The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-21
Beyond Green Baize Door.

There was mystery behind the green
Naize door tangible or intangible. me-
body knew. since no one but Mr.. blakeiy
ever saw the inside Of the door when
shuts his private room at MessIs
BiaHely & Stephens bank from e.'V
narrow passage connecting 1T with tils
General Offices.
Mr.. BlakeIv was sole proprietor OF liie
r,a7lr which was the only one in the
ANAL town. and showed every sslii''
frnre of the soundest financial paais-
fTr BIaIyelv was q man strangely &C.
void Of eccentricitles- me tili1- ~,
fhe bank STAFF found Win nam s1tS ~
fndefafiaa bflitv and that #neheNsf
share was business to be done IN NetF
Tor<-selling or buying stock. puS ms
Tns6 etc.-he invariably attended 20 It
vSae sitting at the desk Of the head
~-ehfsr VINO was away on short holt
nav one morning in SEPTEMBER " men
ene Of our clients entered the counting
on Bovnton. look mere he said,
nifpnfna a silver dollar upon the counter.
eFVhere did you get il
WHATS wrong with it," I inquired.
examining it closely without noueln5
NV defect. Did I give IT to you2"
YES. Look at the cage; it's quite
1assed him two half-dollars and as
De went away I slipped the dollar into
my pocket intending to keep it as Gu
Fiosity But later ia the day. when Dir
Blakely was in the office, I showed it to
curious" he murmered. one of an
experimental mint, no doubt for it,
dated ls9-. Do you think we've any
NO; / have been through them"
Strange! Wen. IN keep it, It's PROB
ably uniGue
/ was disappointed with his decision.
as / wanted the coin myself 1t was
against my principles. however to pro-
test I forgot it entirely until some
weeks later. when Mrs. Blakeiy. to The
utter astonishment of the bank staft,
turned up an hour or SO before luncheon
9me.
Up to that time. although she had
been married more than ten months,
Mrs. Blakely never had been inside the
bank. Now she drove up in her car
Biage. came in proudly, and asked for
Mr. Blekely
I replied that if she would step into
che waiting room T would summon hin
ln The usual way
mo show me into his private room
j am Mrs. Blakely,r she said hastily
e'I recognize you madam" / replied
''But the rule is that all visitors. wl-1-
ever they may be. are to be shown into
tho waiting ROOM where Mr- Blakel9
will interview them
Nonsense" she CALCULATED. Sucn
rules do not refer to Mr.. Blakely's wife
The roo~7 is at the end of the passage
% 1T not2"
You are putting me in an awkward
position" I replied 7 am not aiioyeeg
TO let visitors approach the green baizt
door"
"Ah," Her proud eyes flashed SO
here is a green baize door which no on'
approaches 2"
When Mr. BlakeIy came. ne did so IL
his habitual leisureIy manner: and hf
walked into the waiting room, leaving
the door ajar.
"1Ir Blaksly." she said haughtily. u
have been insulted by one of your
clerks. Since when has your wife beer
denied the right to enter your private
room %
Ever since she wrongly assumed
that she had such right Mary. Aly
clerks have their orders. they obey
them. You cannot blame them for up
holding rules 7 myself have framed
What do you Want2 I am busy this
morning. The market is unsteady just
now"
Tell me. Richard: had you known
was coming would you have allowed
your clerk to deny me access to your
private rcom2" Ms. Biakely inquired
The rule is Of many years standing
Mary" he said deliberately IF il
were set aside for you it would be tbs
thin end of the wedge: my room would
no longer be private.
You indorse your clerks insult2r
"f uphold my clerk who upholds th'
bank s rules"
felt her brush past me as she came
out of the room and saw her walk rounf
the desks her lirs tightly compressed
and her head high
The following morning. when I turned
up at the bank. the porter met me witt
the inquiry had sem anythinE Of Mr.
Blakely- No one had seen him since tn
bank closed the night before He wa.
not in the hank-had not been home
indeed it was Mrs BlakeIy who had driver
down The first thing TO inquire abou
him, and no one had seen him.
MY B0y1on. she asked have vol
seen ny husband You were the las
to leave. 7 believer"
Yes. madam but I have not seen Nj