Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-02-11
Miscellany.
Al Unlnyited Guest.

ual business-like manner. From a raise
desk IN my private room, [, the manage
of the Royal Domestic Bank, looked on
on the busy scene with certain prid
and pleasure. The Royal Domestic is nc
a long established institution, and, with
out vanity, may say that much of it
prosperity and success is attributed to tn
zeal and experience of its manager. L
corroborat'on Of this statement, | mich
refer to the last printed report of the di
rectors-laid before the shareholders a
their annual meetng-in which they ar
pleased to say. But after all, per
haps [ may be thought guilty of undu,
egotism and conccit, if repeat the fiat
tering terms in which they speak of me.
A clerk put his head inside my door
"Mr. Thrapstow, sir, to speak TO you"
"Send him in, Roberts," | said.
Charles Thrapstow | had known from
boYbood We had both been reared in the
same country town. The fact that his pa
rents were of considerably higher socia
status than mine, perhaps made our subse.
quent intimacy all the pleasanter to me-
and caused me to set value upon his
good opinion greater than its intrinsic
worth. Thrapstow was stockbroker, a
very clever, pushing fellow, who had
the reputation of possessing an excellent
judgment and great good luck. At my
request, he had brought bis account to our
bank. 1t was good account; lie 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. / had
let him have advances at various times,
Of course amply covered by securities,
advances which were always promptly re-
paid 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. NV di.
rectors rather domured to these bonds, as
being somewhat speculative in nature
but as | represented that the company
was highly respectable, and that l had
full confidence in our customer, our people
sanctioned the advance. | had perhaps
little uneasy feeling myself about those
bonds, for they were not evel ybody's
money. aud there might have been some
little difficulty in fuding customer for
them in case of the necessity fer sudden
sale. .a ...a
Thrapstow came in radiant. He was
good-looklng fellow, with a fair beard and
bright eyes of blush gray,
nose tilted upwards giving him saucv,
resoIute air; he was always well dressed,
the shiuiest of boots, the most delicate
shade Of color in his light trousers aud
ard gloves, the glossiest of blue frock-
coats, neat light dust.coat over it, a
blue bird s-eye scarf round his throat. in
which was thrust a massive pin, contain
ng fine topaz, full Of lustre, and yellow
rs beaten gold.
"Well, I've got customer for those
Damascus bonds waiting at my Office; sold
EN- well, too-to Billing Brothers, who
want them for an Arab firm. One preml-
I'M, and bought at one discount.
I'm very glad Of it, Charlie | said,
nd | felt really pleased, not only for
sake. but because / should
e glad to get rid Of the bonds, and the
lrectors shrugs whenever they were {
"Hand 'em over, old fellow" said Char
e, "and I'll bring you Billings check up
q five minutes. You won't have closed
y then; or if you have, Ill come in at
ne private door" I
went to The safe and put my hand up. ,
n the bonds. .e
Charlie stood there looking SO frank /
nd free. holding out his hand for the i
onds. that | hadn't the heart to say to
I'M, as | ought to have done: Bring :
our customer here, and let him settle for :
'c bouds and then will hand them over. !
should have said this to anybody else, o
At somehow couldn't say it to Charlie. e
here would only be five minutes risk, i,
I'd surely it was no risk at all. |
The thing was done in a moment; K
as carried away by Thrapstow's lrresist- |,
'le manner. | handed over the bonds, N
I'd Charlie went oft like shot. II
1t wanted seven minutes to three, and W
sat watching the hands of the clock in cI
tie tremor, despite my full confidence f.
Thrapsiow; but then | had so thor C,
gh knowledge of all the rules of bank Fl
3, that | couldn't help feeling that | &C