Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-09-04
The Missing Coat.

have been the last ten years FOREMAN
and bookkeeper of the numbering es-
Enlistment of William Winston q
90. Mr.. Winston is the resident part
.ner and manager of the business. The
other members of the firm live IN the
city and attend to the sales of lumber
which we send to them by vessel.
One cold evening as I was prepar-
ing for home I heard footsteps out
side, and presently a tall, stout, we'll
dressed man with a small travelling
bag in one hand and shawl over his
arm entered the office. [ was alone.
had already put on my overcoat and
was turning down tue light.
<'Good evening"" said the man, walk
ing up to the stove and kicking the
damper open with his foot. "Has
Winston gone to the house?"
/ answered that he had.
<sWhewl 1 was afraid of it," He
drew out his watch. 81 shall not
have time to get up" he said. "The
train is due in fifteen minutes"
SIS there anything [ can do?''
asked.
81 wanted to leave some money
with Winston. I intended to stop
in town day or two, but I have just
got dispatch that calls me home"
itWhat name, sir?"
Anderson, of Andersonville."
knew him then, though had seen
him but once before. He had been
one of our best western customers. I
say had been for the reason that dur
ing last year his payments had not
been so prompt. In fact, he was con-
siderably behind, and Mr.. Winston
had that very day told me to write to
him and "punch him up a little" as
he expressed it. The letter was then
in the breast pocket of my overcoat.
lyon can leave the money with
me, sir; I will give you a receipt"
said. He seemed to hesitate, which
nettled me. never blamed anybody
since however.
GLOW much is my bill?" he asked,
cycling me sharply.
eleven thousand, seven hundred
and fifty dollars and twenty three
CENTS" l answered promptly, for I
had struck the balance not more than
half an hour before.
''Humph! Less than I supposed.
Write me out receipt for that
amount"
He left the stove and came and
Sh xxThi
wrote.
sit is all right, Mr.. Putnam. I
know you now. You've been with
Winston a long time. I can tell your
signature anywhere."
He drew from his inside pocket a
wallet and counting out II piles Of
bank notes he told me to count them.
1t was short and easy task, for each
pile contained just 100 bills. The bal
ance was in five and twenties.
At this moment we heard the
whistle from the station. Anderson
s prang for his travelling bag, and Civ
ing me hasty handshake was off. I
closed the door and counted the
III ,ney again. Finding it right, [
wrapped piece of newspaper around
1t and slipped it into my overcoat
pocket. | did not feel easy to have
SO much money about me, but as Mr..
Ninston's house was at least a mile
distant | concluded to keep it until
morning, when ] could deposit it in
the bank.
1 drew on my gloves, took the Of
fee key from the nail over the door
and walked over to extinguish the
light. AS did so I saw on the floor
the receipt wrote for Mr.. Anderson.
He had dropped it in his hurry. put
it in my pocket and thought no more
about it,only that I would mail it to
him. would have done it then, but
as the last mail for that day had gone
on the train which took Mr.. Anderson
/ could do it just as we'll in the morn
ing. Then, tool was in something of
hurry that night, for l had an appoint
ment with a young woman whom [
hoped would be my wife before many
months.
| FASTENED to my boarding house,
ate my supper, and then went over to
the home of my intended bride, wear
ing the coat with the money init, as
i did not feel easy about leaving it in
my room. Carrie was at home, and
leaving my coat and hat in the hall,
went into the parlor. At 10 O'Clock
when prepared to leave, Carrie went
into the hall for my coat and hat that
L might put them on by the fire, but
when she came back with only my
hat