Indeed But the note will prove that
he has not paid it. OF course, you have
the note ?'
'sNo Mr.. Bryce has it."
''Then, of course he has paid it ?"
az suppose he has, or he could not
have the note"
"NVhat does your father say ?"
e'He is positive that he never received
the money. The mortgage, he says, must
be paid tomorrow"
every singular, Was your father
1 hesitated to use the unpleasant word
which must have grated harshly on the
ear of the devoted girl.
chr. Bryce says father was not quite
right when he paid him, but not very
bad
81 will see your father"
sfHe is coming up here in a few
moments; l thought I would see you
first, and tell you the facts before he
came"
81 do not see how Bryce could have
obtained the note, unless he paid the
money here did your father keeI
it 7"
"He gave it to me, and I put it in the
secretary"
"Who was in the room when you pu
it in the secretary ?"
sMr. Bryce, George Chandler, my
father and myself"
The conversation was here interrupted
by the entrance of Wallace. He looked
pale and haggard, as much from the
effects of anxiety as from the debaucf
from which he was recovering.
"She has told you about it. sup
pose" said he, in very low tone.
ssShe has"
I pitied him, poor fellow, for two
thousand dollars was a large sum for hin
to accumulate in his little business Th,
loss of it would make the future lool
ike a desert to him. 1t would be mis-
fortune which one must undergo to ap
preciate it.
"What passed between you on tha
day 7.
''Well, I merely stepped into his offic,
lit was only the day before yesterday
to tell him not to forget to have the mon
ey for me by tomorrow. He took m,
into his back Office, and as I sat there h
said he would get the money ready mex
day. He then left me and went into tn
front Office, when I heard him sen,
George out to the bank, to draw checl
for two thousand dollars SO suppose,
he was going to pay me then"
ssWhat does the clerk say about it ?"
.He says Mr.. Bryce remarked, whe
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 tn
money. Then he came to me again, an,
did not offer to pay me the money"
"Had you the note with your"
tsNo; now I remember. He said h
supposed / had not the ote with me. O
he would pay it. told him to come il
the next day and would have it read
that was yesterday. When I came {
look for the note it could not be found
Annie and have hunted the house al
over"
g You told Bryce so ?"
IT did. He laughed and showed hi
note, with his signature crossed owe
with ink, and hole punched through
it."
It is plain, Mr. Wallace, thathe pal,
Jon the money, as alleged, or has obtain
cd fraudulent possession of the note
and intends TO cheat you out of th
amount"
"He never paid me-" he replied firm
IL.