Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-09-27
ssTO LOOK AT THE BoOKS.s'
Am Expression That Led n Dishonest
BOokkeeper to Depart
I'm Haste.

"A prominent Louisville lawyer, WnG
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. / 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 1 have the original book
taken apart and rebound with all my
supplementary matter, NJ a single
volume is sometimes extended to a
dozen. 1t is a very fascinating hobby,
and if L went into details l would
never get to my story. What L start
ed out TO tell you vas this: Five or
six years g 1 was on the
train going to Toledo to at
tend to some legal matters,
when | fell in with a very agree
able elderly gentleman, who turned
out to be a furniture manufacturer
living in middle Ohio. Something
turned the conversation to books, and
the old gentleman remarked casually
that he was extending a copy of 1rv-
ing's Life of Washington. By a re-
markable coincidence | 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 manufacturers home
o,r1 La Ho1 .oreroloI 40 20 c+on
over and take a 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. \ 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. 4 want him to take a 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, "and 1 found
the library intensely interesting, but
next day 1 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 I bumped into
in the corridor of the Planters house,
in St. louis. He recognized me at
once, and 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 I 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 +. a s~our-looking 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 a good
start. He was short a trihe over $780,
900, but he covered up his tracks sc
neatly that l was at a 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
I 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 a big
coup, which he would certainly have
perfected inside a month. In that
case he might have wrecked me-
sit was a good joke on the Scotch
man" said the lawyer, chuckling, "for
I don't know any more about book.
keeping and accounts than a wild
Hottentot."