Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1871-09-21
Miscellany.
TWENTY DOLLARS.

TWENTY DOLLARS.
"Ws'D rather not take that bill, if you
please" said the clerk, handing me back
thn twenty dollar note l had given him.
" 1t may b all right, but the Dctector says
there are counterteits Ou that issue: Tho
bank will open in hNli an hour, and they
will know there If it is good, it will be
all the same to you and if it is bad, why,
ss you are a stranger ON the island you
might be gone before wo could get it back
to yon." INV,
things and call for them when the bank
opens and get my bill changed
This conversation took place In small
shop in the town OF Nantucket, and the
things were some South Sea carvings,
whales teeth with sailor drawings on
them, and the like, which had been buy
ing. The bill was the only one I had in
my possession, and had no doubt of its
goodness, surprising l could tell just
where it came from. l did not have SO
many twenties in my hands then as to be
al any loss as to where had taken them.
Sol strolled down the sandy Main
street, and out ON the silent and grass
grown wharf, lined with decaying ware
houses, looked at the solitary New York
yacht lying at anchor in trim beauty, aud
then strolled up again just as the town
clock on the South Church tower was
striking nine, so as to enter punctuaily
the bank, the only bank which the island
now maintains. handed the bill to the
cashier and asked for change. He took
it, smoothed it professionally with wave
of his hand, and was about to drop it in
the dra wcr, when something in it caught
his eye. He held it up to the light, eyed
me, eyed the bill again, and then, with a
shake of the head. pushed it back over
the counter. Bad" said BE, laconic-
ally:
"Counterfeit," he rejoined; and then,
seeing bv my blank look that was really
surpris sed, he kindly pointed out the
marks by which to detect the cheat.
looked and listened, but Was not much the
wiser, for, to tell the truth, another train
of thought was at work in my mind. What
was l to do!
This was the situation which, as pock-
eted the bill and walked away toward the
Ocean House, came clearly tcfore me. l
was then u junior clerk in y Boston house,
on a limited salary, and with but a triile of
income from other sources. l was an or
phan. and had not many acquaintauces
AMI no relations near at hand. had come
to Nantucket ou fortnight's leave, and
my time would be up the next day.
Now having been always careful about
money matters, and feeling horror of
debt not alwa.s shared by young clerks of
nineteen, when left home had taken
with me just the little balance l had saved
up for my summer vacation, and had been
enjoying well-earned leisure in various
cheup and innocent dissipations. I
hal been sAiling, tishirg. and ba hing,
had driven out to "Sconset" and the South
Shore, had passed two rainy days in the
alcoves of the Athenspum, and had con-
graduated myself that las keeping well
Within houlds. Tbi. twenty had enter
tained till the last. The night previous
hal settled my hotel bill, expecting to
leave that very morning in the boat, but
she had started at six to 60 to q wreck,
and her passengers had to choose between
some extra hours of sailing or waiting
over preferred the latter, especially as
could so well afford it, for even then I
should get home with several dollars in
my pocket. Now, instead of the COM
Portable capitalist l seemed, was a
wretched bankrupt. I went up to my
room, pulled out my pocket memorandum
of expenses, laid the unlucky bill upon
the table, and sat down to think whore |
could have got it. There was just chance
that it might have been taken on the
island; only knew it wasn't. l remem
bered but too we'll that had kept it in al
inner pocket Ofmy porte nson7,ase, resolved
togo home as soon as it became necessary
to break it. But where could have got
it? My money was always paid me by Ou1
book keeper, and he would have almost as
soon have taken the safe.key to wind up
his watch With as doubtful note.
So / took up the bill and stared at it, as
people do, bankly trying to waken a
dormant memory. Then it all came tc
me-
The day before left home had been
sent up State Street to make a deposit
Befor.: started, seeing that the sum was
in los and eos, and as my own portl
maonnaie was unpleasantly stuffed with Is
which ha,l been saving up against vaca-
tDn-timc, had taken d 20 from the bank
book and put my own bills in its place.
How did happen to have 80 many Is
Young men, hope Of the future commercia
circles Of the country, attend! Every
week l paid my board bill, which wa
nine dollars (betorc the war, you know
and | earned every week fifteen, which
received Saturday night, in a 5 and 10
The 5 went for various current expenses
the ~ went to my landlady, the / l re
c"ived in char &c was secrcdly laid by 70
vacation. Then had my dividend whic]
came in July untouched, and was free I,
90 where 1 liked. This year, too, l ha.
earned something extra by doing othe
fellows work for them, so that I dort
think au easier minded guest had bcenat
the Ocean House that summer. l nd
chosen Nantucket as place wher |
could do as wanted to, where nec(not
bargain and plan for cheapncss, and souhl
not be cheated. had found just that
wanted; l had had tho best bt.tman,
good teams, and no young gentlenan OF
great expectations could have pt more
enjoyment out of his money tim out
of mine. 1t had been splendi financial
success up to this last d'agreesble
erisntle
hn, what was to be done NV? There
Moulu DC tn"thcr days boardLt the ocean
.i; .louss; mere was the fare to Boston
Ihings oiacred at the Curiosity Shop,
which ielt l ought to lakeland coun
terlclt D'll! whether this bill was my loss
or not, l could not quite tel
lACllACu w Ijlluk CuAL CDrOSC on
book.keepcr would put it o, to me, saying
that if had deposited tho bills was sen
with, it would have been detected at tn
counter of the bank.
However, that was not the question.
could stand the loss of the 2O-,houg
before The war, to d junior clerk Of nlnt
teen, twenty dollars was no. a triile-b,
how to get home! True, I could walk 0
board the boat, but they might refusad
let me lan1 at ilyannis, and the vi be-
conductor would assuredy put 90 what
fore | got even to Sand v.'ose wrote
better should be then2 11tc toy | did
to Boston, whom conrln dare d apply.
not know a soul ;, would do no good,
Beside that. W. tho island the next
for | MUS, the scc,nd partner in
dav twas to sajl for Eurono IN
"uy "ay l had been specially cbu CHARGED oa