Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-06-05

ling. She gave them all to me, and l
went away oppressed by the most bitter
feeling OF loneliness and chill misery
that | ever experienced.
The next day | got note from Mr..
Abraham TlcknOr, a weil-known st.
Louis lawyer, requesting me to call up
on him at once. 1.-THE crash has come"
| said to myself "He is acting for the
New York creditors" Still | went to
him. L had done no wrong, and had
nothing to conceal. [ could face any,
body. He greeted me pleasantly, seat
ed me in his private Office, and said:
II understand that you are involved
in some business difficulties?"
Il replied that was my understanding
| also, and frankly told him all that |
knew, or thought I knew, about the sit
| uation. He listened gravely, and when
| had concluded asked:
"What sum would tide you over and
save you from bankruptcy ?"
81 have no more IDEA than the Grand
Cham has," replied. 81 cannot see
how Nat could have let us in for more
than fifteen or twenty thousand, but he
may have drowned us for half a million,
tor all | know to the contrary"
"Do you think you could pull through
if you had $40, 0UO in hand?"
II said that was sure l could That
much ready cash would stop a mighty
,, big hole. =,
Very WE'LL" he said, 81 am instruct
ed, if that sum will save you, to hand it
to you-as loan"
"Who lends me $2O,OCO?" I gasped.
II am not at liberty to tell you"
81 can give no adequate security"
"Your personal note, at twelve
months, drawn to me will be enough"
| could not express ny feelings. My
eyes were dim, and there was lump
in my throat He saw my agitation and
kindly recalled my self-control by his
methodical practically, He had the
note all ready for me to sign, and the
500, 900 in a portfolio on his desk. |
took the money, with the understand
ing that might return it and reclaim
| my note If the sum should be either un-
| necessary or insufficient.
That day [ completed all my arrange
ments for going to New York as a con-
queror. But how 1 did puzzle myself
over where those $4,000 came from
Just rs was closing my desk, prepare
tory to starting for the train, I got tel
egram from my partner:
"Have returned. Made the deal.
Grand success. Full particulars by
mail"
So, he was in New York again. And
| there was nothing in his message that
looked like failure. Quite the reverse.
l could not wait for mail explanations.
Even the telegraph seemed slow.
AS 1t turned out, he had seized
splendid business opportunity by run
over to Canada, had written all about it
to me before starting, and told Bagley
simply to wire that he had gone. His
letter was destroyed, with lot of other
mail matter, in a railroad catastrophe
in Ohio, and that left me all at sea. The
Canada business, l may interpolate, was
the foundation of the present solidity
and wealth of our firm.
When I took the $1,000 back to Mr..
Ticknor the next morning he laughed
and congratulated me heartily. Then /
begged him to tell me who had 80 gen.
erously come to my aid. For some time
he was obdurate, but finally, when l
incidentally mentioned the breaking
off of my engagement with Helen
Daviess, he reflected little, and then.
almost swearing me that [ would not
reveal his betrayal of confidence, told
me that it was Mary Long, Helen's
cousin, who had so kindly put almost
the whole Of her private fortune at my
disposal to save me from supposed
financial ruin. She had heard of my
distress from Helen, who had told her
| was ruined anu she was going to cast
me off,
Noble as her action then seemed to
me. it was but little thing compared
with the purity, loneliness and gran
deur of soul that [ have long known
animates all Mary's life, and who could
know her better than I, for she is my
beloved wife, and the mother OF my
| children.