The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-04-13

notice where he was going, but sud-
denly surprised himself by unlocking
the door of his house, going up stairs
and sitting down. All! there was the
afternoon paper. He would read the
accounts of the misery of others and
smile to think how much more miser-
able he was than any of them. He
picked it up, glanced it over, and
was about to lay it down again when
his attention was arrested by this head
line:
"A BANK IN A hole"
DRovERs' DEFRAUDED BIZ AN OLD EMpLoYE.
What was thatP The Drovers' Bank
defrauded? Why. he used to be cash
Ter at the Drovers' Bank. What long
time it seemed since he had stood at
the cashiers desk, and yet it was only
yesterday. He would read the article
anyway. He didn't care now about
Mr.. Knicker's note. Beth's message
had inflicted SO much deeper sting
that he had almost forgotten the note,
but he would read the article, and he
thought he should feel pleased to learn
that Knicker had been cheated.
"This morning, when ?. V. Knick-
| er, the president of the Drovers' Bank,
reached the office, be found note
telling him that his cashier, John
Jones, was i'll, and would be unable to
be at his desk to-day. Mr.. Knicker is
very careful man in business mat
tiers, and he decided to take the duties
of cashier upon himself until Mr..
Jones was in condition to relieve
him. He, accordingly, unlocked the
vaults and prepared for work. Soon
Adam, Mealie & johnson presented a
check for large amount, and, by re-
ferring to the record of yesterdays
| business, Mr.. Knicker found that a
package of ten one thousand-dolla
bills had been deposited. He imme-
diately decided to use one of those
bills in cashing the check, and, going
to the vault removed the package
supposed to contain them. In count
| ing the money, he found nine one
thousand-dollar bills and q one hun
dred-dollar bill. On investigation, it
transpired that the last person who
had handled the bills was John Jones,
the cashier. Before passing into the
| hands of the cashier, the bills had,
however, been handled by four SUBJ
ordinates, who reported that there
were ten of the one thousand dollar
notes in the packet when they saw it.
1t then went to Mr.. Jones, and one of
the clerks happened to be standing
near by when Jones took it. The
clerk noticed particularly that Mr..
Jones seemed to find it all right, but
that instead of pinning the little slip
of paper with the amount marked on
it, which it is customary to place
around packages of money, he with
drew one of the bills and laid the
others loose ON his desk. The clerk
was then called to some other part of
the room and can give no fruther in
J formation. Other evidence conclus-
lively shows that Notwithstanding Mr..
Jones previous integrity, he has
yielded to temptation and gone the
way of many others. 1t is mentioned
incidentally, that that very morning
Mr.. Jones had said he was in great
need of 5000, the exact amount ex-
tracted from the package. Mr.. Knick-
er, in consideration of Jones' former
uprightness and strict discharge of
| duty, will not prosecute"
John read this once, twice, three
times. He only uttered two words:
my God"
Falling back in his chair with wide
open eyes he sat staring at the wall.
The clock licked away on the mantel
shelf, the fire grew lower and almost
died, the lamp sputtered and smoked
but still John Jones sat back in his
chair, staring, staring at the wall.
Finally it gradually became light and
the noise of traffic began in the street.
John moved uneasily, looked around
the room and got up. His head, he
thought, was aching somewhat harder
than on the night before, and he
bathed it. There was spot on his
cuff and he put on fresh pair. Yes,
he was sure his head was aching
harder, What was that noise? Why,
of course, some one was knocking at
his door. He would open it and see
who it was-a messenger boy. He
took the message, opened it and forgot
to read it He was standing still and
wondering if it was foggy outside, or
if his eyes were dim.
1.-THE lady said to wait for an an
swer," said the boy.
Oh, yes. There was that note. He
would read it.
Dear John-Come and see me to-
day. can not believe it.-Beth"
Who was BethP Oh! he remem-
bered now; she was the girl who had
promised to marry him, the thief. The
word, he thought, sounded well, so he
said it over and over again. Thief
Thief! Thief The boy asked for the
answer.
"Well," he laughed wildly as he
said it; "tell her will be there"
John sat down again, and again
began glaring at the wall. 1t was
nearing ten o'clock now, and John
got up and put on his overcoat and hat
scrupously brushed them and went out.
He again took cab and went to Beth's
house. This time he paid the cabman,
and as he went in was about to speak
to the servant when he saw that it was
Beth herself who had opened the door.
He, however was not at all surprised,
but said good-morning to her much as
| he would have done to the servant.
"Oh, John, | am so glad you have
come-why, John, are you illp'
L. Y