Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-08-02
WOODBURY., N J, THURSDAY. AUGUST 2, 1900

ham was back in the wheel chair and had
propelled himself out to his favorite tree,
and there Benton Tripp came upon him
suddenly.
81 promised you I'd come" he said In
hurried way as he met Dunham's glad
smile. Then he hastily went on as If fear
full that his resolution would not last:
Il want to tell you just who ! am. | was
foolishly glad yesterday that you did not
remember it, but | am Benton Trip, the
defaulting bank teller" Dunham's bright
eyes regarded him steadily, and he mois-
tened his lips and went on. my home is
up in New Hampshire, and when | left
college my relatives thought it would be
fine to secure me u place in the local
bank 1t was Il mistake wasn't fitted
for the work. | had strong business In
etincts The restraints of teller's posi-
tion were irksOme To me- The salary was
small, but that &dn't worry ME. There
was all | needed for my personal wants.
But studied the markets early and late,
and knew that with a little assistance /
could bring handsome yields from small
investments. was wild to speculate in
something. One day | was sent to Bos-
ton on the banks business and overheard
q conversation in the train that convinced
me certain section of land in the city
might speedily be utilized for railway
purposes. Filled with the idea Of a sue
cessful speculation / hurried to the own
ers Of the apparently waste land adjoin-
ing the railway section and secured an
option on it for 30 days.
Before the option expired took $12,-
900 from the bank and paid for the piece.
OF course | told myself it was only loan
to be paid back with generous interest.
1t was only a question of keeping it dark
for few weeks, and then the discovery
unexpectedly camel | was disgraced
defaulter My act was published to the
world. At the solicitation Of my distract
ed friends | was not arrested. turned
over the land to the bank, understanding
that the president, Mr.. Jabez Pringle,
bought it in personally at something less
than / paid for it-and yet that very
piece, as | afterward found out, must
have trebled in value within 60 days aft
er | left the place, for my friends made
up a purse for me and sent me abroad.
They are an honest lot, and there was
no longer any home for me there.
kuOGkEu uDOul Il year Va GOs AAn0AnE
little or nothing to do, and then l sunk
my pride and got this Monaco JOB. I've
paid off every cent | borrowed, but have
heard nothing from any Of my friends for
many months. They are honest folk and
are quite right in casting me off. And SO,
you see. l was right when | told You it
would do you no good to know me-"
'.Sit down." said Dunham gently.
4 .w.n4
Benton little brokenly. "You were my
countryman and from my college-from
amid those associations that were the
happiest Of my life. You can't imagine
what II is to feel that you are morally
cut off from both your country and your
countrymen."
81 know what it is to be physically cut
off," said Dunham with little smile. He
put out his thin hand. won't you sit
down, BentonY'
That night Dunham told his father
Benton's story.
"A bad start" said the astute capital
ist, 'but perhaps a lasting lesson. Jabez
Pringle, eh? III talk with the boy tomor-
row. I've little nut to crack with that
old flint myself" And he chuckled slight
ly.
He saw and talked with Benton alone.
When they parted he turned to Dun
ham. "Good stuff in the lad yet" he said.
TELLS me he has never gambled a cents
worth at Monaco. Going to leave there
tomorrow and is coming over here. I'll
write to Breed tonight and have him jab
a sharp pole at that old hornet of 9
Pringle."
And so the next morning letter went
forth from the Front hotel addressed to
Hon. ]. Burlington Breed. the eminent
counselor at law, whose glittering shin
gle hangs high on Broadway. An an
swer came in due course Of time, an an
swer that made, the usually phlegmatic
fnancier chuckle with delight.
"Call up your friend, Dummy" he said.
1--WE got some news for him."
1t was good news, OF course. Lawyer
Breed, backed by divers causes, had put
the screws to the hinty Pringle to ex.
cellent purpose.
Hes going to publish a statement
over his own name in the home papers
that your trouble with the bank was all
due to an unfortunate misunderstanding
and that your good name has been hand.
somely re-established. Further than this
he has paid over to you a neat sum of
money, representing one-half the profits
arising from the sale of the land that
brought about your trouble on one condi-
tion-no publicity is to be made of the
story. Amt Breed hummerT And
he laughed again.
Benton took the good news very
grayely.
what will you do now2" Dunham
asked him as he pressed his hand
Get back to Gods country as soon as
ean." he replied.
"Going home?"
NO" said Benton. "Its home no
longer. I'll go to New York and start
in afresh." He turned to Dunham's ia
ther. How can thank your he said.
"Pooh. pooh!' growled the capitalist.
Don't thank me. I'm no sentimentalist.
/ should have been as hard on you as old
Pringle. suppose. Thank Dummy
Cleveland Plain Dealer.