The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-08-13
AN UNEXPECTED COPY.
Why Queer Looking Paper Was
so Valuable.

81 have often told you" said James
Mayheld to me the evening before my
marriage with his daughter Kate, that
i Oaved my property-or, more accu-
rateiy, my escape from destruction-to
an accident, chance, miracle. Stand
up and look at that piece of paper let
into the over-mantel Have you ever
observed it before?"
Yes, | said, rising and examining a
faded document under glass panel in
the oak. II have now and then
noticed it, but have never been able to
make out what it is"
What do you take it for?'
''Well, it looks like half a sheet of
business note paper covered with indis-
,tinct figures that do not seem ordinary"
YES" he said, gazing with half
CLOSED eyes at the paper through the
smoke of his cigar. They are not or
-dinary. nor is their history
1t is not possible to make them ont,
they are so blurred and faint. Are they
very old?"
Twenty years They are much faded
since ! first saw them" said he, cross
ing his legs. Now you may as well
know the history of that half sheet of
business paper, and what it has to do
with me and your Kates mother Sit
down and l will tell it to you"
dropped back into my chair.
'Our Kate is nearly nineteen, as no
doubt you are aware. 1t is the night
before your marriage. You, thank
heaven! run no such risk as l ran the
might before my marriage. There is no
date on that blurred copy of figures, but
. az there were you would find it origi-
mated on the night before was to be
married, twenty years ago. You are
short of thirty now; l was short of
thirty then. You are now in what
should then have considered affiuent
circumstances. / am going to give you
tomorrow our only child and a fourth
share in the business of Strangway,
Mayfield & Co., of which I am the sole
ssnrviving partner, AID that fourth
share ought to bring you thousand to
GR7elve hundred year. The night that
document over the mantel came into
existence / was accountant to Strang-
way & Co., at salary of one hundred
and fifty pounds per annum."
t1he ashes off his cigar
-'.All that time" he went on, resum
ing his story, 1.-The business of Strang
way 81 Co. was in Broad street. We
Asa3 warehouses on the ground floor anG
In Ghe cellars, the offices were on the
FIRST moor and warehouses filed from
lover the first floor to the States
1.-The offices closed at six, but as
was anxious to put up everything il
the finest order before starting on my
honeymoon, | was not able to leave a
that hour. In addition to the book
4Seeping did most of the routine cor
,zespondence, and had some letters t.
yHrite. When they were finished
,Bhould lock up the place, put the key
nm my pocket, leave them at Mr.. Strang
ways house on Clapham common, anC
Igo on to my lodgings in Wandsworth
ssAd from my lodgings to my sweethear
Marys home In Wandsworth, too.
''As | was working away, writing
Getters at the topof my speed, and quit
'alU2e in the office-in the whole hous'
Stephen Grainly, one of our travellers
rang the bell, and, much to my sur
NJA tnN AAiA ihAAbJ eAitNNf "iiNiA 4 OPNhN'
ahe front door walked upstairs. follow
aug my lead through the unlightec
passages ! never cared for StepheI
Grainly; no one in the Office liked hin
excerpt Mr.. Strangway himself. Grain
ly was an excellent man at his work
.bnt. TO my taste, too smooth and gooC
-- too sweet to be sound.
What, Mayfeld he cried, work
ing away still! Why, when | saw tht
light made sure it must be Broadwoot
four assistant accountant, who was Il
Nti6se my place when was away, ant
as ! had a goodish bit Of money
thought I'd better bank here than il
Gny own home in HoNtoni am not sat
Isfisd it is safe to stow three hundred
pomds in cash in my humble home
"-Ail right, said !, but l wish yol
had oome earlier. The safest place Il
bank money is in the bank He did no
know 4 was going to be married tn,
next dag, ana / was glad of it, for tn,
man always made me feel uncomfort
able, and | did not wish him TO toucl
my little romance even with word.
BE here at four o'clock he cried
MY dear fellow, | couldn't do IL. How
could /? Why, didn't get TO King
cross until Il quarter to siXl Here yol
are lie produced his poeketboolS