The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-05-30
THE STOLEN NOTE.

in the use of the intoxicating cup.
JOiih Wallace was an honest, high
minded and extraordinary man. His
one great fault hung like dark shad-
oW over his many virtues. He meant
weii, and when he was sober he did
we'll.
ne was a halter by trade, and by
industry and thrift he had secured
money enough to buy the house in
Whlch he lived. He had purchased
y tseyeral years before for three thous
ann dollars, paying one thousand
down and securing the balance by
mortgage to the seller.
The mortgage was almost due at
the time circumstance made me ac-
ogTss e, ted with the affairs Of the fam
tsf2f ". But Wallace was ready for the
DAY; he had saved up money there
seemed to be no possibility of an ac-
cldent.N [ was we'll acquainted with
Wallace having done some little
collecting and drawn up legal docu.
ments forhim. One day his daugh-
ter Annie came to my Office in great
distress, declaring that her father was
ruined, and that they should be turn
ed cut of the house in which they
lived.
perhaps not, Miss Wallace" said
l, trying to console her, and give the
affair, whatever it was, a bright as
pect. "What has happened 2"
my father" she replied, chad the
money to pay the mortgage on the
house in which we live, but it is all
gone now"
HAS he lost it ?''
81 don't know. / suppose so. Last
week he drew two thousand dollars
from the bank and lent it to Mr..
Bryce for ten days"
"Who is Mr.. Bryce ?"
"He is broker. My father got ac-
quainted with him through George
Chandler, who boards with US, and
who is Mr.. Bryce's clerk"
"Does Mr.. Bryce refuse to pay it ?"
'He says he has paid it."
"lndeed But the note will prove
that he has not paid it. Of course
you have the note? ?"
"NO. Mr.. Bryce has it."
"Then, of course, he has paid it ?"
II suppose he has, or he could not
have the note"
"What does your father say?"
"He is positive he never received
the money. The mortgage, he says,
must be paid tomorrow"
"Very singular! Was your faith
er-"
| hesitated to use the unpleasant
word which must have grated harsh
ly on the ear of the devoted girl.
"Mr. Bryce says father was not
quite right when he paid him, but
not very bad"
81 will see your father"
"He is coming up here in few mo-
ments; l thought | would see you
first and tell you the facts before he
came"
81 do not see how Bryce could have
obtained the note unless be paid the
money. Where did your father keep
it ?"
"He gave it to me, and 1 put it in
the secretary"
"WhO was in the room when you
put it in the secretary ?"
Mr.. Bryce, George Chandler, my
father and myself.
The conversation was here inter-
rupted by the entrance of Wallace.
He looked pale and haggard, as much
from the effects of anxiety as from the
debauch from which he was recover
ing.
"She told you about it, l suppose"
said he in a very low tone.
"She has,"
l pitied him, poor fellow, for two
thousand dollars was large sum for
him to accumulate in his little busi-
ness. The loss of it would make the
future look like a desert to him. 1t
would be a misfortune which one
must undergo to appreciate it.
"What passed between you on that
day"
Well, I merely stepped into his
Office-it was only the day before yes
terday-to tell him not to forget to
haye the money ready for me by to-
morrow. He took me back into his
Office, and as / sat there he said he
would get the money ready the next
day. He then left me and went into
the front Office, where / heard him
send George out to bank, to draw a
check for two thousand dollars so l
supposed he was going to pay me
then"
"What does the clerk say about it p
"He says Mr.. Bryce remarked
when hn sent him that he WAS going