, 1873-08-24

e1tout OF tho ul8cOverieH thclr curiogty prompted
ts Viii t. sts and es uss 10 Sps o sSa sra
OF company. ralao tho premium to fabulous
sum, aolf out, and thon roalizo an immoao profit
Tho morclnnta woro all sgog; for they woro, Of
cotrae, unable to dotoot tho ufltlor-curront that
tl,otr pnpor TO my amount, and could have ruined
nlen OF lilo highest snnduE. Operators and
iobhors wore In q perpetual feyor of oxoso1ncnt.
It would bo tedious to toll Of tho nulnborloBa
httsnossI carried OH III traac-tho vast spocn1a-
tonB by which realizod additional millions.
Lot IT suffice that doubled aud evon trol'lcd tho
original amount Of my wealth. I tried in vain to
Months passed nway, during which my love OF
gold rapidly incroasod 1 had II craving to SEQ,
to handlc tito glittering metal. Ivory coin waB
of valuo to my eyos. b1t beyond tltn instinct,
to njuIo. and, II possible, to doBtroy: hold
no friendly communications with any living soul,
and had ay,npathy for mono.
During this time suffered continually fro,.
tho BpaBnodio paina have described and |,
began to suspect that was not radically cured
Of tho dlsonsc with Which had previously boon
afflicted. They wore ronding, shooting palms
darting through limbs, breast, and bra!a-lcav-
ing 'bohiud bodily exhaustion and montal do
spair.
was pondcrlng over those matters ono night
aB l sat in my vault, counting md recuunting
1ny tonB OF thousands arranging tho1n inheaps-
foastlng my eyes with tho gorYeous spectacle ac-
eordlng to my daily custom whom t9oknp acel-
The grand total exhibited deposit OF 320,000,-
0o0 Twonty millions |" criod, aud re-
poatod tho seductive words oyor and ovor again.
",Twonty millions Tweuty .millions!, Wllnt,
I'll break all tho banks! Whew what aenBa-
tionlthat will create Ia In y
"Ha In !" roboundod from the other end Of
tho room. These echooa OF tho room 10 startled
itor: No ono waB thore, yot I tron,blod with
alright, and hurried up atnrs, imagining that
aome ono Ind discovered my rotrent. Small
chnnco Of TINT, though, for l kept tho houBo
}SsGa bf vapef up md no human 1'ng over 0nt'f'a it
The idoa Of running tho banks bocame set
tlod determination, aud tho very next morning
was among my agents, arranging preliuliuaricA,
specifying tho exact day, hour, ind oyon moment
when the act should bo couslmmatod. It was q
feasible plan; for, as hayo said, tho banks had
expanded to such IN oxtent on tho strength Of
my deposits, that the sudden Withdrawal, of my
property In gold. with all tho interest accunlu-
lated, must infallibly break tlom.
from the banks to variouR places down town
This was done NJ vol and as secretly as could
havo desired, and, in tho night tinlor- watched
ita removal to Fifth avenue By other parties. A
thoao hoavy boxes contained aught olse than tho
ordinary goods thoir labols designated.
Iwnitod anxiouBly for tho result Of this opera
tion. Two days olapBed, and by u o'clock on tho
spread like wild-flro over the city That tho banks
wero an broaking: The newspapers issued all
! edition after each explosion. People rushol
| frautioaly for thoir money, hut found only
| closed doors. They burst them open furioualy,
J aud discovered nothing within but bonchcs,
desks, and account booka. The officials had ilod
| in dismay, carrying otr what was loft
The ruin Of the banks waH followed by fear
ful crisls. Merchanta Of osory description wore
could not sell their goods. Housoholdora could
| not get their rent. In the space Of ono week tho
panic had arrived atsuoh height that tho i'll
habitants woro lowing the city,
The s0qng "GEe r. tsapn snd n
means for their roliof.
In tho midst OF this excitement wandered
about e1ultng secretly in tho ruin lad caused.
1 oq qax aoTn
with tho founder Of my wcalth. Ho brought
strangely to my remembrance tho faco aud form
| OF Du1npus, Tlioae very existence had forgot
ton. did not like tho expression Of his coun-
triod to pnss by unnoticed. Ny effort proved
frutless his oreH we're fixed upon NO. Tic
spoke abruptly, aud without any grooting, in 0
| grur voice:
Ut haye work for you. Tho day attor to.
morrow largo stores aro expected; you must
hive agents ut NIL tho dopots, nud as these
stores arrive in tho city tho words hiHAed
through big closed tecth-"you must have them
| destroyed"
0Whati stsryo out tho cityl" I exclaimed
~ daro not II
"You must; order IT,"
"But tho thing is impossible" continued,
pretending not to notice hia last words, for
| felt their truth.
Ut have other slayos besides you, fool! can
give you oyery assistance you require. Be- ut
your Office tomorrow morning at 10 O'Clock
ready to receive visitors fromme. AL thcy want
| is the money!"
90 saying he loft mo to my own reflections,
md horrible reflections they were. AS ro--
turned home ran over every possible plan by
| which could ayoid bis commands aud elnko off
hia influence. Thore Was no way Of doing this
| parted sooner With my lifo.
| waited impatienily the next morning for my
promised visitors. They camo at the nppointod
| horr-dark, taciturn mon. They received tho
dately taken away. Then, in abject terror at
what had done, T fled to my own homo.
cannot eay exactly how tho decd was accom-
| plshod; WIS afraid to mako inquiries. and ro-
scarcely know what. I stole out ut intervals to
pick up the rumora that flew with startling ra-
pility from mouth to mouth. The etfzons
seemed alarmed OF aonlo great impending calam-
groups at tho cornera Of tho streets, talking
| eagerly. drew near ono OF the knots to liHton,
and henrd it said that certain Bpnculators had
bought up immense stores Of provisions recently
brought to the city; that TUG mob, excited to
mudneBa, had brokon open their warehouses
that fearful riota eneued, during which tho ware
| houses were burnt with MI they contained. Ex-
clamntiong OF horror escaped from tho by
Btandere at this announcement. TAoy beloved
| tho city doomed, aud thought it prudent to leave
In timo.
With skill and precision that will be doomed
| utterly fabulous by those WHO cannot co1.lpre-