The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1902-08-01
"A CASE OF
CONSCIENCE


evening when, happening TO glance ct
the foot Of tree box, between the
box and the curb, partly hidden by a
turf OF grass he saw a package. Stoop.
ing, he picked 1t mp, tore OF a corner of
the wrapper and uncovered something
green and crisp. Looking about, he
saw that no one observed him and, put.
ting the package In his pocket, made
straight for home. There he discov-
cred that he had come into possession
OF $4,000 In bills. he rerollcd the
package, tied 1t up and locked It in his
bureau drawer.
There is trait in humanity that
leads people who have made n step
upward to desire to take another. Cort
right had no thought OF Investing the
money and enjoying the interest. He
was seized with the idea OF using 1t TO
| make a fortune. This was before the
great boom In the stock market which
began after the second election Of
President Mckinley. Cortright made
up his mind to take the longest chances
with view to renping the largest
profits. He selected FIVE railroads
whose securities were selling at the
lowest figure and invested $1,000 In
each OF them, buying on 8 per cent
margin, which enabled him to hold
twenty times the market value OF the
securities. In the spring of 1901 he
sold out and after getting in his checks
from his brokers' found that the $25,
600 had become $SO0,0OO. Investing
the amount in bonds, he received an
annual interest OF per cent, or $4O,-
600.
No sooner did Peter CortriGht settle
down to the enjoyment of this album
dnnt income than he began TO feel TINT
he ut least had no right to the $4,000
that he had found. 1t seemed n pity
that his comfort ma his pleasure
should be intcrfcrcd with by whit now
seemed so small IN amount. He de-
termined to advertise for the owner
OF the original bills and, II successful
in finding him. return $4,000 with q
per cent interest. He carefully worded
n personal that would be understood
by the owner should 1t meet his eye
and awaited reply.
It was such an advertisement MS the
owner OF the bills had been looking for
for years. 1t had been inserted only
twice when Miss Esther Packard
girl OF twenty, called upon Cortright
and Informed him that on certain
day two years before she had been
paid legacy OF $4,000. Going home
with tho money, she was followed by
n man who, She feared, had seen hcr
draw the money from the bank. She
threw the package into the grass Mt
the bottom OF a tree box and passed
on. She proved to have been mistaken
MS to the mans intentions and returned
for her fortuEe, to find 1t gone. Cort-
right confirmed her story and gave her
a check for $2s,000, with which she
was so much pleased and for which
she was 80 grateful that she Informed
Mr.. Cortrlght that he had no business
on earth and should be numbered
among the angels.
Had 1t not been for this extravagant
Iaudation and the intensity of grnti-
tude and admiration expressed in the
girls eyes Cortright might have en-
joyed the tlrce-quartcrs Of million
+S,a t I ~ nroo n, Mo thonrht Eont intrud.
So rnn,, Mn rr, +hot hc Ind haep acting
III, p ns .hn airi,s accnt she having
LILY t t%o ~ nitoI and tosnn tho risk
1I,er ~ ,"v nr"6,,and tho whoIc MOTT
NJ ni I,n o mTH a,,cc, rar Eonning these
az az o -. SI a. g. ,,,,s mono Inn Cort
! RiTn's oo ~ 1'D 49, go trlod - thInk
~ ,s4 S ,,Tom ~ = 1tyIs,on INT divisIon
ut 80. pl.m ~ pasidos ba know
Iie'sne SAp "ma,I t1,n+ t%o "iri wos an.
L., ~ W.. W. .,h " .rnonn+ 1oss INV
itleu - Wv ~, WV, r,,,,,+ sOo a. ~ oiIoS,
S Soli, ,sst /. S 70 sna ro[ra,nod from
l nitli.sna. - ~ e., rotntntmS fnnds
piosee S,s ~ nl haSnra ~ Mn ue
.ilut a'u ~. 80 D ,-,attor I,,na o,yoro
ptoo l',s, osel We, -. .a n ~, "a hn%
at nisrE anu st t,o+ .o ,n hoo,,as+
saru' he tuSt lal%' Nv. %ets ~ "a ',nnn
upTn NO d MI ~ = tIishonost an
caIleu hh aiisei LOT u C HE,nu 800, 49,
one morning Wne zen MISS ISL lncAafu - ~
celved ner man sue ot .e, " 1 Wy
smaH envelope tiiut eo nv . , @S
large check, II was Ao VI. NOR t,.'4 S tn"'