Mower County transcript., 1892-08-24
TWO MARRIAGE EWES

II have often told you," said james
Mayheld to me the evening before my
marriage with his daughter Kate, ...that
I owed my prosperity-or more accu-
rately, my escape from destruction-to
an accident, 4 chance, q miracle. Stand
up and look at that piece Of paper lot
into the overmantel. Have you ever
observed it before?"
"Yes," I 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 sheet OF
business note paper covered with indis.
tinct figures that do not seem ordinary
YES" he said, gazing with half closed
eyes at tho paper through the smoke of
his cigar. "rhey arc not ordinary, nor
is their history"
1T is not possible to make them out,
they are 50 blurred and faint Are they
very old?'
"Twenty years. They are much faded
since I first saw them," said he, crossing
his legs. "Now you may as we'll know
the history of that half sheet of business
paper, and what it has to do with me
and your Kate's mother. Sit down and
Twill tell it to YOU"
dropped back into my chair.
"Our Kate is nearly nineteen, as nc
doubt you are aware. 1t is the night
before your marriage. You, thank
heaven! run no such risk as ran the
night before my marriage. There is no
date on that blurred copy Of figures, but
if there We're You would find it origi-
mated on the night before I was to be
married, twenty years ago. You are
short Of thirty now, Twas short of thirty
then. You are now in what I should
then have considered afluent circum-
stances. I am going to give you to-
morrow our only child and a fourth
share in the business of Strangway
Mayfeld s. Co., Of which am the sole
surviving partner, and that fourth share
ought to bring you Thousand to twelve
hundred year. The night that docu-
ment over the chimney came into exist
ence was accountant to Strangway &
Co., at a salary Of e150 per annum."
My father-in-law paused and knocked
the ash off his cigar.
''At that time," he went on, resuming
his story, "the business of Strangway &
Co., was in Bread street. We had ware
houses on the ground floor and in the
cellars, the Offices were on the first floor,
and warehouses filed from over the first
floor to the states.
1.-The Offices closed at 6; but, as l was
anxious to put everything in the finest
order before starting on my honeymoon
I was not able to leave at that hour. In
addition to the bookkeeping I did most
of the routine correspondence, and had
some letters to write. When they were
finished should lock up the place, put
the keys in my pocket, leave them al
Mr.. Strangway's house on Chaplain
common and go on to my lodgings il
Wandsworth, and from my lodgings te
my sweetheart Mary's home, in Wands
worth too.
"As / was working away, writing
letters at the top of my speed, and quite
alone in the of1ice-in the whole house
Stephen Grainly, one of our travellers
rang the bell, and, much to my surpris,
and annoyance, when opened the from
door, walked up stairs, following my
lead through the unlighted passages.
never cared for Stephen Grainly; no on,
in the Office liked him except Mr.
Strangway himself. Grainly was a,
excellent man at his work; but, to m,
taste, too smooth and good-too swee
to be sound.
"'What, Mayfeld,' he cried, work
ing away still! Why, when I saw tht
light, made sure it must be Broadwoot
four assistant accountant, who was t,
take my place while I was away], and
as had goodish bit Of money,
thought I'd better bank here than in m,
own home in Hoxton; am not satisfied
it is safe to stow e3OO in cash in m,
humble home
"'All right said I; but l wish yo,
had come earlier. The safest place t,
bank money in is the bank He did no
know was going to be married mex
day, and I was glad of it, for the ma,
always made me feel uncomfortable
and did not wish him to touch my lit
tie romance even with a word.
"'Be here at 4 o'clock! he cried. M,
dear fellow, couldn't do it. How coult
]? Why, I didn't get to Kings Cross un
til a quarter to 6! Here you are' H
produced his pocketbook. You needn'
give me more than two minutes. Checks
five hundred and seventy-four, eighteen
SIX. Notes, two hundred and forty-fve
Gold, forty-eight.'
Gas you may fancy, was in hurr,
to get rid of him. He seemed in n,
hurry to go. He sat down. pulled on
his handkerchief, and began wiping hi
forehead, although it was October, an,
by no means warm.
"'You will initial my bookY said he
and he handed me his order book, par
Of which was ruled in money columns
where he had a list of the money he ha.
collected. The whole was e867 18s. Cd.
and for this signed. s.
Have you taken the numbers Q
the notes?' asked.
s:<No' said he