Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-03-21
Beyond the Green Baize Door.

baiZe door; tangible or intangible nobody
knew, since no one but Mr.. Blakely ever
saw the inside of the door which shuts
his private room at Messrs. Blakely &
Stephens bank from the narrow passage
connecting it with the general offices.
Mr.. Blakely was sole proprietor of the
bank, which was the only one in the
small town. and showed every semblanee
OF the soundest financial basis.
Mr.. Blakely was man strangely de-
void of cccentricities. The chief faults
the bank staff found with him were his
indefatigability, and that whenever there
was business to be done in New York
selling or buying stock, buying cash, etc.
he invariably attended to it himself
/ was sitting at the desk of the head
cashier, who was away on a short Holt
day, one morning in September, when one
of our clients entered the counting room.
Mr.. Boyton, look here" he said, slip
ping a silver dollar upon the counter.
'Where did you get it?"
whats wrong with it," 1 inquired, ex-
aiming it closely without noticing any
defect. Did | give it to your"
Yes. Look at the edge; it's quite
smooth"
Il passed him two half-dollars and a.
he went away l slipped the dollar into
my pocket intending to keep it as a GU
riority. But later in the day when MIR.
Blakely was in the office, showed it to
him.
"Curious!" he murmured. "One of an
experimental mint. no doubt, for it's
dated lS9-. Do you think we've any
others similar?"
No; have been through them"
Strange! Well, III keep it. It's prob
ably unique"
| was disappointed with his decision, as
! wanted the coin myself. 1t was against
my principles, however, to protest
forgot it entirely until some weeks later.
when Mrs. Blakely, to the utter aston
ishment of the banks staff, turned up
an hour or so before luncheon time.
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 carriage, came
in proudly, and asked for Mr.. Blakely.
/ replied that if she would step into the
waiting room | would summon him in the
usual way.
NO Show me into his private room.
81 recognize you, madam" I replied
But the rule is that all visitors, whoever
they may be, are to be shown into the
waiting room, where Mr.. Blakely will
interview them"
"Nonsense!" she calculated. "Such
rules do not refer to Mr.. Blakely's wife.
The room is at the end of the passage,
IS it nOt?"
You are putting me in an awkward
posi.ion,'' l replied. 81 am not allowed
to let visitors approach the green baize
door"
All" Her proud eyes flashed. $50
here is a green baize door which no one
approaches ?"
When Mr.. Blakely came, he did so in
his habitual leisurely mamie. and he
walked into the waiting room, leaving the
door ajar
"NIr. Blakely," she said haughtily, 81
have been insulted by one of your clerks
Since when has your wife been denied
the right to enter your private room ?"
Ever since she wrongly assumed that
she had such a right, Mary. My clerks
have their orders; they obey them. You
cannot blame them for unfolding rules
myself have framed What do you
want? / 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 room?' Mrs. Blakcy inquired.
The rule is of many years standing.
Mary he said deliberately. If it were
set aside for you it would be the thin
end OF the wedge; my room would no
longer be private
You endorse your clerks insut?'
4 uphold my clerk who upholds the
banks rules"
l felt her brush past me as she came
out of the room and saw her walk round
the desks her lips tightly compressed
and her head high.
he following morning, when | turned
UP at the bank the porter met me with
me inquiry had l seen anything of Mr..
Blakely. No one had seen him since the
bank closed the night before. He was
not in the bank-had not been home
indeed, it was Mrs. Blakely who had
ullven down the first thing to inquire
about him; and no one had seen him.
Mr.. Boyton,' she asked, have yCu
seen my husband? You were the last
To leave. / believer"
Yes, madam, bat have not seen Mr..
biakely since he put you into your car
rage yesterday
hat decides it. she muttered. "Somc-
tlhlng has happened to him in his room.
Inc door must be forced. Porter, 20 for
carpenter!"
lou take the whole responsibility of
!orelng the green baize door, l sug-
gested.
i ne Whole sponsibility," she replied.
" hen the carpenter arrived Mrs. Blake
y led him TO the door and ordered him
70 force it. lie smiled grirnly as he
looked the door up and down
"lron!" he said, laconicallv. 'Tisn't
my Job; you want blacksmith"
The porter was sent off in the carriage
10 fetch smith. When the man arrived
dubious.
For five minutes he dealt rapid fire of
9,oWs, and then the door began to trern-
DIE then 20 shake. Finally, after ten or
Twelve minutes, it gave shudder and
came forward -,