The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-08-27
4 LOST BOIL
Of BANK BILLS
For The Messenge

On the corner Of two streets stood
little shop of two stories IN a North
Carolina town some years before the
civil war. The proprietor, John Stiles,
aged fifty years or more, was al IN
dustriOus, fairly good business man,
who stuck close to his work, and left
no stone unturned to please his GUS
toners, and increase his trade. But
his family VIs lGt<. AID n1t capital
small; and, even with economy and
unremitting toll, he found it hard to
make ends meet from year to year.
John Stiles was assisted by clerk,
Ed Brown, about 25 years old, who had
been with him something over four
years at the opening of this little story
Brown was not born in the place, but
made his appearance there when aoOGt
Of age, looking for employment, and
hailing from an ea5.e:n CodnLy. L
happened lat just at thar tIl1e StlIes .
was in nee Ol ne!p III the store, nav
ing a few Jas before dismissed a
clerk for unsatisfactory service. lie
liked the young mans looks and the
account he gave Of himself, and cn-
gagged him, th3ugh the stranger gave
NO references.
Ed Brown was a well-behaved young
man, quiet ana 3!ngularly taClLuI1 for
a youth-and this reticence was to
count against him in the crisis Of
his life. But he was strictly attentive
to his duties and did not shirk work,
always finding something to do around
the store, even if trade was dull. lie
semed to be tree OF bad habits, even
the use of tobacco; and, while he
made few acquaintaces, those who did
come in contact with him liked him
He grew in favor with the merchant,
too who always found him strictly
hOLest, and, as the years passed by,
trusted him more and more.
The store building in which Stiles
carried on his business was a Shaky
old structure of two stories, the second
floor used mostly for the storage Of box
goods, but part of it was partitioned off
into fairly comfortable bedroom with
Fireplace, which Ed Brown occupied,
taking his meals at a boarding house
on an adjacent street. He had a case
Of good books, and spent most of his
Zine reading at night, though after he
had been a resident of his adopted
home for two or three years, he began
to pay marked attention to a pretty
girl, the da Ight3r Of an alderman Of
the town intn whose company he was
thrown a good deal, both being MEM
be"s Of the SAME chu:Ch. he girl
seemed pleased with his attentions,
The year 1858 was one of great bus
mess depression throughout the ooun-
try; especially in the south, and there
were many mercantile failures. The
banks were little able or disposed to
extend accommodations and would
discount only gilt edged paper. OF
course the town in which John Stiles
had cast his lot was not exempt from
the hard times, and few of it's people
were more sOrely pinched than this
merchant Trade was dull and it was
we'll nigh impossible to collect money.
The time came when John Stiles saw
that unless benign providence inter
posed his fianCial ruin yawned at his
very feet. He was as honest as the day;
his good name was about his all; ana
he had made up his mind to give up
everything to his creditors, even his
house, the only piece of real eStae he
possessed. To go on further would be
or off hn uThi1D
his liabilities would increase.
One morning John Stiles came down
to the store, nodded to the clerk, and
passing into the counting room, seated
himself at his desk, on which Brown
had laid the morning mail. The first
tJp! or two that he opened only
deepened the dependency on his face;
but Tie address and postmark Of the
thirG he examined with interest, and
as he read the contents flush came
into his cheeks and a new light into
his eye He read it through carefully
ed the counting room for a minute or
two. eviIeutly eXcite7, put pleasurably
excited Finally he called his clerk
and said:
Edward, | have given you my cOuh-
dence in business matters, and have
not concealed from you the financia
I straits to which | am reduced. InlS
morning | have received news of
wonderful good frtune. The wilt o
relative, who died a few days agf
in South Carolina Leaves me- heir &C
a considerable sum Of ready money
not enough by any means to make NE Z
rich man, but enough, thank God, tt
make me free man, for it will pal
all my debts
Ed Brown visibly shared in his EN-
and hastily congratulated him.