The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-17
The Coin Te|Ier's Atonement,

1t was quite remarkable that any
one could be vexed at Thornton---he
was such a thoroughly congenial fellow.
But vexed at him l certainly was. as /
sat regarding him through the smoke
wreaths that drifted upward from our
dinner cigars. 1t was not merely
his having refused me the So loan de-
sired OF him that accounted for my
resentment, but the absurdness of his
excuse that l took most seriously to
heart. Had he contented himself with
pleading temporary financial destitu-
ton, IL had been amply sufficient and
entirely above criticism. But when my
companion nonchalantly appended his
declaration Of bankruptcy with the
statement that he had that same even
ing utilized his last 81 in the payment
of his quarterly contribution no for
eign missionary fund IL was too much.
Its straight Tip. Joe. Fact is. I've
been doing that sort of thing for six
years steady now"
Seeing that 1 looked incredulous. he
added: my interest in foreign missions
is simple obligation, quite as essential
TO my own mental equanimity as TO the
spiritual welfare OF the heather. Be-
sides, my donations are restricted TO a
single country"
l was quite in the humor to hear one
OF Thornton's stories. Wherefore,
lighted another OF my friends good
cigars, settled myself comfortably in
the big stuffed chair i had pre-empted
and graeiously observed: Go ahead,
old chap: I'm listening"
ut happened somewhere about six
years ago" began Thornton. '1 was at
that time employed as coin-teller in the
United States subtreasury In a large
Western city. The duties OF my posi-
ton brought me in contact with people
of every nationality.
Most peculiar of all our cosmopolitan
cllentage was the Chinese contingent
Hardly "a week passed without one or
more of these Celestials putting in an
appearance before my window. Though
Intensely ignorant as 10 business meth
ods. they were crafty, and as time went
by their irrelevant pigeon English,
coupled With an inveterate tendency
toward deceitfulness, aroused in my
self and assistants a cordial dislike for
the race.
Their business was invariably the
exchanging OF specie for gold certih-
Gates. which they were accustomed
either to send away 10 China or take
with them upon leaving the states for
their native realm. In negotiating the
exchange for these certificates they
a.
In paper rolls OF miscellaneous amounts
and denominations.
And the provoking part OF II vas
that each and every one Of the roguee
would mark fictitious values upon their
various packages. with the result that
on counting the money the aggregate
would invariably fall short Of the
amount their figures represented. Ex-
postulations on my part were persist
emily ignored, and the deception was
attempted with exasperating regularity.
Finally. having endured the annoyance
for over a year, determined TO use he
roic measures In order 10 extirpate II.
Jack said I IN sheer desperation
to my chief assistant. one day, this
bunco business has continued quite long
enough, and has got TO stop The next
Mongolian that tries TO work this de-.
partmsnt viii hear things ffom me
that'll make his queue curl at the end
II hadn't Dong 10 walt. The very next
morning I'm walked a dapper little
Chinaman carrying sack Of coin. APP
preaching my window, the cslestial de-
posted his funds on the counter.
" 'Catchee clitincate.' he said in HE
picturesque dialect. LII
I" You want certihcste?' rejoin~d
with q preliminary survey ~ the money
Solls. How much aou cot Jahns :.