American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-11-08
AN UNLIMITED GUEST.

l
summers day; the long polished counters
of our bank-the Royal Domestic Bank
I were crowded with customers; money
was flowing in and running out in the
usual business-like manner. From d
| raised desk in my private room, |, the
manager of the Royal Domestic Bank
looked out on the busy scene with Ger
| tain pride and pleasure. The Royal Do
nestle is not long established institu
ton, and, without vanity, l may say
that much of its prosperity is attributable
to the zeal and experience of its manager.
| In confederation of this statement, l might
refer to the last printed Report of the di-
rectors, laid before the shareholders at
their annual meeting, in which they are
pleased to say But after all, perhaps |
may be thought guilty of undue egotism
and conceit, if l repeat the t1attering
terms in which they speak of me.
A clerk put his head inside my door.
| Mr. Thrapstow, sir, to speak TO YOU
"Send him in, Roberts, l said.
Charles Thrapstow, | had known from
boyhood; we had both been reared in the
same country town. The fact that his
parents were of considerably higher So
| cial status than mine perhaps made our
subsequent intimacy all the pleasanter to
me, and caused me to set a value upon
his good opinion greater than its intrinsic
| worth Thrapstow was a stockbroker, a
very clever, pushing fellow, who had the
| reputation of possessing excellent Judg-
ment and great good luck. Atmy request,
he had brought his account to our bank.
| 1t was a good account; he always kept a
fair balance, and the cashier had never to
look twice at his checks.
Charlie, like everybody else in business,
occasionally wanted money. l had let
him have advances at various times, of
course amply covered by securities, adj
vances which were always promptly re-
paid, and the securities redeemed. AT
this time, he had five thousand pounds of
ours, to secure which we held City of
Damascus Water company's bonds to the
nominal value of ten thousand. My di-
rectors rather demurred to these bonds,
as being somewhat speculative in nature !;
but as 1 represented that the Company
was highly respectable, and its
shares well quoted in the mar
ket, and that l had full con-
fidence in our customer, our people sane
toned the advance. had perhaps a little
uneasy feeling myself about those bonds,
for they were not everybody's money, and
there might have been some little diff
Guilty in finding a customer for them in
case of the necessity for sudden sale.
Thrapstow came in radiant. He was
good-looking fellow, with fair beard and
moustache, bright eyes of blush gray,
nose tilted upwards giving him saucy,
resolute air; he was always well dressed,
the shiniest of boots, the most delicate
shade of color in his light trowsers and
gloves, the glossiest of blue frock-coats, a
neat light dust-coat over it, a blue birds
eye scarf round his throat, in which was
thrust a massive pin, containing fine
topaz, full of luster, and yellow as beaten
gold.
"Well, I've got customer for those
Damascus bonds waiting at my office;
sold 'em well, too to Billings Brothers,
who want them for an Arab firm. One
premium, and bought at one discount"
''I'm very glad of it, Charlie" l said,
and 1 felt really pleased, not only for
Thrapstow's sake, but because should
be glad to get rid of the bonds, and the
directors shrugs whenever they were
mentioned.
'Hand 'em over, old fellow" said
Charlie, land I'll bring you Billings's
check up in five minutes. You won't
have closed by then; or if you have, I'll
come in at the private door"
1 went to the safe, and put my hand
upon the bonds.
Charlie stood there looking so frank
and free, holding out his hand for the
bonds, that l hadn't the heart to say to
him, as ought to have done, Bring your
customer here, and let him settle for the
bonds, and then will hand them over"
should have said this to anybody else, but
somewhow couldn't say it to Charlie.
There would only be five minutes risk,
and surely it was no risk at ALL
The thing was done in a moment; |
was carried away by Thrapstow's irresisti-
BILE manner l handed over the bonds,
and Charlie went off like shot.
1t wanted seven minutes to three,
and sat watching the hands of the
clock in little tremOr, despite
my full confidence in Thrapstow;
but then l had so thorough knowl-
edge of all the rules of banking, that l
couldn't help feeling that l had done
set it right. Charities white hat and gilt
tering topaz would soon put in an appear
ance.
just at a minute to three the cashier
brought me three checks, with little
slip of paper attached. They were Thrap-
slows checks, for fifteen hundred-twelve
hundred and three hundred odd respec-
lively, and his balance was only five
hundred odd.
/ turned white and cold. "Of course
you must refuse them," l said to the
cashier.
When he went out, l sat in my chair
quite still for few moments, bewildered
at the sudden misfortune that had hap
pened to me- Charles Thrapstow was
clearly defaulter; but there was this one
chance-he might have given the checks
in the confidence of selling those bonds,
and placing the balance to his account.
In due course, these checks, which were
crossed would have been brought to the
clearing house, and have been presented
on the morrow. But it seemed that his
creditors had some mistrust of him, and
had caused the checks to be demanded
out of due course.
The clock struck three. Charles had |
not come back. The bank doors closed |
with a clang. l could endure the suspense |
no longer Telling the bank porter that |
if Mr. Thrapstow came, he was to be ad- |
mitted at the private door. and was to be |
detained in my room till | returned, |
went out, and made my way TO his office,
which was only a few hundred yards
distant. He wasn't there The clerk, a
youth of fifteen, knew nothing about
him. He was in Capcl Court, perhaps
in within the last halfhour? Well, no;
the clerk did not think he had. His story,
then, of the customer waiting at his office
was lie.
With heavy heart, went back to the
bank No; Mr.. Thrapstow hadn't been
in the porter said | took a cab and went |
off to the office of Mr.. Gedgemount, the |
solicitor to the bank. | told him, in con |
what had happened, and asked |
his advice Could / get warrant |
against this Thrapstow for stealing the
bonds?'
Upon my word" said Gcdgemount, 81
don't think you can make a criminal mat |
ter of it. II isn't larceny, because you |