Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-04-06
CHATTER IL.

\ lHN Gays att"E lDlS converse ton
Bertha H1ctett 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 10 the senior lady in the
ordinary course, aGd the Juniors would
take it in turn 10 work with her for
the sake of becoming accustomed to
every kind Of note, and by such famili
ar;ty 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 Der.
Now among the packets OF old bills
sent in from all parts OF America TO
be Cancelled and exchanged fer new
currency, 1t was not unusual for the
Ranchers' National Bank of Pniladel-
phia. to contribute 10 its quota Ber-
tba'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 a consignment from her brother,
Wilton. Like restilent tune that
keeps echOing in the brain. that family
talk Of conspiracy to defraud Uncle
Sam could rot he dismissed from her
thoughts. These slips OF dirty paper
authorizing the payment TO bearer OF
tar - xx,ho 49,
they should ell go TO the macerating
machine TO be ground into pulp, Oae
more or less would make no difference
to the wealthy nation. but would WORK
wonders for an underpaid official who
found il hard to make both ends meet.
She tod herself il was horribly wicked
TO think of transportation. 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
a remark from Mrs. Lawson. as that
lady placed before her heap OF thous-
and dollar bills which she had been
critically examining with magnifyinS
glass. That's bis charge from the
Rsnchfrs' NatiOnai--a hundred bills of
u thousand each. ! make them right;
but you 30 over them again one by one.
count than in two packets Of fifty
each. ard bind them with u paper band
III the usual way for me 10 initial and
pass forward
Mrs. lawson proceeded with another
packet. SO absorbed in her work that
she did not notice how strangely young
Mrs. iiackett stared for moment at
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. Ii was endorsed
with the number ard the denomina-
ton Of the notes, and bore the sigma
ture, Wilton Loring. Cashier Mrs.
Lawson vouched for them as correct,
and yet Bertha's fingers tremb.ed IS
she turned them over. She counted
half Of them backward. from 400 to
fifty. and maize Il packet of them. as
instructed, and the other half she
counted in the usual way. beginning
one. two. three. four. and so on. When
she came to the end of the count she
paused. and counted this second half
again backward. Then she slowly fast
ened a band around the packet.
You're rot very smart at present.
my girl" remarked the elder lady, OBJ
serving her sluggish action. Il have to
hunt for counterfeits; but should never
get through If ! took SO long as you
have done with that simple cheque.
But maybe you reckon to find I've
passed Il wrong COUNT she added,
with q little touch Of irony. After
thirty-four years at this work, my
dear. the bills that have passed
through Ros;na Lawson's hands can
be taken as right IL she says So"
Mrs. Lawson was rather tetchy. and
had good conceit of herself, born of
long infal,ibiiity. Bertha in silence
wrote her own initials on the wrappers
of the two packets, and this action
notified the senior lady, for by thus
taking responsibility for the correct
seemed 20 convey an impression OF
confidence in her. But something else
was In Bertha's 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
/ ohance!" (TO be continued.)
UsefuIn-ss Of Great Lakes.
The great lakes have become great
/ artery OF our richest commercial blood.
One-third Of the population OF the
+ United States is dependent on these
/ lakes for their export and import
| trade. This waterway taps the rich
est and most prosperous agricultural
territory on this continent Of ours. to-
gether with Cur most productive
mines, and IL Is worth while noting
4 Inn -