Connecticut western news., 1873-11-21
AN UNLIMITED GUEST.

It was nearly three o'clock on @ hot summers day; the long polished coun- ters of our bank were crowded with customers money was flowing in and running out in the usual business-ike manner. From a raised desk in my private room, I, the manager of the Royal Domestic Bank, looked out on the busy scene with certain pride and pleasure. The Royal Domestic is not a long established institution, and, with out vanity, may say that much of it's prosperity and success is attributable to the zeal and experience of its mana ger. In corroboration of this statement, I might refer to the last printed Report of the directors-laid before the share holders at their annual meeting-in which they are pleased to say But after all, perhaps I might be thought guilty of undue egotism and conceit, if repeat the fattering terms in which they speak of me. --,-
 A clerk puts his head inside my door. "Mr. Thrapstow, sir, wants to speak to you" :
 Send him in, Roberts, I said.
 Charles Thrapstow had known from boyhood. We had both been reared in the same country town. The fact that his parents were of considerable higher social 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 it's intrinsic worth. Thrapstow was stockbroker, very clever, push ing fellow, who had the reputation of possessing an excellent judgment and great good luck. At my request, he had brought his account to our bank. It was good account; he always kept fair balance, and the cashier had never to look twice at his checks.
 Charlie, like everybody else in busi- ness, occasionally wanted money. I had let him have advances at various times, of course amply covered by securities advances which were always promptly repaid, 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 directors rather demurred to these bonds, as being somewhat speculative in nature but as I represented that the company was highly respectable, and it's shares we'll quoted in the mar ket, and that I had full confidence in our customer, our people sanctioned the advance. I had perhaps little uneasy feeling mysel about those bonds, for they were not everybody s money, and there might have been some little difficulty in finding 8 cus- toner for them in case of the necessity for sudden sale.
 | Thrapstow came in radiant. He was @ good looking fellow, with fair beard l and moustache, bright eyes of bluish gray. 8 nose tilted upwards, giving him a saucy, resolute air. He was always we'll dressed, the shiniest of boots, the most delicate shade of color in his light trousers and gloves, the glossiest o1 blue frockcoats, neat light dust coal over it, blue bird 's-eye scarf round his throat, in which was thrust 8 mas. 1 sive pin, containing fine topaz, full o1 lustre, and yellow as beaten gold.
 "Well, I've got customer fer those Damascus bonds waiting at my office sold 'em well, too-to Billing Brothers who want them for an Arab firm. One premium, and I bought at one dis count"
 "I'm very glad of it, Charlie" said, and felt real pleased, not only for Thrapstow's sake, but because should be glad to get rid of the bonds and the directors shrugs whenever tho bonds were mentioned.
 "Hand 'em over, old fellow" saie Charlie, "and I'll bring you Billing check up in five minutes. You won have closed by then or if you have I'll come in at the private door"
 went to the safe, and put my hand upon the bonds.
 Charlie stood there, looking so franl and free, holding out his hands for tn, bonds, that I hadn't the heart to say tt him, as ought to have done "Brine your customer here, and let him settle for the bonds, and then I will bant them over" I should have said this tt anybody else, but somehow I couldn' say it to Charlie. There would only b, five minutes risk, and surely it was n' risk at all. -...
 The thing was done in moment;
 was carried away by Thrapstow's ire sistible manner. I handed over tn bonds, and Charlie went off like shot
 Itwanted seven minutes to three, ant l I sat watching the hands of the clocl