The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-08-07
SeIfrtea Sturp.
MY NARROW ESCAPE.

MY NARROW ESCAPE.
I never told anybody how very, ce
ry near Twas to death that mig ght just
a year ago, but as 1 can now look
back and calmly recall each thought,
each word, each act, I think l will
write it down as warning to all who
may find themselves similarly cir
cumstanced, ,hoping,With all my heart
that the number may be few.
In the first place my name is Fred
erick Putnam. / am, and have been
for the past ten years, the foreman
and book keeper of the large lumber
ing establishment of William Wins
ton & Company, and hope TO be for
another decade, unless something
better turns up.
Mr.. Winston is the resident part
ner and manager of the manufactur-
ing part of the business. The other
members oft 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
vessels.
This is by far the largest share of
what the mill does, although the
amount Of our sales directly from the
mill, to supply the country to the
west of US is quite large.
Well, one cold, December evening,
Ijust 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
shawl thrown over one arm.
1 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
the key with him as usual.
/ had already closed the damper of
the stove, put on nv overcoat, and
was just in the act of turning down |
the light-but of course waited.
"Good evening, sir" said the man,
bustling up to the stove and kicking
the damper open with his right foot. |
alas Winston gone to the houseP'
answered that he had.
"When? l was afraid of it,"
He drew out his. watch-s very
fine one thought.
II shall not have time to go up, the
train is due in fifteen minutes"
sis there any thing l can do?" 1
asked.
81 wanted to leave some money with
Mr.. Winston. / intended to stop
a day or two, but l have just got
dispatch that calls me home"
%What name, sirp
Anderson, of Andersonville."
1 knew him then, though / had
seen him but once before. He had |
been one of our best western custo-
mers. / say had been, for the reason
that during the past year his pay
ments had not been so prompt. In
fact, he was considerably behind and
Winston had told me that very day
to write to him, and "punch him up |
little," as he expressed it. The /
letter was then in the breast pocket
of my oVercoat.
"You can leave the money with
me sir, and ] will give you a receipt"
He seemed to hesitate, which net
tied me somewhat. / have 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"
"Humph! less than / supposed
Write out receipt for that amount"
He left the stove and came and
looked over my shoulder as / wrote.
"lts all right, Mr.. Putnam. know
you now. You've been with Winston
a long time. can tell your signature
anywhere"
He drew from an inside pocket
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. i
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 hasty hand shake, went off on the
run.
closed the door and counted the
money again; finding it all right, 1
wrapped a piece of newspaper around
it and slipped it into my overeoat /
pocket.
I did not feel quite easy to have 30
much money about me, but as Wins
toms house was at least half mile
distant I concluded to keep it until
morning, when I could deposite 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 |
DO, Iissw q bit of paper on the floor,
which, on picking up ! saw was the
receipt / had written for Mr.. Ander-
son. He had dropped 1t In his hurry |
J put it In my pocket and thought nc