Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-09-14
TWENTY DOLLARS.

as you are stranger on the island you
might be gone before we could get it back
to you"
"Very WELL" said I, "I'll leave the
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 had in
my possession, and had no doubt of its
goodness, supposing l could tell just
where it came from. I did not have so
many twenties in my hands then as to be
at any loss as to where | had taken them.
So | 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, and
then strolled up again just as the town
clock on the South Church tower was
striking nine, SO as to enter punctually
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 wer, 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 he, laconic-
ally; ;,
Counterfeit" he rejoined; and then,
seeing by my blank look that was really
surprised, he kindly pointed out the
marks by which to detect the cheat. l
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 | to do!
This was the situation which, as pock-
eted the bill and walked away toward the
Ocean House, came clearly before me.
was then junior clerk in a Boston house,
on limited salary, and with but tritle OF
income from other sources. was an or
phan. and had not many acquaintance
and no relations near at hand. had come
to Nantucket on 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 always shared by young clerks of
nineteen, when / left home | had taken
with me just the little balance I had saved
up for my summer vacation, and had been
enjoying we'll earned leisure in various
cheap and innocent designations. I
had been sailing, fishing, and bathing,
had driven out to-" Sconset" and the South
Shore, had passed two rainy days in the
alcoves of the Athenaum, and had con-
graduated myself that I was keeping well
within bounds. This twenty had enter
tanned till the last. The night previous !
had settled my hotel bill, expecting to
leave that very morning in the boat, but
she had started at six to go to wreck,
and her passengers had to choose between
some extra hours of sailing or waiting
over. preferred the latter, especially as I
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 I seemed, was a
room, pulled out my pocket memorandum
of expenses, laid the unlucky bill upon
the table, and sat down to think where I
could have got it. There was just chance
that it might have been taken On the
island; only knew it wasn't. I remem-
bered but too well that had kept it in an
inner pocket ofmy porte mon7aGSs, resolved
to go home as soon as it became necessary
to break it. But where could have got
it? My money was always paid me by ouI
book-keeper, and he would have almost as
soon have taken the safe-key to wind uI
his watch with as doubtful note.
So took up the bill and stared at it, as
people do, blankly trying to waken 6
dormant memory. Then it all came te
me.
The day before I left home I had beer
sent up State Street to make a deposit
Before started, seeing that the sum was
in los and eos, and as my own port
naon,aaie was unpleasantly stuffed with II
which | had been saving up against vaca
tion-time, I had taken 20 from the bank
book and put my own bills in its place.
How did happen to have so many rs:
Young men, hope of the future commercial
circles of the country, attend! Every
week I paid my board bill, which was
| nine dollars (before the war, you know
and earned every week fifteen, which
received Saturday night, in and 10
The 5 went for various current expenses
the 10 went to my landlady, the 1 I re
ceived in change was sacredly laid by fol
vacation. Then I had my dividend which
came in July untouched, and was free tG
go where I liked. This year, too, haG
earaed something extra by doing othel
fellows work for them, so that | dom
think an easier-minded guest had been a
| the Ocean House that summer. | ha(
chosen Nantucket as a place where
could do as I wanted to, where Issneed no
bargain and plan for cheapness, and should
not be cheated. I had found just what
wanted; I had had the best boatman
good teams, and no young gentleman o
! great expectations could have got NOR
enjoyment out of his money than | ou
of mine. 1t had been a splendid financia
success up to this last disagreeabl
episode.
| But what was to be done now? Their
would be another days board at the Oceal
| House; there was the fare to Boston
things ordered at the " Curiosity Shop,
which felt ought to take-and coun
terfeit bill Whether this bill was my los
Or not, I could not quite tell.
I inclined to think that Penrose, ou
book-keeper would put it on to me, sayin
that if had deposited the bills was sen
with, it would have been detected at th
counter of the bank.
However, that was not the question.
could stand the loss of the 20-thougI
before the war, to a junior clerk of nine
teen, twenty dollars was not trile-bu
how to get homel True, I could walk o.
board the boat, but they might refuse t
let me land at Hyannis, and the railroa
conductor would assuredly put me off be
fore I got even to Sandwich; so wha
better should I be them? Suppose wrot
to Boston, whom could write tor I di
not know soul to whom I dared apply
Beside that, writing would do no gooc
for I must leave the island the mex
day. Mr.. Ellis, the second partner i
cur house, was to sail for Europe O
Saturday. I had been specially charge
before could get my leave, that FIR
day night at eight o'clock I was to be a
his house to take charge of some paper
of importance for the firm. I was sur
that my situation would be gone if
failed.
Something must be done. / went dow
stairs and asked for the landlord. He ha
gone to New Bedford, and would not b
back till next day. Itook the clerk int
my confidence, and tried to get loan c
him. He had no money of his own, an
could not, in the absence of his boss,
take the funds of the hotel Besides, b
did not think my little valise adequate 81
curity. Neither did I for that mattel
There was no telegraph nearer than tn
mainland.
| went hack tn NV roarn feaIipo doeoa