Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-10-09
The Old Town Bank.

eyes, we have been fixing up some
what since you were here last" said Mr.
Trueman, President of the bank in the
town of OldtOWn, in answer to a remark
that / had made in reference to several
important changes which L observed, es-
pecially one, very substantial network
of wire shut off the counters and desks
of the bank clerks from the public.
To one used to the city method of fur
nishing banking rooms this would not
seem strange, and 1 should not have no
ticed it only for the fact of its being Sc
radical change from the old fittings of
the room, which / had been used to on
my former visits to OldtoWn. This bank
was a sort of old foggy concern, that
transacted business IN a quiet, easy way,
and, being IN rural community where
such things as a robbery is rare, the
same precautions were not taken as are
necessary amid more Wide-aWake and
less honest surroundings. Being aware
of these facts, and knowing the slOWness
with which the farmer directors vote for
any changes, or, what may appear to
them unnecessary improvements, 1 was
somewhat surprised to see the prim-like
appearance of the old room which had
in former times worn such a careless and
unbusiness like look.
GLOW did you ever. come to do it. Mr..
TruemanW 1 inquired, as L sat talking to
that gentleman in his private room. al
thought the OldtOwn Bank had become
so used to its furniture that nothing short
of an earthquake could ever uprOOt a
board or loosen a nail about it. Has the
spirit of improvement at last moved your
directors TO such an innoVOtiOn?"
"Well, no, not exactly the spirit Of i'm
prOVement. You came nearer to 1t when
you spoke of an earthquake"
"HoW So" / said; Il was not aware
that such commissions of the earth ever
occurred in this locality"
They never do, replied Mr.. Trueman
''It was a social earthquake to which I
had reference. Something that would
have been comparatively unnOticed in
the city, but in town like this, you
know, whatever interests one person Sc
riously, generally interests all"
"And do you mean to say, Mr.. True
man, that anything very serious has hap
pened to cause the improvements"
"Wen, yes, something quite serious to
those interested, but if you care to know
about it 1 will tell you why the OldtOwn
Bank directors walked up and put in the
wire guards"
81 feel somewhat interested and shall
be pleased to hear you"
at has been two years since the cir
cumstances occurred, and our town peO-
pie have ceased to talk about them,
having IOunu OLn6f 6uDleCIS or q later
date; but the wire work still looks fresh
and is a constant reminder to me of the
events which OccasiOned its erection.
eat the time of which / speak a young
man named Hardy, John Hardy, the son
of a widow, well connected, raised right
here among US, and generally looked
upon as moral and upright, was teller in
the Bank. He was a general favOrite,
and would have heen considered rather
a prize In the matrimonial lottery, by
most Of the girls, except for the fact that
he was poor. Of course this should not
stand to the discredit of a young man,
but il unfortunately does in the eyes of
many people, and especially when the
individual in question happens to get
into any trouble.
GAS / said, John Hardy was generally
considered honest and upright, and was
trusted implicitly, 50 you may imagine
with what establishment received the
announcement from Mr.. Sloman, the
cashier, one evening, that John was
short in his accounts to the tune Of five
hundred dollars. He said that John had
seemed troubled for the past few days;
that he had finally asked him what was
the matter and John admitted that his
cash account was short to the amount
named.
when I asked him for an explana-
tion," added Mr.. SlOman, "he said that
ne could give none. That he was