Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-03-31
THE HAND OF FATE.

John Trance was In his office on Broad
street, running over long list of figures
in his ledger, to close up the account of
the days business, as he did not intend to
go to the afternoon session of tho Stock
Exchange, but take the halEpast three
train for call out Of town on very i'm.
portant and delicate private business. AS
he scanned the entries in the ledger he
repeatedly looked at his watch and at the
large pendulum clock on the wall, cxbib-
iting much nervous irritation and consid-
erable impotence. BY his side on the
desk lay check for fifty thousand dollars,
drawn by himself on the Fourth National
Bank to the order of Crow, Sims IL Co.,
bankers in William street, and bearing on
It's face the certificate Of the bank that Il
was good" for payment on presentation
BY The side of the check was list of
bonds and stocks left with Crow, Sims &
Co, as collateral security for the loan
which was due that day, and for paying
that loan the check was drawn. II was
twenty minutes past two, and John Trance
looked at his watch again and then at the
clock. His nervousness increased.
" Heavens where does Charley stay so
long2" he exclaimed. Charley was his
clerk, book-keeper, cashier, errand- boy
and general iactotum. lie had gone out
ut two o'clock to deliver stocks sold, call
in those that had been purchased, pay and
collect money, as is the routine Of busi-
ness in Broad and Wall streets at that
hour of every business day. He should
have been back in fifteen minutes, and he
was now gone five minutes over that time
Punctuality, even to second, Is the strict
rule in that financial mart, and whoever
misses to come to time"-as he said
but once, is grievous sufferer.
"Twenty minutes past twol" said
Trance; "within ten minutes this check
must be at Crow's And Charley not yet
back. ] can't leave the Office or lock it up
III ask Larry TO do me the favor
and"
Just then the door opened and Mortimer
Toms, wealthy bachelor of no business
and an intimate friend cf Trance, stepped
into the Office.
You're the very man, Toms, to do me
a favor, won't youY" said Trance as he
shook hands with his friend
Why, John, of course, anything in
the world can do-only say what it is,
and it's done, if mortal man can do it,"
"This check must Immediately 60 to
Crow, Sims d Co., down in William
street, you know, to take up some collat-
erals. It's on call loan due to-day.
Charley is out and | can't lock up the
office. just run down there for me and
If should not be in when you return,
give the stocks to Charley, as / must 90
out of town by the $3.50 train. I'll see
you tomorrow. Now, will you? there's
good fellow"
"Of course | will. Fork over the doc
umcnts and the things done" Mortimer
Toms took the check and the list of col
laterals and hurried off. Five minutes
later Charley returned TO the Office, Trance
put on his overcoat in great haste, started
out, jumped into a coupe, drove to his
bachelor lodgings, changed his dress, re.
entered the coupe with valise and
reached the depot not moment too soon
to leave on the Harlem Railroad, at the
appointed hour. When seated in a smok-
ing-car, he seemed satisfied with himself
and all the world.
About six miles from - Station on
the Harlem Railroad, in Putnam County,
there is an extensive farm in nigh state
of cultivation. On knoll stood the man
sion, a large stone building, massive but
plain in its architecture, and indicating
that it was one Of those old-fashioned
manor-houses which are numerous in that
section of the country. 1t was tlanked on
either side by groves of tall elms and pop
lars, and in front of its colonaded portico,
with an easy decline toward the
road, was the lawn through which
the carriage way led up to the
house from the gate lodge. The
heavy November mist overspread
lawn and trees like somber veil, but in
other seasons the fower-beds sparkled in
their many hues, glistcned like gems in
the green setting of the sward, and i'm
parted by the contrast of their splendor a
brighter sheen to the foliage of the sur
rounding groves. Here was the residence
OF MIR. James T. Cone, a retired New
York merchant. For near forty years he
had known no other pleasure than giving
all his time, care and mind TO buying and
selling groceries and increasing his for
tune. Even now, when sixty years had
whitened his hair, bent his form and
wrinkled his face, he would "run down
| to the city" to see how business prospered
with the firm which still bore his name,
and with which he remained connected
is special partner. Here Mrs. Margaret
Cone, his wife, who was fifteen years
younger than her husband, Ieigned su-
! prcme. She was still handsome, and
what slight inroads upon her beauty ad-
vancing time had made, she knew but too
well how TO hide by the mysterious arts
of the toile, to which no woman of her age
and means is nowadays stranger. She
was proud, but not more so than other
women in her station of life, who know
when their husbands speak, there are
millions of wealth to back up every word
they say. Mr.. Cone was the richest man
in the neighborhood consequently his
wife was the leader of society thereabouts,
and she maintained her position with
dignity and even some degree of robust
haughtiness, though she delighted in the
reputation she had justly gained during
her residence in the city, as well as since
Mr. Cone removed to the country, that she
was a true and liberal benefactress of the
poor. Yet she looked down upon the un.
| fortunates whom she aided as a patroness
far removed above them, and as for asso-
ciating on an equal plane with any one
doomed to poverty, even the mere thought
of its possibility gave her a nervous
shock
She had had two children. A son,
about twenty-five years old at the time,
who had inherited the business habits of
the father and who, with capital advanced
him by the elder Cone, was permanently
settled in San Francisco rapidly accumu-
lating independent wealth. The daughter
Emma was blooming maiden of twenty.
About two years before she had finished
her education at a private institution for
young ladies, made the trip over Europe
in company with her parents, and had her
g coming out'' party on her return, moved
in society as other young ladies of her
position and expectations do, and was
well.known at Saratoga at Newport and
Long Branch She possessed all the char
acteristics of her mother, and thoroughly
realistic in all her ideas, she had none OF
that gushing sentimentality which
" boarding-school misses" often imbibe
from trash literature. She knew that her
father was a millionaire, that very large
portion of his wealth would ultimately be
her own, that she was what the world
calls accomplished and quite attractive in
person. Knowing all this, she considered
herself quite prize in the matrimonial
lottery, and none should dare approach
! her IN less IN conditions of ou,noro 4; ~.