Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-03-09
our friends-Stacey & Wilbur?

dtloIls, anu were Tapluly growing
rich when the crash came.
They Immediately took IN sail.
Both were prudent, and both tel,
that this was the time when this
quality was urgently needed.
BY great efforts they had succeed.
ed i'll keeping up till the l4th day of
February, 1858. On that morning a
note of two thousand became due.
this was their last peril. That sur.
mounted, they would be able to go
on with assured confidence.
But this was alas! this was the
rock on which they had the most ap.
prehension. They had taxed their
resources to the utmost. They had
called upon their friends, but their
friends were employed in taking
care of themselves, and the selfish
policy was the one requi,ed then.
"Look out for number one" super.
seded the golden rule for the time
beiug.
As l have said, two thousand dol.
lars were due on the l4th of Febru-
ary.
"How much have you got toward
it?" asked Wilbur, as Stacey came in
OF half past eleven.
"Three hundred and seventy-fve
dollars" was the diSpirited reply.
"Was that all you could raise??"
asked his partner, turning pale. "Are
you sure you thought ofeverybody?"
Il have been everyw here. Pm
tagged to DEATH" was the weary re-
ply of Stacey, as he sank exhausted
into a chair.
"Then the crash must come," said
Wilbur, with gloomy resignation.
81 suppose it must"
There Was q silence. Neither felt
inclined to say anything. For six
months they had been struggling
with the tide. They could see shore
bu, in sigh, of it they must 90 down.
AT this moment note WAS
brought in by Il boy. There was no
post-mark. Evidently he WAS a
special messenger.
1t WAS opened at once by MIR. Will
bur, to whom 1t was directed. 1t
contained these few words only:
at Mr.. John Wilbur will call inn
mrdiately at No.-Fitth Aven"e, he
will learn something TO his great ad-
vantage"
There was no signature.
John Wilbur read it with surprise,
and passed it to his partner. "What
does it mean do you think?"
81 don't know" was the reply,
'but advise you to so at once"
at seems to be in feminine hand
wri,ing," said Wilbur thoughttully.
"Yes. Don't you know any lady
on Fifth Avenue?"
"None."
"Wcll, it's worth noticing. We
have met 50 little to our advantage,
lately, that it will be a refreshing VA
riety."
In five minutes, John Wilbur
jumped into horse-car, and was Oh
his way to No.-Fiith Avenue.
He walked up to the door ofa mag
niticent brown stone house, and
rang the bell. He was instantly ad-
milted, and shown INTO the drawing
room, superbly furnished.
He did not have to wait long.
An elegantly dressed lady, scarcely
thirty, entered, and bowing, said,
~You do not remember ME MIR. Viii.
pur?"
"No, madam.,' said he in perplex-
ity.
"We will waive that, then, and
proceed TO business. How has your
house borne the crisis in which SO
many of our large firms have gone
DOWN."
John Wilbur smiled bitterly.
ave have struggled successfully
until to-day" he answered, "but the
end has come. Unless we can raise
a certain sum of money by 2 o'clock,
we are ruined"
"What sum will save your" was
the lady's question.
"The note due is two thousand
dollars. Toward this we have out
three hundred and seventy-tive."
Excuse me Il moment" said the
hostess. She left the room but
quickly returned.
"There," said she, handing a small
slip OF paper to John Wilbur, sis my
check Tor two thousand dollars.
You can repay it at your conve-
nience. If you should require more,
come to me again"
madam, you have saved us,
cried Wilbur, sprimging to his feet
in delight. "What can have i'll
spired III you such benevolent i'll
terest III our prosperity"
'Do you remember, Mr.. Wllhur,"
said the lady, "a certain valentine
containing ten dollar note, which
you sent to a young girl occupying
an attic room OF your lodging house,
about eight years since?"
II do distinctly. l have often
wondered what became of the young
girl. think her name was Helen
Morris"
''She stands before YOU" was the
quiet response.
"l on, Helen Morris!" exclaimed
Wi. bur, starting back in amaze
ment. "You, surrounded with lux
uryw
''No wonder you are surprised.
Lite has strange contrasts. The mo-
ney which you sent me seemed TO
come from God. | was on the brink
Of despair. With it put my ward
robe III repair, and made application
for the post of companion to Is veal
thy lady. fortunately obtained it.
| had been with her but two years
when a gentleman IN her circle, i'm
menseIy wealthy, offered me his
hand in marriage. l esteemed him.
He was satisfied with that. / mar
ried him. A year since he died,
leaving me his immense fortune.
You see have never forgotten you,
having accidentally learned that my
timely succor came from you. l re-
solved, that it ever fortune put it in
my power, I would befriend you AZ
wan bo5 hofr;oudoI ma That time