St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-07-26
HEAV Wy BANKING BUSINESS.

salary had been raised to $50 {
month, and | felt that the bank wa,
the only place for it.
SO | shambled in and looked timid
ly at the clerks. | had an idea thar
a person about to open an account
must needs consult the manager.
went up to the window marked
Accountant" The accountant wa.
a tall, cool devil. The very sight O.
him ratified me. My voice was sep.
ulchral.
Can see the manager? ?" | said
and added %solemnly, "alone."
don't know why | said "alone."
"~Certainly," said the accountant.
and fetched him.
The manager was a grave, calm
man. | held my $56 clutched in a
crumpled ball in my pocket.
Are you the manager" | said.
Yes" he replied.
Can | see you ?" l asked, "alone;:"
didn't want to say "alone" again,
but without it the thing seemed self
evident.
The manager looked at me in some
alarm. He felt that | had an awful
secret to reveal.
Come in here" he said, and led
the way to a private room. He
turned the key in the lock.
I'VE are safe from interruption
here, V he said, sit down"
We both sat down and looked at
one another. | found no voice to
speak.
you are one of Pinkerton's men, |
presume" he said.
He had gathered from nv mvste-
rlouS manner that | was a detective.
knew what he was thinking, and it
MADE me worse.
No, not from Pinkerton's," Isaid,
seemingly to imply that | came from
a rival agency.
TO tell the truth" | went on, as
1t / had been prompted to tell a lie
about it, am not a detective at all.
l have come to open an account. |
intend to keep all my money in this
bank"
The manager looked relieved, but
still serlous;h he concluded now that |
was a son OF Baron Rothschild or a
young Gould.
"A large account, suppose" he
said.
Fairly large" l whispered. |
propose to deposit $50 now and $50
a month regularly.
The manager got up and opened
the door. He called to the account
ant:
MIR. Montgomery" he said, I'M
kindly loud, this gentleman is open
ing an account he will deposit $50.
Good morning."
rose.
A big iron door stood open at the
side OF the room.
Good morning." l said, and
stepped into the safe.
Come out" said the manager
coldly, and showed me the other
way.
| went up to the accountants
wicket and poked the ball of money
at him with a quick, %convulsive
movement, as If | were doing a con-
juring trick.
My face was CHASTITY pale.
Here" | said, deposit it," The
tone OF the words seemed to mean
"let us do this painful thing while
the fit is on u.s."
He took the money and gave it to
another clerk. He made me write
the sun on a slip and sign my name
IN a book. no longer knew what |
was doing. The bank swan before
my eyes.
rs it deposited ?" l asked in a hol-
low, vibrating voice.
1T is" said the accountant.
Then | want to draw a check"
NV idea was to draw out six dol
lars of it tor present use. Someone
gave me a chetk-book through a
wicket, and someone else began tell
ing me how to write it out. The
people in the bank had the impress
sion that | was an invalid million
a,re. l wrote something on the
check and thrust it in a" the clerk.
He looked at it.
What! are you drawing it all out
again? ?" he asked, in surprise. Then
realized that | had written ti'ty-slx
instead OF six. | was too targoneto
now, | had q feeling that it
vas impossible to explain the thing.
AIl the clerks had stopped writing to
ook me.
Reckless with misery, l made a
Yes, the whole thing"
You withdraw your money from
he bank ?"
Every cent oft"
Are you not going to deposit any
more ?" said the clerk, astonished.
Never"
An idiot hope struck me that they
night think something had insulted
ne while | was writing the check
nd that | had changed my mind.
made a wretched attempt to look
Ike a man with a feartully quick {