The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1874-09-03
TIFFIN TRIBUNE.
My Narrow Escape.


inserted as low as in anV irst-class paper.
My Narrow Escape.
Inever told anybody how very, Ger.
near / was to death tnat night just
year ago, but as can now look bacl
J and calmly recall each thought, eael
word, each act, 1 think l will write
down as warning to all who may flint
themselves similarly circumstanced
hoping, with all my heart that tht
number may be few.
In the first place my name is Fred
erick Putnam. L am, and have beer
for the past ten years, the foreman ant
boOk-keeper of the large lumberini
establishment of William Winston
Company, and hope to be for anothe
decade, unless something better may
turn up.
Mr.. Winston is the resident partner
and manager of the manufacturing
part OF the business. The other mem.
: : bers of the firm, of which there are
two, live in the city at the foot of the
lake, and attend to the sales of the
lumber which we send them by yes.
sells.
This is by far the largest share ol
what the mill does, although the
amount of our sales directly from the
mill, to supply the country to the
vest of us is quite large.
We'll, one cold, December evening,
just as l was preparing for home, ]
heard footsteps on the creaking snow
outside, and presently the Office door
flew open, as though some one in haste
had given it push, admitting a tall,
stout, well dressed man, with small
travelling bag in one hand, and a shawl
thrown over one arm.
was alone, Mr.. Winston having
gone to the house some half an hour
before, locking the safe in which we
kept our books and papers, and taking
tf" key with him as usual.
had already closed the damper of
: me stove, put on my overcoat, and
was just in the act of turning down
the light-but of course waited.
"GOod evening, sir" said the man,
and then bustling up to the stove and
kicking the damper open with his
right foot. "Has Mr.. Winston gone
to the house 90
1 answered that he had.
"When? was afraid of it! !"
He drew out watch-a very fine
one 1 thought.
81 shall not have time 10 go up, the
train is due in fifteen minutes"
SIS there anything can do for
you ?" 1 asked.
"I wanted to leave some money with
Mr.. Winston. 1 intended to stop a
day or two, but have just got a dis
patch that calls me home.|
"What name, sir?"
Anderson, of Andersonville."
knew him then, though / had
seen him but once before. He had
been one of our best western custom
ers. say had been, for the reason
that during the past year his payments
had not been SO prompt. In fact, he
was considerably behind, and Wins
ton had told me that very day to write
to him, and "punch him up little"
as he expressed it. The letter was
then in my breast pocket.
You can leave the money with me,
/ Mr.. Anderson. and will give you a
receipt"
He seemed to hesitate, which net
I tied me somewhat. 1 never blamed
anybody since, however.
"How much is my bill ?'' he asked;
eyeing me sharply.
1 answered promptly, for had
struck the balance not more than half
an hour before.
! "Eleven thousand seven hundred
and fifty dollars and twenty-five
cents" said /.
"Rumph! less than 1 supposed
Write me out receipt for the amount
named"
He then left the stove and came
and looked over my shoulder as 1
wrote.
sits all right, Mr.. Putnam. Iknow
you now. You've been with Wins
ton long time. l can tell your sig
nature anywhere"
] He drew from an inside pocket q
large black wallet, very round and
full, and counting eleven different
piles of bank notes, he told me to run
over them. 1t was a short and easy
task, for each pile contained just ten
one hundred dollar bills.
The balance was in fives, tens and
twenties, and it took more time to
count them but at last we got it so
that both were satisfied.
At this moment we heard the whis-
tie for the station. Anderson sprang
for the travelling bag and giving me a
very hasty shake of the hand, went
off on the run.
l closed the door and counted the
money again ; finding it ali right, 1
wrapped a piece of newspaper around
it and slipped 1t into my Overcoat
pocket.
1 did not feel quite easy to have so
much money about me, but as Wins
| tJn's house was at least half a mile
distant, corcluded to keep it until
morning. when could deposit it in
the bank.
l closed the damper again, drew on
my gloves, took the Office key from
the nail Just over the door, and stop
ped to put out the light. As did so,
1 saw a bit of paper on the floor,
which, on'picking up was saw, the re-
ceipt had written for Mr.. Anderson.
He had dropped it in his hurry. l
put it in my pocket and thought no
more about it, only that l would mail
it to him. / would have done so then
but as the last mail for that day gone
out on the train which took Mr.. An
derson,I could do it jus as well in the
morning, then / was something of
hurry that night, for had an ap-
poitment, and I may as well say that
it was with q young lady whom 1
hoped would be my wife before many
months.
L hastened to my boarding place,
ate my supper. and then went over to
Mr.. Warmers, wearing the overcoat
with the money in it, as I did not feel
easy about leaving 1t in my room.
1 Carrie was at home, of course, as she
expected me, and leaving my hat and
overcoat in the hall, l went into the
parlor.
1 do not think a repetition of our
conversation would be interesting, so
will pass it, merely remarking that
nothing occurred to disturb me until
rose to take my leave.
Carrie went into the entry for nv
hat and coat, that might put them
on by the warm fire, but she came
with only my hat.
"Why Fred, you certainly did not
venture out on such a night as this
without an oYercoat ?"
mo coat 2" / exclaimed in a dazed
sort of a way, for the thought of the
money flashing upon me so suddenly
almost stunned me.
The next moment 1 tore past her
| like the madman that was. The coat
was gone.
Then was unnerved. 1 grasped at
the stair rail, and caught it just in
time to support myself. Carrie came.
running out, her face pale with alarm.
"Oh, Fred, you are sick! Let me
call mother and the doctor? You are
as white as a sheet"
NO. Carrie entreated. There,
1 am better now.n
And was better was strong.
And what brought about this change.
That simple receipt that had in my
/ rnnk 1t a ndarsnn lad nnthinn 70