The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
A DUEL WITH BLUDGE0NS,

In the great city of NJ there was not
a rirm more respected than that Of Gold
well, Pennydew & Co., bankers. Nobody
knew much about the &C.," but Gold
well was q familiar name which CONNER
cial fathers quoted to their clerkly son
when urging them to be Industrious,
civil and punctual, in the sure hope OF
rising in this world; and Pennydew's
ly, but in q different way, for the owner
had theNreputation of hring the keencst
tile-the worst man t. beat-of any in
Lancashire. There was not much SINH
larity between the two partners, forGold-
well was handsome. kindly. generous
and modesto man OF undeniable tinan-
cial and administrative genius. too:
whereas Pennydew vas ugly, cross, close
listed and not particularly clever, barring
that acuteness above mentioned, which
was but the result of Z narrow-minded
distrust of the whole world. The firm
could never have ~prospered but for the
genius and spirited enterprise Of Gold
we'll, its founder; yet it was Pennydew
who reaped all the honors appertaining
to the high position it had secured. Ee
was Il member of Parliament. an alder
man Of NJ: he had been mayoro of the
city and was knighted. He was, again,
chairman or committeeman of numerous
charitable or learned societies, IN honor
airy colonel Of 4 rifle corps and q mem
Der of the best clubs in London.
Goldwell was member Of nothing.
chairman Of nothing. He might have
had all the honors which fell to Penny
dew, but he had constantly refused to
accept anything. He gave literally to
charities, but would have no hand in
managing them; he would not belong TO
any club! he declined to identify linn
self with either Of the political parties,
and did not even vote ut elections.
Though genial. and evidently fond of
hospitality, he mixed us little as possible
with soriety. and seldom accompanied
his wife and daughters 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 q work upon
banking, which absorbed I'LL 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 ~sociability. At
all events. nobody suspected that Mr..
Goldwell had q cloud on his mind; no
body would hay, believed that his aver
sion from society was caused by 4 dark
page in his antecedents, Of which he had
been daily and hourly fearing the expo
sure for years and years:
Pennydew suspected this less than any
BODY. He entertained a great respect,
and even, in his grabbed way, some liz
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 q great
stickler for proprieties; a sharp detectol
Of laclles in his neighbOrs; and, to do
! him justice, he had never spied anything
wrong in John Goldwell. Therefore, it
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 a twelve
month ago. The only actors in this scene
were John Goldwell and a red-featured
man of about fifty, IN ill-clad fellow with
cunning eyes, vulgar manners, and n
breath that smelled of brandy.
Now, sir, it's el,O0O," said this fel-
low, bluntly, but not loud. You can
afford to pay it, for you've got on bater
in the world than l have"
"And if I don't give you a penny" ex-
claimed John Gofdwell, who was ashy
pale, and spoke in great agitation. You
happen to know of an act Of folly which
/ Committed in my past life, and for
which 1 uttered punishment. What
can you expect by publishing it2 You
will not be believed; and if you met with
some credulous hearers, how could they
harm me? 1 have lived here without a
stain on my character; | owe nothing; l
have introduced myself into no clubs or
societies from which / could be expelled
if my antecedents were known. In that
respect 1 am perfectly independent" ,
'sThat's right enough, sir, answered
the red-faced man dryly you've turned
over a new leaf, and amt known to
anybody under your old name; still it
might 20 a bit hard with you if it got
about that you were John Williams who
had been transported five years for en-
bezzlement. What would your partner