The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-09-20

money. Never before had he left the
bank with such dread on his mind, for
he felt certain that he had gone over
each item of the day, that he had not
over paid any one to such an extent;
and he knew that on him devolved the
responsibility to make good any such
deficiency. He hardly spoke to his
mother as he ate what she called his
"ruined dinner" spoiled by three long
hours waiting in the oven; nor could
she get from him all through the even
ing hint of the cause of his trouble
She guessed, and limited that perhaps
Minna Duff, "the little flirt," had some
thing to do with his gloom; for she knew
how her boys heart lay in regard to
the bankers younger daughter; but her
sons reply was equivalent to snub.
He was in the office two hours before
official bank-hours on the following
morning but no trace of the missing
money could be found. During the day,
the bankers customers who had on the
previous day been paid large sums, were
asked to check their payments but
when four o'clock arrived the cash had
again to be counted, the balance still
showed one hundred pounds short. If
the money had been paid away in error,
no man had been honest enough to re-
| turn it. Then for the first time in the
history of the Tollkirk branch deti-
cheney in the cash had to be reported to
the head office. A hundred pounds to
rich man may seem small matter to
worry over; but to James Hamilton,
whose yearly salary, after ten years
faithful and conscientious service, did
not amount to one hundred pounds, and
whose mother-save for the help of
trifling annuity left by her husband
was in great measure dependant upon
him-the liability to refund this sum
weighed heavy. He became anxious
and nervous,not being altogether certain
that the authorities of the bank might
not suspect him of having appropriated
the money; and from very nervous
ness was guilty during the next few
days of making several small mistakes
in his cash dealings, which confirmed
him in the belief that he paid the money
to some unscrupulous rascal who did
not mean to acknowledge it,
1t seemed an age, although in reality
barely month had passed, before q
note from Mr.. TAFT, the chief inspector
! (Mr. Dutf's son-in-law) set the matter at
rest. In consideration" the note ran,
"of the admirable mode in which the
business of the branch ut Tollkirk has
hitherto been conducted, the directors
have agreed to wipe off the deficiency
in cash, which it may be hoped will yet
turn up and be recredited; but in doing
| so it must be firmly kept in view that
directors by no means establish the pres
ent case as precedent,an must remind
! banks cash at Tollkirk that at no future
time will the directors be disposed to
relieve him of the responsibility attach
ed to his office.'
There, Jamie; take that to your
mother" said Mr.. uff,kindly, handing
the official note to Hamilton. 81 thought
Peter would manage it" referring to his
son-in-law, the inspector); "but we
maun ca canny," said the banker, re-
lapsing into broad Scotch, to put the
reproof, if such it might be called, in
the gentlest form, to spare the lads
feelings.
There were tears of relief in Hamil-
toms eyes as he read the note. "That
is generous treatment, sir; was afraid
that they would roup [sell by auctionl
me and my old mother out of Toll
kirk
"Roup ye? 1 couldn't spare ye,
lad"
Then the youth went home to his
mother jubilant, burden lifted from
him.
But on the next evening, after busi-
ness hours, Hamilton's face was whittier
than ever. His hands were trembling
as he fumbled over his cash, and "cast''
and 8 re-cast" the long columns of fig
ures in his cash-book. 1t was market
day, busy day, and large sums had
passed into and out of his hands. To
his horror, he found his cash three ha0s-
dred pounds short! He had not the
courage Oh this occasion to go to Mr..
Duff's room with his plant. But the
banker saw at once as he passed through
the office on his way up stairs that some
thing was wrong.