Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-10-04
"To LOOK AT THE BOOKS"
An ExpresAion That LED n Dishonest
BOOkkeeper TO Depart
in Haste.


A prominent Louisville lawyer, who
was in the city recently on business,
told this curious little story one even
ing, while chatting with some friends
in the Grunewald lobby, says the New
Orleans Times-Democrat. my pet
fad for many years." he said, has
been what is called the extending OF
books. I select some standard work
preferably a work of history, and be
gin to collect letters, autographs, pic.
lures, maps, printed matter, docu'
ments and anything else obtainable
connected with the subject treated.
Eventually l have the original book
taken apart and rebound with all my
supplementary matter, and single
volume is sometimes extended to a
dozen. 1t is q very fascinating hobby,
and If L went into details / would
never get to my story. What 1 start
ed out to tell you was this: Five or
six years ago was on the
train going to Toledo to at
tend to some legal mattsss,
when fell in with a very agree
able elderly gentleman, who turned
out to be furniture manufactured
living in middle Ohio. Something
turned the conversation to books, and
the old gentleman remarked casually
that he was extending a copy of Irv-
ing's Life of Washington. By re.
markable coincidence I was just then
engaged on exactly the same task my.
self, and, needless to say, we both be-
came deeply interested. By the time
we reached the manufacturer home
town he had persuaded me to STOP
over and take look at his library
which, he said, contained several fine
specimens of extended books. We ar
rived late in the afternoon, and be.
fore going to his house we dropped
in at his downtown office. A very
serious-looking, middle-aged Scotch.
man came forward to greet us, and
was introduced by my friend as the
manager OF the furniture works. I'm
going to keep Mr.. A. with us a day
or So said the old gentleman, pleas.
antly. I want him to take look at
my books The Scotchman grunted
some vague reply, and in a few mo-
ments we started for the house.
81 was most Hospitality entertained
continued the lawyer, land I found
the library intensely interesting, but
next day had to go to Toledo, and
the wi ole episode eventually faded
from my mind. One day last summer
however, it was unexpectedly recalled
by a meeting with the old manufac-
turer himself, whom bumped int
in the corridor Of the Planters house
in st. Louis. He recognized me at
once, AID the first thing he asked was
whether I had finished with my copy
Of Washington Then he took me
by the arm and drew me aside. I'm
very glad I've met you,' he said, be.
cause 1 want to tell you of a remark. !
able affair in which you played un.
consciously an important part. Dc
you remember the details Of your lit. |
tie visit to my town. Fairly WE'LL
replied, In surprise. Then perhaps |
you recall meeting the manager at
our office? he continued. Certainly,
said I. "A sour-looling Scotchman,
with reddish hair 'Exactly!' he ex.
claimed. We'll, he decamped that
night, and has never been seen since.
We thought he was sick at home for
a couple of days, so he got good
start. He was short trife over $40.
900, but he covered up his tracks so
neatly that 1 was at loss to know
why he ran away until received a
letter from him, posted in Mexico,
and making a clean breast of the
whole affair. 1t seems that he mis-.
took you for an expert accountant,
and gathered from some remark ]
made about looking at my books that
1 had engaged you to examine the
ledgers. Accordingly he took time by
the forelock. 1t was a pretty serious
loss he added, but regard the in
cident as providential, because the
rascal was then preparing for big
coup, which he would certainly have
perfected inside a month. In that
case he might have wrecked me-
'It was a good joke on the Scotch
man." said the lawyer, chuckling, "for
don't know any more about book
keeping and accounts than a wild
Hottentot"