The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-01-30

without any unnecessary fuss. And the
little lamp that John Hathaway's un-
loved daughter had left with him shed
its dim light over the uncanny group
and their dread transaction; the gentle
influence of the good aiding the evil pur-
pose of the bad.
Now" said the Debtor, eff you will
take pencil and paper and make men,
orandum of the various items in this
business, merely as matter of form,
we can close the account in short
order"
With some slight signs of reluctance
and disappointment, the Creditor pre-
pared himself to do the work suggested.
When he was ready, John Hathaway
commenced to tell off the items.
TWENTY-FIVE years ago married q
woman did not love, my only motive
being to get her money. Put that
down, he said.
"Next item," said the Creditor, writ
ing.
Touring all these years my only con-
science has been the daily market re-
port.''
81 have that down already" said the
Creditor, sitting with his pencil sus-
pended.
"My home, the home of my wife and
child, has been only the waiting-room
to my counting house"
Counting house," repeated the
Creditor, as he made the entry.
"For a dozen years 1 have not
troubled myself to think whether the
money I got belonged to me or to 9TH
ers, so that the law would allow me to
keep it,
"Keep it," was echoed in business
monotone by the Creditor, and the re-
cital went on.
"The fact that I was running other
men has not deferred me from q single
speculation"
$50; that is down." M
81 have been Director of three saw
ings banks, and President of life in
surance company"
"What a record it isl" exclaimed the
Creditor, pausing in admiration, and as
he made the entry an approving smile
overspread his face. 1.a
The wife whose money was the cor
ner-stone of my fortune have not even
been grateful to. / have chilled her
whole life, and made it as wretched as
possible by my sneering indifference. "
"Go on" The Creditor said it glee-
fully.
$ Notwithstanding the wrong I have
done her, am 50 selfish that / feel my
self wronged in being bound for life to
a woman whose mind is as gross as her
body"
"Body," said the Creditor, writing.
"I have no love even for my child,
and care for her only as something l
may sell, as 1 sold myself, for for
tune. There, have you noted all the
itemsp" 3j ysiy l.f4u
"An the items," answered the Cred
itor, looking on with pleased smile /;
"and l have seldom had finer re-
cord.'' III
John Hathaway paid no attention to
the compliment. He merely leaned
back in his chair and said, with an air
Of being weary of the conference:
Snow please take the trouble to find
the sum of those items, subtract the to-
tai from the amount of the original cap
ital, and see how much Soul is left.''
It was terrible, and at the same time
pitiful, to see the change that came over
the Creditors face as he heard his
Debtors words. There was wrath,
mingled with humiliation, in the look
with which he regarded the sheet of pa
per before him. gs.
Understand, said John, 81 do no,
dispute your claim in the least, and am
entirely willing to make over to you all
the soul have left after such q course
of business as you have recorded"
With an angry dash of the pencil the
Creditor wrote on the margin of the pa.
per the words, I" No assets
"There is not enough for collateral
on the debt of nature,'' he said, "and
that is the safest debt that's known.
should have foreclosed earlier. Well
l shall have to charge the whole
thing to profit and loss, and
call the account balanced. Good
night.'' And he arose and tore hii
carefully gathered papers into frag.
ments.
Goodnight, said the Debtor, alst
rising. "I am sorry can do no bette
by you, but assure you you fare a
well as any Of my creditors have eve
done"
The next moment the light Johl
Hathaway's daughter had left shon,
over only one evil presence instead o
two. John Hathaway's creditor ha'
gone.
AT the funeral Of Bayard Taylor i
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