Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-09-26

pucrleu fTOWU, WHO always WOrc MS name
on his forehead; all the palmer now as he
thought Tonnys answer vague and eva
slve. Frown was rival wood. saver with
out bank connection, and could not en-
duro Teeps show of superiority, especial
ly as he knew he could saw The messengers
legs of;-metaphorically ay, and-one of
them nj least-literally.
Sir" answered Tommy, drawing breath
not quite 30 long and pausne little long.
er, 81 don't just remember myself now,
but I've heard my father say twas just after
the Revolution"
"An l." said Jesper, with the air of a
man who knows he is driving the last nail
that can be driven in an argument, "an,
Eve hearn my gran'ther say the Seetown
Bank Is as old as the Christian ora."
The hearers concluded tho weight of the
evidence was with Jesper, as granther of
course is higher in authority than father.
Tommy was silent, and the star of his des-
tiny declined thenceforth at Snugg's tav-
ern. How delightful is the pursuit of an
enemy who hath a wooden linibi What
odds in life have we over a man with
crook in his eye! Our manners-are they
not sweeter than his manners2 Our aims
nobler than his aims7 Our virtues greater
than his virtues?
If Tommy had been made as his Maker
left him; if the surgeon and the joiner had
never had job of him, he would doubt
less have continued, quoted some great
gran'ther and conquered. But Tommy, alas!
crippled in limb, felt crippled throughout
in heart and hope, and tongue-and was
silent.
1t is hoped, however, the reader is per-
suaded that the bank was no monetary
mushroom.
1t was old and honored and solid. No
vote of the directors suspending specie
payments sullied the records of Jerry Tic
TOMS bank. 1t favored the lowly and
needy. 1t turned a deaf earto spectators,
holding them little better than imps from
the deeps of eternal darkness. Its new
notes were sweet and crisp, and old Parson
James took them gladly for wedding-fees
from any lucky groom. Its old notes were
soft and silky, and grew softer and silkier
with well doing. And so the promises to
pay of the Seetown bank were piously laid
away by many an old lady TO pay her fun
eral expenses. Old, old bills of the old,
old Bank, how many of you, having prop
erly buried yourl possessors, are coming
back to the counter TO claim your places
among the cancelled and redeemed!
The bank, being old, believed in the old.
No man under threescore was ever a direc-
tor in it. Among its presidents none had
died under ninety. Its officers had been
few, for they had lived long and dropped
of like ripe apples from the functional
bough. Longevity was a cardinal virtue
there. Even 1.-The boy" Jerry's assistant,
had latterly celebrated the thirtinth ami
versary of his wedding day.
1t had opened and closed-the lucky old
!nsttution-in happy ignorance of anysuch
bank term as "irregularity."
One afternoon in the month Of October,
President Grim with city visitor was sit
ting in Tie directors room. Tie visitor
was n bank director, and the talk natural
lv turned upon bank ooings. Finally tue
President fell 10 euloSizinS their cashier
Mr. Tictom.
"From the day of his appoint nent,' said
he, "ive-and-tweuty ye'rs ago, down to
this day. bis cash has not varied he snad-
ow of mill. Why, sir, he is wheat; he is
gold. He is certain as-as Norman's woe,"
continued Mr. Grim, who, at home with
per cent, seldom undertook to navigate a
simie. But now being little enthusiastic
he ventured to it aud became sbipwreeked
upon the reef. He half suspected some
thing was wrong about the comparison, but
hastened on :-"Here sir, is the resolution
our Board passed only yesterday" The
President turned the leaves of the old rec
ord book reverently, and showed it to his
visitor in a handwriting round and even
as print:-
"Voted, That our confidence in Mr.. Jer-
ry Tictom, now for twenty-five years last
past our beloved associate and cashier, in
creases with every day and grows from year
to year, like some oak with its roots in the
ground, and its tops in the summer air,
that the birds may build in the branches
thereof"
1t may strike The critical leader that the
wording of this note vas rather above the
mean of corporation resolutions The la
Dor of drawing it had been allotted to Mr..
Muse, who had local reputation as poet.
"Put heart in it, had been the only in
junction of the President, who was all
heart.
"Not too formal" said director Mix
whose good-nature overfowed in. his Ire
the juice in cut orange.
"Rest assured" was the response. Thus
the heart in the resolution must be credit
ed to the President; the lack of formality
to Mr.. Mix, and the poetical figure of the
oak 10 the drawer himself, who happily
sustained, in his own mind, hisreputation.
1t is true, Mr.. Snap made his usual ILL.,
humored remark, which nipped Mr.. MUSES.
delight over his success, in the bud.
''Roots in the ground! Who in the
deuce" asked that cross-graned gentle
man-"I say, who in the deuce ever heard
OF their being anywhere else?"
The city visitor, TO whom such a resolu-
tion was new as primer, congratulated
the bank upon the possession of such an
officer.
At this moment the door of the directors
room opened and "the boy" beckoned to
the Pres dent. Mr.. Grim was in happy
mood. His eighty summers seemed like
down under his foot. Excusing himself,
he entered the room where the beloved Mr.
Tictom h ad been "getting up his cash" for
the day.
Alas What is human perfection What
is an accountant but a sailor at sea with
the chances of shipwreck all about himH
The glancing eye of the President detect
cd something wrong in the room. "The
| boy had a tear in his eye and was wlplng
| his Snnntoolos T,a II ra ha1 haan uaolact pl