The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-02-20
AN UNLIMITED GUEST.

1t IVES nearly 3 O'Clock on n hot
Summers day; the long polished
counters of our bank, the Royal do
nestle Bank, were crowded with GUS
tomers-money was flowing in and
running out in the usual business
like manner. From O raised desk in
my private room, l, the manager of
the Royal Domestic Bank, looked out
on the busy scene with n certain
pride and pleasure. The Royal Do
mestic is not q long-ostablished insti-
tuition, and, without vanity, / may
say that much of its prosperity and
success is attributable to the zeal and
experience of its manager. In cor
roboration Of this statement, l might
refer to the last printed report of the
Directors, laid before the sharehold-
ers at their annual meeting, in which
they are pleased to say But after
all, perhaps I may be thought guilty
Of undue egotism and conceit, if ]
repeat the fattering terms i'll which
they speak of me.
A clerk put his head inside my
door. "Mr. Thrapstow, sir, to speak
to you" W..IrHa
"Send him in, Roberts" I said.
Charles Thrapstow l had known
from boyhooq; we had both been
reared in the same country town
The fact that his parents were Of CON
siderably higher social status than
mine perhaps made our subsequent
intimacy all the pleasanter to me,
and caused me to set value upon
his good opinion greater than its i'll
trinsic worth. Thrapstow was a
stakeholder, very clever, pushing
fellow, who had the reputation of
possessing an excellent judgment and
great good luck. At my request he
had brought his account to our bank.
1t was a good account; he always
kept fair balance, and the cashier
had never to look twice at his checks.
Charlie, like everybody else in
business, occasionally wanted money.
| had let HIM have advances at val1-
'ous times, OF course amply covered
by securities, advances which we're
always promptly repaid, and the Sc
curitles redeemed AT this time he
had five thousand pounds Of ours, to
secure which we held city of Damas-
Gus water companys bonds to the
nominal value OF ten thousand. My
Directors rather demu1red to these
bonds at beng somewhat speculative
IN nature; but as | represented that
the company was highly respectable,
and Its shares well quoted IN the mar
ket, and that had tul! confidence III
our customer, our people sanctioned
the advance. L had perhaps little
uneasy feeling myself about those
bonds, for they were ROT eyerypodys
money, and there might have been
some little difficulty in iindlnig Gus
toner Tor them IN case OF the neces-
slty for a sudden sale
Ihlapstow came IN radiant, lie
was q good-lool5ln& fellow, with a far talr
beard and mustache, bright eyes OF
blush gr v, % nose tilted upward,
giving hm a saucy, resolute alr: he
was always well dressed, the shlnlest
or boots, the most dellcate shade OF
color IN his tlSht trousers and gloves,
the giosslest OF blue 1rock!coats, a
neat light dust coat over 1t, a blue
birds-eyo scarf around ms throat,
III which was thrust massive pm,
containing a ilne topaz, Tqll OF luster'
and yellow as beaten gold
,, wen, I've got a customer tor
those Damascus bonds waiting at my
oiiicee; sold EN- wei too.to Billings
Brothers, !. who want them Tor an Arab
hlm' One premium, and bought
at one discount ~ ;.
I'm very glad OF 1t, Charlie, L
SAID, and l. telt really pleased, not
only ior 1hT9pstow $ sake put be.
cause 1 should DC glao TO get ild oil
the bonds, and the Directors shrugs
whenever they were mennohed.
Hand EN- over, Ola fellow, SAID
Charlle, and LII nrlng you Billings
check up III 1Ve minutes You won
have closed by then; on II you have,
III come III at the private door. :
L Went to the SAFE and put my hand
upon t9e bonds;
Charllestood there looking SO frank
and tree, holding out ms hand Tor
the bonds tha5 l haant inc heart TO
Say 10 hlm' as l opSh' 10 nave do1e,
Dfln8 your customer mere and let
INN settle Tor tho bonds, and then L
VIII hand them over" / should have
sad tins to anybody else, but some
how L couldn't say 1t to Charlie.
There would only DO 1lyo minutes
risk, and surely that was no FISK at
all;
Ihe tlln8 was done III q moment ;
l was carried away BY Ihr@pstoWs
irresistible manner. handed over
the bonds, and Charlie was OIL like a
shot'