American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-04
THE TICTOM DEFICIT.

All anguish were to miss, to mourn, to lose theel
-iPpieton's Journal.
THE TICTOM DEFICIT.
1t was Mr.. Jerry Tictom's delight to
sit before a brisk hardwood fire with a
pair of heavy brass-headed tongs in his
hand.
The fire was wife and family to Jerry
comfort and company. The care of it
had grown upon him like passion. The
flames painted his thoughts and in return
required of him something. he knew not
what TO name it. if 'twere not reverence.
Mrs. Holm. his longtime landlady, hui
mored his ways. She gave over to his
: keeping the fire upon the old-fashioned
hearth in the old-fashioned parlor as trust
fully as though Jerry were a later Pro-
metheus.
n Filled with happy consciousness of his
responsibility, Jerry's care went step
further. The wood whereof the fire was
made he ordered himself of the dealer.
Jerry was the purchaser, and lived in an
ideal world in which he made ecstatic
Journeys. In -ur bread-and-butter world
he Travelled very little. Here he was
punctilious and methodical to an ace.
The business of his life demanded it. for
he W.: The executive officer of a moneyed
institution. For certain part of the day
. his mind fiuttered among notes. bills. dis
counts and balances, at the beck and call
of the trader, the borrower and the
mGney-changer of Seetown. But when
he placed the sey in the satchel and drew
the string thereof. his other lite, of which
1--WE have had a glimpse, began, to continue
I until the opening, next morning, OF the
Seetown Bank.
1t was an old institution. Tommy Teet
was its messenger, connection which
contributed not little to his self-impOr-
lance, and in his own eyes lie knew the
mysteries of finance and the function of
money about as well as President Grim
himself. Tonny's associates regarded
him as an oracle upon all questions relating
to monetary affairs. Only one man ever
dared to doubt him.
ssHow long ago, Teet,'' said Jesper
Frown at Snugg's tavern, where circle
was altered ore winter evening, Ibid
the Bank begin business?'
"WeH," replied Tommy, drawing a full
breath and pausing in his way to give due
weight to his words, ''they say her char
ter,"-the bank was always feminine to
Tonny-''was brought over in the May
flower
swell, an how many years ago was
that?'' queried Frown, who always wore
his name on his forehead, all the palmer
now, as he thought Tonny's answer vague
sawyer without bank connection, and
couh not endure Teet's show of superb
ortiz, especially as he knew he could saw
l the messengers legs oH-metaphoricalIy,
and one of them at least-literally.
s'Sir," answered Tommy, drawing Il
breath not quite so long and pausing lit
tie longer, Il don't jist remember myself
now but I've heard my father say twas
jistarter the Revolution
An L. said Jesper, with the air of a
mai who knows he is driving the last
mai that can be driven in an argument,
''af I've hearn my gran 'ther say the See
fnvn nv,l- l. OLD n.f hal fav i-fia
he hearers concluded the weight of
the evidence was with Jesper. as 4
gran'ther OF course is higher authority
than father.
1t is hoped. however. the reader is per-
suaded that the bank was no monetary
mushroom.
1t was old and honored and solid. The
bank, being old, believed in the old. No
man under tbreescOre was ever director
in it. Among its presidents none had died
under ninety. Its officers had been few,
tor they had lived long and dropped like
ripe apples from the functional Dough.
Longevity was a cardinal virtue there.
Even 1.-THE boy Jerry's assistant, had
laIterly celebrated the thirtieth ;lnniver-
sary of his wediing-day.
1t opened and clOsed-the lucky old in
stitution-in happy Ignorance Ofany such
bank-term as sirregularity."
One afternoon in the month of October,
President Grim with a city visitor was
sitting in the directors room. The Wis
itor was bank director, and the talk nat
urally turned upon bank dOings. Finally
the President fell TO eulogiZing their CASH
Ter, Mr.. Teton.
From the day of his appointment
said he. five-and-twenty years ago.
down to this day, his cash has not
EsAs;ed shadow OF a mill. Why,
|si4, he is wheat; he is gold. He is
certain as Norman's woe,'' con-
ti1ued Mr.. Grim, who. at home with
pef cent, seldom undertook TO navigate
sinhile- Here, sir, is the resolution our
Pr esident turned the leaves OF the old
RECORD book reverently, and showed it to
his visitor in handwriting round and
even as print:
s'Tofed, That our confidence in Mr. Jerry Tit
com, now and for Internationally years last past
beloved associate and cashier increases with
Aeyery day and grows from year to year, like
0n1y with IT'S roots in the ground, and
its tops In the summer air, that the birds may
build in the branches thereof
The city visitor, to whom such resO-
luton was as new as a primer, 'congratu-
such an officer.
/ At this moment the door of the direc-
{tors' room opened and - the boy beck
$ohed to the President. MIR. Grim was in
happy mood. His eighty summers
teemed lin down under his feet. Ex-
. fhere the beidSAk MI 9ictom had been
.getting up his lash for the day.
Mr.. GSSH said Jerry, in voice soft
End suE ycating-a thought too tender
ihnnderbolt-'' regret to say, sir,
cash j. short"
Goodusss mer' exclaimed Mr.. Grim,
nd sailk back overcome in an Oaken
mir.
e A deficit! 1ictom, a-whatT' Were
3 walls of the universe-the SeetOwn
hnk-crumbling?
Are you sure? 20 quericd the President
ally.
Sure." replied Jerry.
How much2'' Mr.. Grim shivered.
Fery one OF his eighty winters seemed
owing tl.ir SHOWS upon his unprOtect-
Bfd
..Six centsl'' responded the cashier pa
theiically.
.s'fictom,s' said the President solemnly,
Iii 'tw thousand dollars, I'd draw my
check for it; but a clssed four-peace-ha'-
penny deficit! IT'S damnabIc, Mr.. Tic
tom. MIR. +. felt thankful for the res
toration of the title,-'-i'il 90 home-''
.-The boy helped him on wi h his sur
tout; he proceeded to his visitor in the
other room. and they Withdrew.
The cashier dismissed - the boy and
was alone with his sorrow-his first error.
He put away the bills and the cents. the
silver and the gold, that seemed to have
no value in them now.
Locking the bank he turned towards
horne Is he passed the cliurciI-yard he
paused longer than usual before "A moss
o,.s,,., NTH ln tac,rip-inn--s.S 81