The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-10-06
miscellaneous.
THE MISSING COAT.
BY THOMAS G. MITCHELL


l never told anybody how very,
very near l was to death that night,
just year ago but as can now look
back and calmly recall each word,
each act, l will write it down as a
warning to all who may find them
selves similarly circumstanced, hop
ing with all my heart that the number
may be few.
In the first place, my name is Fred
erick Putnam. / am, and have been
| for the last ten years, the foreman and
book-keeper of the large numbering es-
| tablishment of William Winston &
Co., and hope to be for another decade,
unless something better turns up.
| Winston is the resident partner and
manager of the manufacturing part of
the business. The other members of
| the firm, of whom there are two, live
in the city, at the foot of the lake,
and attend to the sales of lumber,
which we send them by vessel.
This is by far the largest share of
what the mill cuts, though the amount
of our sales directly from the mill to
supply the country to the west of us
is quite large.
Well, one cold evening, just as l was
L
on the erunching snow outside, and
presently the office door flew open, as
| though some one in haste had given
| it n push, admitting tall, stout, we'll
| dressed man, with a small travelling
bag in one hand and shawl over his
| arm.
l was alone, Mr.. Winston having
gone to the house some half-an-hour
before, locking the safe, in which we
kept our books and papers, and tax.
ing the key with him as usual. had
already closed the damper to the stove,
put on my overcoat, and was just in
the act of turning down the lamp
but, of course, | waited.
Good evening"" said the man, bust
ling up to the stove, and kicking the
damper open with his foot. Has
Winston gone to the house ~
l answered that he had.
"Whew | was afraid of it,
| He drew out his watch-a very fine
one, thought.
81 shall not have time to go up" he
said. THE train is due in fifteen min
utes."
us there anything can do ~ Task
ed.
Il want to leave some money with
Winston. INTENDED to stop in town a
day or two, butt have just got dis.
patch that calls me home"
What name, sir?h
"Anderson, of Andersonville."
/ knew him then, though had seen
him but once before. He had been
one of our best Western customers.
l say had been. for the reason that
during the past year his payments
had not been 80 prompt. In fact, he
was considered behind, and Winston
had that very day told me to write to
him, and ''puch him up a little" as he
expressed it. The letter was then in
the breast pocket of my overcoat.
You can leave the money with me,
sir, and 1 will give you a receipt"
He seemed to hesitate, which nettled
Inc somewhat. l never blamed any
body since, however.
How much is my bill 2" he asked,
cycling me sharply.
l answered promptly, for / had
| struck the balance not more than half
an hour before.
eleven thousand seven hundred
and fifty dollars and twenty-three
cents"
"Humph Less than l supposed.
Write me out a receipt for that
amount
He left the stove and came and look
ed over my shoulder while wrote.
1T is all right, Mr.. Putnam.
know you now You've been with
Winston a long time. can tell your
signature anywhere.
| He drew from an inside pocket a
! large black wallet, very round and
full, and counting out eleven different
piles of banknotes, he told me to count
| them. 1t was a short and easy task,
for each pile contained just one hun
dred bills. The balance was in fives,
! twenties, and took more time to count
! them but at last we got it so that
both were satisfied.
Atthis moment we heard the whistle
from the station. Anderson sprang
| hasty hand shake, was off on the run.
l closed the door and counted the
money again. Finding it all right,
wrapped piece OF newspaper around
it and slipped it into my overcoat
pocket l did not feel quite easy to
| have SO much money about me but
as Winston's house was at least mile
distant, / concluded to keep it until
morning, when | could deposit it in
| bank.
closed the damper again, drew on
my gloves, took the office key from
the nail lust over the door. and step
ped up to put out the light. AS ! did
SO saw bit of paper on the floor.
which, ON picking up, saw was the
receipt | wrote for Mr.. Anderson. He
had dropped it in his hurry. l put it
| in NV pocket, and thought no more
about it only that l would mail it to
him. l would have done it then, but
as the last mail for that day had gone
| out on the train which took Mr.. An
derson, / could do il just as well in the
morning. Then, too, l was in some
thing Of hurry that night, for had
an appointment and | may as well
state here that it was with a young
lady who l hoped would be my wife
before many months.
l hastened to my boarding house,
ate my supper, and then went over to
Mr.. Warmers, wearing the coat with
the money in it, as l did not feel easy
about leaving it in my room. Carrie
was at home, of course, as she was eX-
pecting me, and, leaving my hat and
coat in the hall, | went into the par,
lor. l do not think a repetition OF
our conversation would be very inter.
esting, SO l will pass it over, merely
remarking that nothing occurred to
disturb me until l rose to take my
leave.
Carrie went into the hall for my
coat and hat, that l might put them
on by the warm fire /, but she came
back with only my hat.