Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-03-02

checks with the name Of nv absent
friend and employer. There were
about ITO Of them In all and the total
amount represented was over e20 900.
1t was after midnight whom 1 jsiasd
my wife, who had bees waiting for me
in the drawing room, wondering what
had kept me 80 lsng. 1 told her that
1t had been doing some efaee werk
which vas bound to have ready Tor
tie moruiag, and, having taken cou-
pie Of glasses OF whiskey to steady my
nerves and insure ny havlaga gssd
nights rest, went Of to bed with q
perfectly easy mind. I did not feel 90
easy the next morning wheA, about
half an hour after nay arrival at the
Office, he earliest Of the company's
creditors presented himself and asked
for his money. The conviction that l
had possibly ruined myself ia eDdesvor.
lng to save Mr.. Merrick forced itself |
upon me. aad felt stongly tempted
to throw The cheek-boOks Int the Gre.
But l had gone too far; had crossed
the Rubicon aad might as we'll burn |
nay boats at once. The at terly CEN
monplacs and unsuspicious manner IN
which creditor number one examined
the check, folded it up, and placed 1t in
his pocket.bosk. helped TO set nae at
esse. Nam Der two disturbed me less.
and with number three felt quite
comfortable, Still my nerves we're on
the stretch; for l knew that many OF
the checks would be presented that
day, and l could not help feeling terri
bly, eager 10 know what reception they
would meet with at the bsnk. turA-
ed rather sick Two or three times whea
the recipients seemed to examine their
checks rather curiously, aud at last
came a horrible moment. About |
o'clock my door was opened, rather
hastily, it seemed to nae, sRd man
entered 10 whom l had given cheque
for hundred aAd seventy pounds aud
few odd shillisgs enly half heur be-
fore. He held the eheque 10 bis hand,
and thought. 1t has sone at last;
they had refused 10 cash it, Ny heart
amost stopped, but managed to say,
with an appearance Of coslness:
We'll, Mr.. Judsoa, what can l do
for you nowY
Il have come about this check be
SAID, but kner that snly toe we'll.
What about the cheskr I asked;
it's all right, isn't itP
We'll, it's right aud it isn't right, he
replied. 1t seems that my partner,
Mr.. Wills, mas private aecouut against
tie company for fsrty-thrse pounds ten,
and Mr.. Merrlck promised 1t should BE
iacluded in .kis settlement; but this IL
only the amount Of the regular nsnthly
bill.'
1T that is ALL said l. tell Mr.. Wills
to set his misda at rest words cannot
tell how grateful / felt 10 Mr.. !udssn
for setting my mis 1 at rest-'thsrs Is
check for him here. The accounts
we're really separate, and thsy have
been kept separate 70 sYoia confusion.
He can have il now tfhe will come for
it now
This little scare upset me for the sl'
teruoon; but 1 had no similar shock.
The checks were paid out, and as
heard nothing Of then l took it for
granted that they had beca hsn0rsd.
Many had been called ter, many bad
been sen. away; and whea Monday
morning came l had fewer thana dsEen
left, and they were only for small
amounts. I was involved in some
perplexing calculations, whsR I heard
+. Sps enc enter, and looking up, 1 saw
'arrick.
a Here e., =.
r, fse.ans.,ssn, said he, ia bis usual
" and how have Sssnnsr; new are you
d I am pretty w.ll,' 0e'
have got on better than 1 se, ana 1
have had queer time efit.' u'
y Queer time efitP he asked; 'quee
/. 10 what wayP
Hooked him full in the face AM
E; said:
z Mr.. Gibbs and Mr.. Stuart refused Il
70 sign the check, tf the Longborousl
DC Metal Company
refused to ,ign = he exclaimed, Wit
o. countenance frsn which all csler hs
+ fed; what do you meanP
., Il mean what cay returned; 'bu
" We had better so in yeur oflse, aHd
% ~iIl tell you about IT,
~ Il took the check-bsoks With me an
II, said:
u Don't be uneasy; I have nsRsss
he everything. All has bees. paid b'
ne several triHing matter, ss yea vi
h. see.'
He opened the check-scsks, starte
~ at the csunterfoils, stAFed still hard'
u at the few checks still reraining, ~
ne then asked excitedly:
nd WHATS thi,P This is my tigratur'
nd sure enough; but I never wrote it,
Ut. OF course ysu didn't said;
n wrote it. 1 wrote hundred and ss
.le euiy-thrse Of them
nd Bun it's forgery he said.
era Just so, l replied.
he And the punishment for forgery
i.e penal ser'ituds.'
i.h Exactly; bat Nc one can prese'
he agaisst nae but yos, and / doa't sAii
eet you WILL
,A.a.l ~, Tn,a nf~