The Penn's Grove record., 1895-07-05
HIS FINANCIAL CAREER. +,
An Acsount opened and Closed In ons
Brief Minute.

everything ratues me.
The moment I cross the threshold d
4 bank I am a hesitatlng Jay. II l at
tempt to transact business there / be-
rome an irresponsible idiot
knew this beforehand. but my sal
lry had been raised $50 . month,
and l felt that the bank was the only
place for It
So I shambled In and looked timidly
FOUND at the clerks. I had an idea that
o person about to open an account
must needs consult the manager.
I went up to a wicket marked AAc-
eountant." The accountant was a tall,
cool devil. The very sight Of him rat
lied me. Ny voice was sepulchral
"Can | see the manager" I said, and
added solemnly "alone." don't know
Why I said "alone."
"Certainly,' said the accountant, and
fetched him.
The manager was q grave. calm man
held my $50 clutched in q crumpled
ball In my pocket.
care you the m~anagerT I said.
"Yes," he replied.
Scan 1 see your" / asked, "alonef
I didn't want to say "alone" again.
but without It the thing seemed self
evident.
The manager looked at me in somt
alarm. He felt that I had an awful Sc
sret to reveal.
"Come in here" he said, and led tho
way to a private room. He turned the
Key in the lock.
1--WE are safe from interruption here"
ne said; "slt down"
We both sat down and looked at onA
mother. 1 found no voice to, speak.
"You are one Of Pinkerton's men, !
presume" he said.
He had gathered from my mysteriouA
manner that / was a detective. l knew
what he was thinking, and It made me
worse.
"No, not from Pihkerton's," / said
Ieemingly to imply that l came from L
rlval agency.
ITO tell the truth" l went on, as II
/ had been prompted to lie about II, Il
am not a detective at all. have come
to open an account. / intend to keep
vi my money in this bank"
The manager looked relieved, Dul
It'll serious. He concluded now that
Ii was a son Of Baron Rothschild or a
Young Gould.
"a large account, I suppose" he said
"Fairly large" / whispered. II pro-
Jose to deposit $50 now, and $50 o
month regularly"
The manager got up and. opened the
door. He called to the accountant.
"Mr. Montgomery" he said. unkind
| y loud; this gentleman Is opening an
account; he will deposit $50. Good.
morning"
I rose.
A big iron door stood open at the
side Of the room.
"Good-morning," 1 said, and stepped
INTO the safe.
"Come out said the manager, cold
y, and showed me the other way.
I went up to the accountants wicke,
! and poked the ball Of money at him
with a quick. convulslve movement az
u I were doing a c~onjuring trick.
My face was CHASTITY pale.
Here" I said, deposit It" The tone
If the words seemed to mean, 'let us
do this painful thing while the At is on
u.s."
He took the money and gave 1t to an
Ither clerk. He made me write the
sum on a slip and sign my name in a
book. I no longer knew what I was do
Ing. The book swan before my eyes.
SIS 1t depositedT I asked, In a hoI
ow, vibrating voice.
4 'Tt is," said the accountant.
"Then I want to draw a check"
My idea was to draw out SO of It for
present use. Some n gave me check
book through a wicket and some one
else began telling me how to write 1t
put The people In the bank had the
Impression that l was an invalid MILL
lonaire. l wrote something on the
check and thrust 1t In at the clerk. He
ooked at 1t.
"What! Are YOU drawing 1t all out
Igain?" he asked in surprise. Then I
realized that had written f1fty-six In
stead Of six. ! was too far gone to rea-
BON now. l had = feeling that 1t was
Impossible to explain the thing. All
the clerks had stopped writing to look
at me.
Reckless with misery, I made q
plunge.
"Yes, the whole thing"
"You withdraw your money from
ihe bank"
"Every cont CT It"
"Are you not going to deposit any
nore?" said the clerk, astonished.
"Never."
An idiotic hope struck me that the,
might think something had insulted me
while l was writing the check, and that
II had changed my mind. / made a
wretched attempt to look like q man
with a fearfully quick temper.
The clerk prepared to pay the money,
"How will you have 1T" he said.
"What?"
"How will you have it,"
"Oh." l caught his meaning and an.
swered without even trying to think
"In ffties."
He gave me a ~ifty-dollar bill.
"And the six" he asked dryly.
ain Sizes" / said.
BE gave 1t me and l rushed out.
As the big doors swung behind me, I
caught the echo of a roar Of laughter
that went up to the ceiling of the bank.
Since then l bank no lore. l keep my
money In cash In my trousers pocket,
and my savings in silver dollars In 0
,ock.-Stephen Leacock, In Life.
English Paper Supply.
1t Is curious now to remember the
oanic which prevailed in England