The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1897-06-25


well he might be. For 10 acquire a
Van Dyck on any terms is, nowadays,
hard enough. But to have picked one
mp for nothing, as ho had done, con-
stituted a simply phenomenal achieve
ment.
He took IL down with him 10 his
home at Bristol, where he nursed aud
cherished Il with extraordinary solicit
tude IL was the darling Of his heart,
the apple Of his eye. No fond old
husband ever dotted more upon o fair
young bride than Jan Yereker upon
his Van Dyck profauo people
ayerred that he said his prayers 10 IL.
That he worshiped Il, in a metaphor
cal sense, could admit Of no dispute;
and whenever he went of upon a COLI
lecting tour he not merely, as has been
said, deposited this precious picture
with his bankers for safe custody, but
always accompanied It to the bank him
self, and, with his own eyes, saw 1t
consigned 10 the security Of the strong
room,
The firm with which he banked was
a private house, having many branches
in the West Of England, and It's head
quarters at Bristol. They shall here
be introduced as Messrs. Roster &
Sons. Mr.. James Roster, the head Of
the business, lived at Bristol, and was
chief manager Of the bank. He was q
personal acquaintance of old Vereker's,
whose family had banked with Roster
& Sons for upwards Of a century. But
besides this business acquaintance, he
/ found himself drawn occasionally into
Jan Vereker's company by their SINH
larity Of tastes. For James Roster was
himself something Of a virtuoso and
collector Of curios and was enabled,
moreover, by his wealth, to crafty this
taste pretty freely.
One morning, after an absence from
Bristol of about three months, the old
fellow turned up at the bank, and
asked to see his friend the manager.
He was shown into Mr. Rosters private
room. When they had exchanged the
usual greetings aud few mutual civili-
ties, Jan proceeded to unfold the ma
ture of his business.
''The fact is, Mr.. Roster" said the
old gentleman, II want some money.
1 have an opportunity Of buying some
extremely valuable works of art at a
figure far below their real value; but it
is necessary that 1 should pay cash
down for them. Unless can produce
the money tomorrow Imay very likely
lose them.
"Umphl How much do you want
to overdraw?"
"Two thousand pounds. "
The manager whistled. From man
Of old Yereker's means such a request
seemed to him to border on the auda-
cious.
"a tall order, smy dear sir. We could
not possibly allow such an overdraft
without security"
''No. I did not suppose that you
would Ipropose to offer you security,
though I admit that the security is OF
a somewhat unusual character. You
already have my Van Dyck portrait in
your custody. Whatever its value, ii
is considerably in excess of $4,000.
Will you allow that to stand Us my Sc
curity for the overdraft?"
'I'm afraid not, Mr.. Vereker. 1t is
contrary to our practice to accept Sc
curity Of this description. Hyou could
deposit scrip with us, now, or title
deeds, or obtain a satisfactory personal
guarantee"
81 cannot, " interposed old Vereker.
"Not, at least, at q moments notice.
Besides, this picture is worth as much
as all the rest of my effects put to-
gether. Only four days ago q Bristol
firm offered me $4,000 for 1.-THE
Messrs. -"
With this assurance the manager
consented to interview Messrs. -,
with the result that next morning Mr..
Vereker had a note from Messrs. Ros.
Ter & Sons, advising him that, on the
strength of Messrs. IS valuation OF
his Van Dyck, they were willing tc
hold the picture as security for the
proposed overdraft of $4,000, and re-
questing him to call at the bank anG
comply with certain requisite formal
/ tiles. This he duly did, and the ar
: rangements for the overdraft were
| completed.
, Now, Jan Vereker, as has been men
toned, had named two months as the
period of his overdraft. He made il
: good, however, within six weeks ant
f took his Van Dyck back to his house
From q commercial standpoint, hi'
t promptness should have been hailed
4 with satisfaction by James Roster. AS
. a fact, however, it was not. Truth tC
4 tell, the banker had cherished a hal
9 hope that old Vereker might fail to re
: pay the advance; and that he (Rosier
S would get the chance of obtaining tn,
picture at about half its market value
: A month or so later, Jan Vereke,
started off on one Of his periodical
e iourneys. having. as usual, deposited