The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-08-29
THE STOLEN NOTE.
BY A RETIRED ATTORNEY.


ed and extraordinary man. His one
great fault hung like dark shadow over
his many virtues He meant WE'LL and
when he was sober he did well.
He was 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 bal
ance by mortgage to the seller.
The mortgage note was almost due at
the time circumstances made me acquain-
ted 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. | was well
acquainted with Wallace, having done
some little collecting, and drawn up legal
documents for him. One day his daugh-
ter Annie came to my Office in great dis
tress, declaring that her father was ruin
ed and that they should be turned out
of the house in which they lived.
" Perhaps not Miss Wallace" said |,
trying to console her, and give the affair,
whatever it was, bright aspect what
has happened ?" .
"My father" she replied, had the
money to pay the mortgage on the house
in which we live, but it is all gone now"
Has he lost ="
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 7"
+" He is broker. My father got ac-
quainted with him through George Chan
dler who boards with us, and who is Mr..
Bryce's clerk"
G Does Mr.. Bryce refuse to pay it Z"
4" He says he has paid it." ..s
Well, what is the trouble then ~
" Father says he has not paid it,.
" Indeed But the note will prove that
he has not paid it. OF course you have
note Z" ,.
"No. Mr.. Bryce has it,"
Then, of course, he has paid it."
g suppose he has, or he could not
have the note"
''What does your father say ?"
"He is positive that he never received
the money. The mortgage, he says,
must be paid tomorrow"
F" Very singular Was your father"
hesitated to use the unpleasant word
which must have grated harshly on the
ear Of the devoted girl, r.~.
Mr.. Bryce says father was not quite
right when he paid him, but not very
bad"
" ! will see your father"
"He is coming up here in few mo-
ments 4 thought l would see you first
and tell you the facts before he came"
'fI do not see how Bryce could have
obtained the note, unless he paid the
money Where did your father keer
itW HIog LIs .HEEH s'iH zugI siGBl
He gave it to me, and l put it in the
secretary" Yd Has saH a.J,1 4
"Who was in the room when you put
it in the secretary 7" g,,
Mr. Bryce, George Chandler, my
father and myself" ... b.
The conversation was here interrupted
by entrance Of Wallace. He looked pale
and haggard, as much from the effects o.
anxiety as from the debauch from which
he was recovering. r'oI .rsEa....t b
fShe has told you about it, sup
pose," said he, in very low tone.
" She has" ..- .t...r
| pitied him, poor fellow, for two
thousand dollars was large sum for hin
to accumulate in his little business. tn,
loss of it would make the future look lik,
a desert to him. 1t would be misfor
tune which one must undergo to appre
ciate it, it irf
What passed between you and Bryc
on that day Z" ~ ~ Hal ~
"Well, | merely stepped into hi
ofice.--it was only the day before yester
day---to tell him not to forget to hav
the money for me by tomorrow ii
took me into his back office, and as | sa
there he said he would get the none.
ready the next day. He then left m
and went into the front Office, where
heard him send George out to the bank
to draw check for two thousand dollars
so supposed he was going to pay m
then. "11ll' l'i' i
"What does the clerk say about it?"
z" He says Mr.. Bryce remarked, whe
he sent him, that he was going to pay nj
the money" iiea+ iio,fi s.l'ni n
"Just So" 1la alaN .olagfea5
Sand when George came in he wen
into the front Office again and took tn
money. Then he came to me again, an
d;1 - oNo~ 20 NOW ,oa fh a snona,, -