St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-22
THE MISSING COAT.

In the first place, my name is Freder-
lex Putnam. am, and have been tor
the last ten years, the foreman ana
bookkeeper of the large numbering es-
tablishment of William Winston d Co..
and hope to be for another decade, uh-
less something better turns up.
One cold evening, just as l was pre-
pairing for home, heard footsteps on
the crunching snow outside, and pres
entity the Office door flew open, as
though some one in haste had given it
push, admitting a tall, stout. we'll
dressed man, with small travelling bag
in one hand and shawl thrown over
his arm.
| 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 taking the Key
with him as usual. 1 had already closed
the damper to the stove, put OH my
oyercoat and was just in the act OF turn
ing down the lamp-Dut, OF course,
waited.
"Good evening, SIR" said the man,
bustling up to the stove aud kicking the
damper open with his foot. HAS
Winston gone to the house?"
answered that re had.
"Whew! l was afraid OF it."
He drew out his watch-a very me
one, thought.
II shall not have time to go up" he
said. The train is due In fifteen MIN
utes."
sis there anything l can do?" asked.
81 wanted to leave some money with
Winston. / intended to stop i'll town
day or two, but have just got dis
patch that calls me hOme."
"What name, SIR?
Anderson. of Andersonville."
knew him then, though l had seen
him but once before. He had been one
of our best West customers. L say mad
been, for the reason that during the
past year his payments bad not been SO
prompt. In fact, lie was considerably
behind. and Winston had that very day
told me to write to him and punch him
up little" as he expressed it. The
letter was then In the breast pocket or
my overcoat.
'sYou can leave the money with me,
sir. and will give You a receipt"
He seemed to hesitate, which nettled
me somewhat. never blamed anybody
since, however.
"How much is my bill?" he asked,
eyeing me sharply.
/ answered promptly, tor l 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 receipt for that amount"
He left the stove and came and looked
| over my shoulder while [ wrote.
at is all right, Mr., Putnam. | know
YOU now. You've been with Winston
a long time. ca tell your signature
| anywhere"
lie drew frol an insid pocket large
black wallet, V, rOun ana full, and,
counting out ele> .ierent piles of
| bank notes. 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 Ill fives, tens and
| twentes, and took more time to count
| them: but at last we got it so that both
| were satisfied.
| At this moment we heard the whistle
| from the station. Anderson Sprang for
his travelling bag, and giving me hasty
| handShake was off on the run. l closed
| the door and counted the money again.
| Finding it all right, l wrapped a piece
| of newspaper around it and slipped 1t
| 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 the bank.
closed the damper again, drew on
my gloves, took the Office key from the
nail Just over the door, and stepped up
to put out the light. AS did so, saw
a bit Of paper on the floor, which on
picking up / saw was the receipt wrote
Tor Mr. Anderson. He had dropped it
IN his hurry. put it IN my pOcketand
thought 10 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.. Anderson, l could do IL just as
we'll in the morning. Then, too, was
in something of hurry that night, for
l had an appointment; and l may as
we'll state here that it was with young
lady who | hoped would be my wife be-
fore many months.
Carrie was at home, of course, as she
was expecting me, and, leaving my hat
and coat in the hall. went into the
parlor. | do not think a repetition of
our conversation would be very inter-
esting, so | will pass it over, merely re-
marking that nothing occurred to dis
turb 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.
why, Fred, you certainly did not
venture out such night as this without
an overcoat?'
mo coatw l exclaimed, in dazed
sort of way; for the thought Of the
money flashed upon me so suddenly
that it almost stunned me.
The next moment tore past her like
mailman, as l was. The coat was
gone.
Then l was unnerved. l grasped al
the stair-rail, and caught it just in time
to support myself. Carrie came running
out, her face pale with alarm.
"Oh, Fred are you i'll ? Let me cal
| xuhjta a chppt -