Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-04-19
CHAPTER |.

cOfn-cOD pipe, Bertha, MS uduSHtVt
swinging in low hammock, and hel
husband, Edmund Hackett, who was
perched upon the wooden balustiaGe
Wilton Loring was there. too, lounslns
in canvas chair and smoking a 10
nestle" cigar. The verandah RAJ
round three sides of modest frame
house. all painted white, with the ex
ception of its bright green shutters
Edmond and Bertha, recently married
lived here in the outskirts OF WASH
ington with the head of the family
Wilton had run down from Philadel
phia, where he was cashier OF tn
Rancher's National Bank. They Were
all grumbling over their meagre IN
comes.
Uncle Sam" remarked Edmond
fiackett, quiet, steady going sort o
fellow. well advanced toward middle
life, Uncle Sam Is not generous TO u:
boys and girls of the Civil service. We
handle between nigh upon million
dollars avery working day and give
our lives to the mill horse business foi
a bare subsistence.
Since I've been cashier of the
Ranchers National said Wilton Lo'
ring. I've had enough money pass
through my hands to make me crazy
with thirst for it. It's like being
Don't like to hear you talk like
that, Wilt, my son" remarked Old Ca
leb, with 4 quick shake of his head. as
II mosquito had settled on him
Thoughts Of that kind sometimes ma
tcrialize into deeds you'd be sorry for
"Humph! I'm not so sure | shan't
one day try TO pinch something. pttr-
sued Wilton, with wink ~ his sister
But big steals are the sort 10 succeed
nowadays 10 make corner IN some
thing or other; to float a sailed mine
or bogus building society. That's
the game
Tut tut protested the elder 10
ring, with fierce cxpectoration; but
Bertha mischeyousIy took up her
BROTHERS, hamor
There's 4 fire chance now I've got
into the counting division 1T The Trea-
sury" said shc Say now Why nol
make UP a family combination? lon
Wilton, are cashier at the 'Ranchers
and you're constantly having old bills
TO send into the Treasury for redemp
ton You pinch as you call IT, q
thousand-d0il greenback and for
ward the packet 70 the Treasury en-
dOrsed as containing one more bill
than il actually does That packer
comes to me To b. counted and OK
amined. | just pass i as containing
the number of greenbacks specified.
On it goes "a Edmond, my husband,
whose duty il chances 10 be TO check
my count Smart Edmond finds one
bill short bit seeing his Bertha $ ni-
tails on HE wrapper, he just winks a
little and the packet with, say ninety
nine bills instead Of one hundred bills
against the new ones 10 that value
which he sends back III exchange 70
the Ranchers Bank through the Diyis-
ion Of Issue. See
"fIa, ha, hat" laughed Edmond
Hackett disposed 10 enter into any
Joke conceived BIZ his adcred little
Wife. Glow 80 couid bleed Uncle sam
and hop ourselves 70 the salaries lie
ought 10 pay U.s.
Have done, Have done" burst out
the old man III believed my son
and my daughter and my daughter 5
husband were capable Of such roguory
ia fetch out my gun ana fill you fun
Of holes, every one,
lie meant it, Ills usually placid fea
lures we're distorted ana purple with
indignation and the stem Of the pipe
he held snapped IN the angry grip Of
his fingers Wilton flung himself back
in lit 0l hearty laughter but Bertha,
perceived that the Joke had gone too
tar
Father dear father" she exclaim-
cd so0thingly. You know rs all bet
tern that sure we we're just poEing
fun weren't We, E9nouds Besides
such combination as figured OUT
rouldna " anyway
"Qut" impossible" ayplrpd Wilton
getting over his mirth.
well reckon its improbable In
the last legrer," said Edmond Hackett
SO as opportunity makes the thirt
and We shall have I'D opportunity. :
added ymn. nrtng, the whole threo
ct us'l have u ~ honest. will we, ol
won't We.
"HCn know, father urged Bertha,
10 calm the old man Who muttcred ana
protested still, ana seemed 10 have
taken fright at the very thought OF 4
breach of trust, there are nine ladies
In the Counting Division besides my
self and Wilton's imaginary short
packet might so 70 any one OF them
instead Of to me.
"And If Bertha did get II and pass
IT." remarked liackett, to clinch the
argument. there are plenty Of fellows
In the Secretarys Office who check the
counts beside me, and one of then
would spot her oversight Even if the
short packet came 10 me. il would Be
useless for me to wink, for | shoulC
have one-half the bills. They are cut
longitudinally," he added for Wiltons
information. turning 70 his brother
tn-laW; zone half-the lower section
comes to the Secretary. and the upper
goes to the Office Of the Register Il
be checked there.
I'VE should need another confeder
ate in the Registers put in Bertha
"fhe steal would be caught to a cer
tainty in the Registers office,
Unless by Caesar, we've the who'll
bag Of tricks The combination yol
figured out Is not only possible, it i
here in our hands Dad is the Senlo
Counter in the Register Division IN
big bills so to him This is maryclous
Ii fortune is disposed 70 DO us goo
turn, here's the method all ready. 81
and dried | Mobile 4 thousand-dotia
bill III the bank, and send a packet Q
uinety-nine into the Treasury endorse
as 100, Bertha passes II through ~
Counting Division. Edmond gets ~
ipyar half ia tba ScprptaVN' office