The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-09-02


injunction was served, and the stock of
coin had some hours previously dwin-
bled to $53. The cashier meantime was
on nettles. If that Injunction did not
come quickly the concern was ruined.
AT every opening of the door the poor
man trembled in his shoes, lest the
newcomer should be note holder in
quest of coin. One more demand would
close the concern forever. Slowly the
clock ticked off the minutes, full thirty
OF which must yet elapse before the
hour of closing. Would that atinjunction
never come At last the door opened,
and a nervous, bustling man hurried to
the counter. The cashier saw at glance
that it was all up with him; but while
there was life there was still hope, he
thought.
Here, Mr.. Cashier, I've got $500 OF
your notes l want coin for.''
The cashier endeavored to preserve a
placid exterior, while he deliberately
bethought himself how he might delay
a refusal of payment for little while,
until, perchance an officer would come
in with the hoped for injunction.
So you want coin for your bills, do
you ?" suavely remarked the cashier,
glancing with the corner of his eye
through the open widow into the all
too quiet street.
"Why, yes 1 live in Dexter, and L
want to catch the four O'Clock train; SO
please hurry up the specie"
"All right What's the news in
Dexter? ? How do the crops look How's
my old friend-p Is he living there
still And, by the way, what in the
world can you do with specie in that
little country town that Farmers and
Mechanics bills won't accomplish.
"Oh never mind. Give me my
money so that 1 can catch the train.
The fact is, there is little furry out
there about the safety of your bank,
money"
I" Ha, ha, hal" laughed the cashier
" afraid of our bank, are they? Well,
they must be getting pretty fastidious
when the conservative old Farmers and
Mechanics won't suit them. Why, my
dear sir"
a." Never mind the pedigree of your
bank, but give me me my money or 1
shall miss my train.''
Certainly my dear sir" (Another
glance through the widow, but still no
sheriff in sight.) Aside: "What shall
i do?"
"There, I've got only ten minutes to
catch my train. If you will assure me
upon honor that it is all right, and that
the bank is not going to burst, 1 won't
wait now; but if your are going to shut
up want my money. Come, how is it,
old fellowp"
&C Really, sir" replied the polite cash
ier, you place me in very delicate
position. If tell you the bank is safe,
and anything happens hereafter, you
will blame me; on the other hand, if 1
tell you it is shaky, l shall be unfaithful
to my employers, and shall very justly
be discharged. prefer not to make
any statement, but simply count out
your 1000 half-dollars." (Half-dollars
were the principal coinage in circulation
at that time.)
Turning, screw-driver in hand, to a
strong wooden box, apparently tightly
screwed together, such as silver coin
was usually packed in those days,
but which the cashier knew very well
to be absolutely empty, he wiped off his
brow and set himself to work as if to an
herculean task.
The man glanced at the clock, then at
the iron-bound coin box, then mentally
calculated the weight of thousand half
dollars, then burst out with: "Never
mind; see you have got the coin, and
I'll be id if I'm going to pack a thou
sand half dollars all the way to Dexter
tonight. Never mind, Mr.. Cashier, L
won't trouble you," and out of the bank
he darted.
The injunction was served soon after
and the danger passed. But the old
Farmers and Mechanics still kept up
the habit of being short of coin, and
did so till the last, when, nearly twenty
years later, what was left of it was con-
solidated with private bank and be-
came the now prosperous American ma
tional bank of Detroit. The worthy
cashier still lives in Detroit, and finds o
bonanza of enjoyment in recounting the
amusing incidents of old time financier-