Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-03-17
CHAPTER L.

stories, occupying on'y the first story
for business purposes.
The building was very old and its in
ternal arrangement was rather obsolete,
for TO enter the brokers' Office you first
passed into a hall which extended
through the building. and thence through
a side door. From the hall just inside
the street door a flight OF stairs led up
ward
At the rear end Of the passage a sec
bhd flight, much more narrow than the
first also reached the second story;
while at their foot Il door opened upon
an alley in the rear.
At this date il CHANGED that the third
story OYER the brokers Office was unoc-
eupied, but the second story was ten
anted as It had been for many years by
John Oakburn, the cd cashier, who had
been employed by Jason Garrison since
he first began business in Wall street
years ago
John Oakburn was a man sixty-odd
years of age and widower, but he was
not childless. One daughter, Marion by
name, remained 70 cheer and brighten
his home with the sunlight Of her pres
ence, and the aged cashiers little family
consisted only OF himself, his daughter
and Judith kredge, a female domestic
OF uncertain age, who was the sister OF
the Office janitor.
spacious for the needs Of the cashiers
family, and furnished apartments were
consequently let TO such of Mr.. Garri-
sons clerks as desired them, provided
always they were approved by the old
cashier
On the night of the esd of March,
Is, but one Of John Oakburn's fur
nished apartments was occupied The
room was directly over the main Office.
and its tenant was Stuart Harland, one
of the brokers' clerks.
The street door was n massive one, as
was also the door OF the Office proper.
At night both were always securely
locked and bOlted. The keys of the
office-as we'll as the street door We're
always in the possession OF John Oak
burn, who was implicitly trusted by the
bro&er in every way.
For twenty years John Oakburn had
been celebrated for his rigid integrity
and unvarying, scrupulOus honesty, and
ION the street, where one desired to
vouch in the most positive terms for the
character of another, he would say, HE
is as honest as old John Oakburn.
Perhaps no man more perfectly de-
served the title which he had won,
which was far more honorable than any
patent of nobility-the title San honest
man.
On day at noon a few days previous
TO the night OF which we are about 10
write, while John Oakburn was alone in
the Office, having been detained by some
important account an incident occurred
which will serve to illustrate the mans
character perfectly.
Mr.. Pratt, of the firm Of Pratt &
Weeks, entered and approached the old
cashier in n cunning way In order to
sound him with a view to inducing him
to become a director Of one Of those
Hsoap bubble" stock companies which
are originated every year, initiate them
selves with the money OF the unwary
and collapse when such a contamination
will result to the profit Of the "promO-
tersn without bringing themselves with
in the reach of the laws arms
John Oakburn listened to the specious
arguments of the smOOth-tOngued bandit
of Wall street in passive silence, wholly
unmoved by the temptation of sudden
wealth held out TO him as a glittering
bait
When Pratt concluded, John Oakburn
turned his back upon him, saying in a
scathing tone:
%No more of this. value my honor,
sirl"
And yet you are poor man. re-
torted Pratt with a covert sheer in his
voice.
@In gold, yes; but not in principle"
your sentiments are quite romantic
and pOetieal, but this is 4 practical age
Of money values"
True; but were I to listen to you !
should become as poor In character as
am in pocket
sour scheme would be a secret No
one would ever know il
Il should know il. No sir, your
scheme is villainOus. Seek your con-
federate elsewherei"
Such was the man the story of whose
fate we place before our readers.
1t was the night OF the esd March,
Is
Stuart Harland, the young clerk who
occupied the apartment directly over
the brokers office In John Oakburn' 5
fat had fallen asleep on his bed with
out removing his clothing.
Suddenly he leaped up, wide awake,
and exclaimed;
what! Have I oversight" and
glancing at an alarm clock set to ring
at one o'clock, he added, "nO, the clock
has not struck; it is now only twenty
minutes Of one"
stuart Harland rubbed his eyes and
looked perpexed.
what awakened me? Certainly 1t
was some unusual sound. l have a con-
fused recollection OF hearing a loud
voice. he thought and seated upon the
side OF the bed he listened for 4 mo-
ment
No sound broke the absolute quietude
of the night within the dwelling
From without the signing wind watt
ed TO his ears the unaccountable noises
OF the streets of the streets OF a great
city which are never hushed TO silence
the livelOng night.
strange, this. Could ! have been
dreaming? Well, il matters not, l am
awake in time; that is the important
point" the young man reflected.
Then he began TO place a few things
in light traveling-bag, and as he did so
he quite uncOnsciOusly gave expression
TO the thoughts which were in his mind.
i must not miss the ! o'clock train or
all is lost The discovery will not be
made until tomorrow Perhaps there
is yet time. Oh, what consummate scoun-
drels those men Pratt an0 Weeks are,
and yet they are beyond the pale OF the
law. Ii cannot reach them" he said.
He was a handsome, noble-loOking
young man, this Stuart Harland, one
upon whom nature had set the stamp OF
a true gentleman. and his fine, honest
eyes, which met yours frankly, inspired
you with confidence at the very first
glance.
In the Office they would tell you that
Stuart Harland was inclined TO be rather
careless and inattentiye TO business, but
they would add tina: he was the best
fellow in the world, unless you happened
TO question Levi Kredge, the janitOr.
1t was no secret that Stuart Harland
was engaged TO his employers daughter
Miss Edna, and if you were to ask how
it came about that Jason Garrison had
consented TO the suit of a young man
who was @only 8 clerk, - and to whom
the duties of a brokers Office were not
the most agreeable. and who had ex.
hibited but little ATTITUDE for the busf.