Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-01-17
ONE HUNDRED v. TEN THOUSAND.
A Thrilling Sketch.

~ LllIh- A'hNNhs
one evening iii December, Joseph
Douglass, Il merchant Of wealth and
standing, doing business On Market
street, Philadelphia, did not return To
his home at the usual hour. After MAX
inc liberal allowance for overcrowdod
and belated street cars, unexpected calls
and unusual interruptions, he still failed
to put in an appearance. and the nm
easlness Of his family grew into mis-
giving ana alarm.
His family consisted Of his wife and
daughter Esther; the latter homo fer
the holidays from 4 hoarding-school.
She was sweet petite girl. affection
ately fond Of her parents, and 50 UNI
questoningy INDUCED b. her fond old
father that She verify believed if She
haa requested him to buy the empire
81 Great Britain lie would have drawn
his check for the amount demanded,
chuckcd her under the chin, and told
her to be good little girl rs he tossed
the bit of paper to her.
Douglass, besides this, had two grown
IN sons, Bob and Frank, who We're
splendid fellows, keen-witted, good
tempered and smart as any parent
could wish. They had received every
advantage possible, and they had used
it all with an intelligence and apprecla-
ton which produced its inevitable re-
suit. Bob was il lawyer III Harrisburg
where he had already Won Il good many
cases and considerable reputation, with
abrilliant future i'll prospective. Frank \
remarkable mathematical skill rs well
as d certain institution III the way 81
Judging Of risks and peculiar ventures,
had already obtained for him the posi-
ton of actuary in u prominent HE IN
surance company. Of course, he re-
ceivcd handsome salary, and II he
ONLY could have tclt certain, each night
upon laying down, that when he woke
on the morrow it would not be TO find
the company gone to the bow vows, ne
would have been happy His financial
ability had also secured an offer Of the
cashiership Of savings bank; but
Franks mathematical explorations
proved that the ratio Of bursting to
smithereens between the life insurance
companies and the savings banks were
about equal, with Il gradual increase 81
per cent. in favor Of the latter, SO he
STAYED where he was.
When the evening was we'll advanced
md Mrs. Douglass and her daughter
were In tremor Of alarm, 4 servant
was dispatched to the store. With orders
10 summon an officer and prosecute the
search until good news was obtained.
Visions of the icy Delaware, and 81
that loved gray head drifting downward
by rocking wharyes, beneath the grind
ING wheels of the steamers, bruised by
the rudders Of sea-goiug ships, until i
was tossed far out into the 0cean-these
With other horrid pictures, surged
through the brain Of mother and
daughter, during those terrible hours q
waiting hoping and delaying.
The servant reached home at mid
night, with the report that It was I'M
possible to regain the least traces or tld
ngs Of the missing one. Vile ane
daughter would have gone distracted al
this iuncture but for the sudden appa
rition Of the old gentleman himself
Who wadded into the hall with a laugh
said ne didn't know it was - late, and
wondered what Trey We're All - alarmee
about.
He explained that lie had met IN ac
ouaintance with whom he held impor
fant business relations, and had accep
tea his invitation to so 70 his house ane
talk ii over. He gave i boy 4 quarter
with a note which he was % deliver a
the residence Of Mr.. Douglass, who
supposipg everything Was understood
remained much later than he really
intended.
This explanation was partly true AMI
partv untrue Ills wife noticed tia
he was pale and agltated, as though ht
had lust passed through something q
an exciting nature; but he protested
that ii was all imagination on her part
and became petulant when she insisted
that some trouble had been on his mlnc
for fortnight past.
The wife was III at case, but she saie
nothing more on the subject. Iha
night she -aid but little, but lay awake
listening TO the mutterlngs of her nus
band, a lie lung himself about ~ ~
feyerish slumher. Persons AZ suct
times talk thickly and brokeniy, am
there was much size could not eaten
hit among other dislocated expression
we're the following:
One hundred into lo,000-yes-it I
lone-the president himself wouldn.
suspeot-will zee YOU again lo,o0
new HI
Mrs. Douglas could not imagine Via
tie allnsion meant, hnt She va troubtet
beyond measure.
Tie following evening size received
note from her husband saying taat II
would BE detained again until lat
bur, ID eonplete the business of ~
night before; bit ii would bs all right
and they should faelna apprehension I
M