Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-11-17
THE SCOTTISH BANKERS DILEMMA
IN rwp cHAPrKRE-cHArrEa


lock up the safe; al am sorry TO say. sir.
the cash appears To be one hundred pounds
short" james was very pale as hc spoke,
and, despite his efforts 10 prevent il, his
voice trembled. A stranger could not have
told whether the youths agitation was the
result of fright or guilt. =. q.
Mr. Duff knew him TOO we'll TO let the
latter alternative dwell in his mind for
even moment; but the lads excitement
vas somewhat infectious, and it was with
Ihst little throb that he replied: You're
joking, jamie" Mr.. Duff leaned back in
his chair and nibbled the feather-end of his
quill as he looked in the lads face.
II was never more serious in my life"
reiterated Hamilton.
Ii is some mare'snest, depend upon IT,"
sand Mr.. bud, in tone that partly re.
assured the young fellow. "Have you
been very busy at the desk to-day, James ?"
THAT is the mystery Of it, sir; we have
not been busy. Hardly three pages of our
cash-book are filed" 80 u
".Ahundred pounds! HIM. / am going
upstairs TO dinner. In the meantime,
check your summations and your cash. and
by-ard-by I'll come in to lock up the safe
with ye."
The teller went from the bankers room
to the outer office with a very grave face
Mr.. Duff, who lived with his family, as is
customary IN Scotland, in the very COM
modious house attached to the bank, sent
his letters 10 be copied by the junior clerk,
and then went lciSurely upstairs to dinner
MIR. Duil's was, Tor q mau who does not
object to permanent residence in provin-
cip.l town, a very easy and pleasant mode
of life. His work was not hard, nor we're
his responsibilities very heavy. He had a
pretty and comfortable home in an old
fashioned country town, aAd although his
wife lay in the churchyard on the brae by
the riverside these ten years, still he had
two Of the prettiest girls in Tollkirk -
Minna and Mary Duff (besides Jenny, the
married daughter, who lived in Edin-
burgh), whose delight it was to make his
life sunny and happy. He was naturally
being known to possess private means, and
on account of his official capacity as the
dispenser OF discounts and custodian of the
wealth of the neighborhood "a man of
some Importance in Tollkirk, and formed
part of, as well as moved in, Tollkirk's
best society. He was magistrate and farmer
as we'll as banker; and on Sundays, for
many a long year, he had stood beaming
behind @the plate at the entrance to the
iauld kirk" Everybody knew him, aid
he, knew everybody; and perhaps nobody
respected him the less because he pretty
We'll knew to within pound or two what
every ratepayer on his side of the county
Hag,worth, financially. s
He took life very easy, as [ have said !,
making no undue fuss when an accommo,
dation bill was presented to him, if he
knew ~ as he was certain to know the
pedigree and progress through life Of
drawer and indorser. He was respected,
toe, byghis Edinburgh employers as d man
ofpFiaepce and sagacity, who never made
badsdebts, never troubled them with appli-
CATIONS for rise of salary or transfer Of
agency whose books always stood the
minutest inspection, and who, speaking
generally wanted no favors from them.
Rather, granted tavors, by occasional in
vitations to visit him at Tollkirk, where
there is unsurpassed trout alsl salmon fish
ing, besides magnificent " links" for golf,
and where the local distillery yields a
liquid of moro than local reputation. The
citybirds were not slow to accept such in
vitstio1S N8 Duff being over u tumber of
tOddy tie best Of company, and generous
in the, matter Of horses and fishing-rods.
The chief inspector Of the bank came often
enough to WOO the fair Jenny, the eldest of
the family, and took her away with him
one SUN lcr day to the general bcreave-,
ment of 'Eollkifk * Sgg ~ - E e.
The baakelsdM not hurry over dinner on
VA pn an, W, ,.;ps y. Wc i IL vie
second tbou@ht 10 lanes Hamiiton's no1e
face, bpx, mics]v settled himself in b;S
arm.chnif after doinr iusticr to bis s;mnie
renast to read for ,ihc second time the rc,
mort of his own recent Great sneech nt thn
naroc1IiaI boafIh gMeH ot Icnrth. in tho
irollldrk l5s1iiId ma tine roll of his own
somewhat Tnlprored- - snoken sentences
pleasing sense of complacencc and imnor.
lance as influencing public opinion II
was nearly seven O'clock before Mr. Duff
remembered that he hnd NOT vrt locked IN
his safe. and that his clerks were probablv
waiting hollow far him Uo 1voe S,,rnr;sod
when he opened the Office door-leadinc to
the hail Of his housc---to find Hamilton
still bending over Ills oashI,ook with an
expression Of deep anxiety on his face, and
bundies'ofs bank notes Wing on the desk
before him. ~. BTrE
what James, still in a fore" he asked,
eheerfully, as he came in. Not found
your difference, eh?n IA .a..... -.
Il ahfjahuntired bounds short. sir. with.
out doIbt.hREHANHHH
Hamilton hdtlStoile{l tfroucheveriy entry
over and over again, had counted and re-
counted his bundles of notes, and now had
!. very sharply defined fear in fhis heart,
md a vision in the background bof his
imagination of u dearly loved Old mother
waiting for him at home, and who was i'll
able to bear the responsibility of such a
.oss-if loss it should prove to be. Ty
"A mares nest, III be bound," MFR. Duff