Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-06-12
A Duel With Bludgeons.

In the great city Of NJ there was
not a firm more respected than that of
Goldwell, $Pennydew & Co., bankers.
Nobody knew much about the &C.,"
but Goldwell was familiar name which
commercial fathers quoted to their clerk
ly sons when urging them to be indus
trious, civil and punctual, in the sure
hope of rising in this world; and Penny
dew's was maine which was also quoted
largely, but in a different way, for the
owner had the reputation of being the
keenest file-the worst man tn beat-of
any in Lancashire. There was not
much similarity between the two part
ners, for Goldwell was handsome, kindly,
generous and modest man of undenia-
BILE financial and administrative genius,
too; whereas Pennydew was ugly, cross,
close-hsted and not particularly clever,
barring that acuteness above mentioned,
which was but the result of mar
row-minded distrust of the whole world.
The firm could never have prospered but
for the genius and spirited enterprise of
Goldwell, its founder; yet it was Penny
dew who reaped all the honors appertain-
ing to the high position it had secured.
He was member OF Parliament, an al
dermsn Of NJ; he had been mayor of
the city and was knighted. He was, again,
chairman or committeeman of numerous
charitable Or learned societies, an honor
airy colonel of a rifle corps and member
OF the best clubs in London.
Goldwell was member of nothing;
chairman of nothing. He might have all
the honors which fell to Pennydew, but
he had constantly refused to accept any
thing. He gave literally to charities,
but would have no hand in managing
them; he would not belong to any club!
he declined to identify himself with eth
er Of the political parties, and did not
even vote at elections. Though genial,
and evidently fond Of hospitality, he mix
ed as little as possible with society, and
seldom accompanied his wife and daugh-
tiers to the festive gatherings which they
attended. Some said that his health was
!! bad Though there was no trace of it on
his face, others that he was writing a
work upon banking, which absorbed all
his time after Office hours-and this was
true-so that Mr.. Goldwell was always
able to plead his literary occupations in
excuse for his apparent want Of sociabili-
ty. At all events nobody suspected that
Mr.. Goldwell had a cloud on his mind
nobody would have believed that his
! aversion from society was caused bv
dark page in his antecedents, Of which
he had been daily and hourly fearing the
exposure tor years and years.
Pennydew suspected this less than any
body. He entertained great respect.
and even in his grabbed way, some lik-
ing for his Woodworking partner, who
had never wronged or panied him by
word or deed since they had begun bust
ness together. Pennydew was a great
stickler for propre tiles; sharp detector
of laches in his neighbors; and to do
him justice, he had never spied anything
| wrong in John Goldwell. Therefore, #
would have shocked and appalled, him to
the utmost had he been witness of a
scene which took place in his partners
study one winter evening about twelve
| month ago. The only actors in this scene
were John Goldwell and rcd-featured
man Of about fifty, an ill-clad fellow with
cunning eyes, vulgar manners, and a
breath that smclled of brandy.
"Now, sir, it's e1,000,' said this fcl-
low, bluntly, but not loud "You can
afford to pay it, for you've got on better
! in the world than I havc''
"And if don't give you penny?" cx-
claimed John Goldwell, who was ashy
! pale, and spoke in great agitation. "You
happen to know of an act of folly which
1 committed in my past life, and 70,
| which I suffered punishment. What
can you expect by publishing it? You
will not be believed; and if you met with
some credulous hearers, how can they
harm me? I have lived here without a
stnin on my character; I owe nothing;
have introduced myself into no clubs or
socities from which could be expelled
it my antecedents were know In that
respect l am perfectly independent
"That's right enough, slr,' answered
the red-faced man dry1y; "you've turned
over new leaf, and amt known to any
body under your old name; still it might
go bit hard with you if it got about
that you were John Williams who had
been transported five years for embezzlc-
ment. What would your partner, Mr.
Pennydew, say to that? Then there's
that pretty young lady Of yours, your
eldest daughter, who hear is going to be
married to the son of General Fermeroy.
What do you think the general would
say if he knew you had been convict?''
"Do you mean to say you would be
scoundrel enough to wantonly break my
| chlld's happiness for the sake of wreak-
ing your spite on me?" cried John Gold
| we'll.
II want $1,000" answered the other
| doggedly. "You can give me a new
start in life,ana you'll find it cheaper to dc
than to quarrel with me.''
John Goldwell uttered moan. Here
was a lion in the power of cur. The
catastrophe which he had dreaded all his
life upon him, and just in the form he
had expected it-a demand of hush
money, with the prospect of being for
! evernore in the power of the man tx
whom he should have once yield
ed. His visitor was a fellow named
Tom Dunno, who had once been 2
policeman, and had apprehended John
Goldwell, alias Williams, when the lat
ter had been given into custody for fraud
five-and-thirty years previously, Dunno
had afterward become detective, had
been discharged from the force for drunk
en- misconduct. He was now. by his owr
account, living on his wife, and made ;
! poor job of it. John Goldwell looked al
the man; marked the leer in his eyes, the
bloated condition of his face, the weak
witch OF his lips, and perceived him tt
be an irreclaimable drunkard, with whom
it would be folly to compound To give
him money would be like pouring water
into sieve. In moment Goldwell's
mind was made up, and he resolved to
resist; but wanting time to decide what
steps he should take to get rid Of hi
prosecutor once and for all, he dissemble6
for the present. "You must give me time
to consider your request" said he. "Tt
begin with, I have not 1000 here in my
private house. e !.
"You can give me me check on you,
bank. - ...ssss..>-. ~ y. ~tsz> -
''No; that is out of the question. Leave
me your address, and I will write in tw<