Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-04-19
TIE THOUSANDDOLLAR BILL
ANYsrrNY OF Tue rMttD STATES TREAsvNr-A SHORT sroR
CHAPTER RI
Ely LEONARD oUTRAN

few days after this conversation
! Bertha Hackett sat in the office of the
Redemption Division assisting Mrs.
Lawson, the senior lady of the depart
ment, to count packet OF big bills. :
Greenbacks of large denomination
were allotted to the senior lady in the
ordinary course and the juniors would
take It In turn to work with her for
the sake of becoming accustomed to
/ every kind of note, and by such famili-
/ arity detecting any forgery that might
fall into their hands Bertha was
serving her apprenticeship in this de-
partment, and that day she sat at Mrs.
Lawson's desk to learn all that this
good lady could teach her.
Now among the packets OF old bills
sent in from all parts of America TO
be cancelled and exchanged for new
! currency, it was not unusual for the
Ranchers' National Bank of Phiiadel
phia, TO contribute to its quota. Ber
tha's bright grey eyes took a sidelong
glance at the heap OF parcels before
her companion, wondering whether
chance would so far realize their fan
cied combination as to bring into her
hands consignment from her brother,
wilton. Like a pestilent tune that
Keeps echoing in the brain. that family
| talk OF conspiracy to defrand Uncle
sam could not be dismissed from her
thoughts. These slips of dirty paper
authorizing the payment To bearer OF
large sums of money, what a pity
they should all go to the macerating
machine to be ground into pulp One
more or less would make no difference
TO the wealthy nation, but would work
wonders for an underpaid official who
found it hard TO make both ends meet.
She told herself it was horribly wicked
70 think OF misrepresentation but she
could not control her thoughts and
they pictured for her persistently the
staff Of the three departments reduced
to herself, her father. and her husband.
and figured out the fortune they might
accumulate by the aid of Slick fingers
While thus musing she was startled BY
q remark from Mrs Lawson. as that
lady placed before her heap of thous
and-dollar bills which she had been
critically examining with magnifying
glass. That's big charge from the
Ranchers' National-a hundred bills of
a thousand each. | make them right;
but YOU 80 over them again one BY one,
count them in two packets Of fifty
each, and bind them with paper band
in the usual way for me TO initial and
pass forward.
MIS-. Lawson proceeded with another
packet SO absorbed in her work that
she did not notice how strangely young
Mrs. llackett stared for moment al
the task before her. With the heap
of bills lay the paper band that had en-
closed them when they came from the
Bank at Philadelphia Il was endorsed
with the number ana the denomina-
ton of the notes, ana bore the sigma
ture, Wilton Lorlng, Cashier" Mrs
Lawson vouched for them as correct,
and yet Bertha's fingers trembed az
she turned them over. She counted
half Of them backward from 100 10
fifty. and made a packet OF them, as
instructed and the other half she
counted in the usual way, beginning
one, two. three. four and 50 on. When
she came 10 the end OF the count she
paused, aud counted this second hat
again backward Then she slowly fast
n
You're not very smart al present.
my girl remarked the elder lady. OBJ
serving her sluggish action. Il have to
hunt for counterfeits: but should never
get through il | took 50 long as you
have done with that simple cheque.
But maybe YOU reckon 70 lind I've
passed a wrong COUNT she added,
with d little touch Of irony After
thirty-four years at this work, my
dear. the bills that have passed
through Rosina I.awson's hands can
be taken as right II she says 50,
Mrs. Lawson was rather tetchy. and
had a good conceit Of herself born OF
long infalibility. Bertha III silence
WHY Ltl wv u lliitiftt3 VII tlA5 Y dIptl
Of the two packets. and this action
notified the senior lady. FOR BY thus
taking responsibility for the correct
ness Of the packets, Mrs. Hackott
seemed TO convey an impression Of
confidence in her. But something else
Was in Bertha mind, for she muttered
to herself as the packets We're taken
away to the cutting machine TO be fur
ther checked in the offices OF the Sec
rotary Of the Register. There is Just q
chance" (ro be continuedA