Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-02-21

ber 5th, 1870, to the Sunday which fol-
lowed. had a strange influence over
those with whom this history has to
deal.
Old Donald Barron found that night
very unpleasant. 1t might have been
indigestion, for Donald Barron was very
reckless in the matter Of suppers. AS
he was inclined to be reckless In the
matter of business, too, it might have
been worry.
Donald Barron had commenced life
poor 1t was his pride that he had
passed the most Of his life well-to-do
Being a private banker in Boomville,
and the only man doing banking bus
mess there, he was not unlikely to real
ize his dearest hope. Recklessness in
matters of business might possibly
postpone the time when, dying, he
would leave behind him the fortune
which his heart and soul coveted.
Recklessness in his attention to the
productions Of his cook might hasten
the day when, rich or poor, as the day
might chance to find him, he would
have to die.
To tell the plain truth, however, Dom
aid Barron had been unusually abstem-
ious that evening. Business. had some
ugly features in sight for the future;
but he had that laid aside which Will
always make the crooked straight In
financial matters-money-and much
Of 1t.
So. on the whole. / am inclined to
think that 1t was the night and Its In
fluences which allied Donald Barron.
He lay in uneasy and restless wake
fulness for hours.
Then, lust as the sun came up, he fell
asleep.
And in his sleep he dreamed that he
was in his place of business. 1t was al
most night. In few minutes 1t would
be time to close up and go home. He
was very, very tired, and the time had
never seemed to drag so before; he was
anxious, so anxious, for rest and sleep.
1t seemed to him as though the day
had been filled with worry and trial.
Much money had been paid out, while
but little had been received. Men who
had done business with him for years,
who had trusted him fully. had come
in with their hands full of his obliga-
tions to pay: had come in hurriedly;
had come with doubt and suspicion
lurking in their eyes, and had gone
away showing on their faces that its
presence there was an insult and
menace to him. The strong had jostled
the weak: men had pushed women and
children aside, eager to get money
while there was money left to get.
Such, it seemed to him, had his day
been. And now he was waiting for the
time to come when he could close the
doors and go home. Suddenly a man
came hurriedly in at the open door OF
the bank. He laid a certificate OF de-
posit before the astounded banker. 1t
bore the signature of Donald Barron.
The old man remembered, now, when
he had received the money and issued
the certificate; but it seemed in his
dream as though he had forgotten its
existence up to that very moment.
Cash, quick" said the man. The
amount reached far into the thousands
of dollars. There was no such amount
in the money drawers or on the coun-
ter Barron turned to the safe. He
took from it a tin box, in which he had
a reserve fund ready for an emergency;
he brought the box to the counter; he
opened it. There was nothing inside
but handful Of ashes! That was
Donald Barron's dream.
Donald Barron awoke when the open
ed box disclosed it's worthless contents,
awoke and stared straight up at the
ceiling. A forgotten certificate OF de-
post? Not at all. He was too wise
and careful to have any lingering
doubts on such subject He knew to
a penny the amount Of his outstand-
ing obligations. But the tin boX-the
part about the tin box had seemed
fearfully real-and there was tin box,
and it had a reserve fund in it, and he
wasn't quite easy now, and he would
go
Go. He could not move! He could
not CRY out! He could not stir so mucn
as a finger or a toe! In perfect con-
sciousness, knowing his needs, knowing
that every moment during which this
fearful incubus kept its dread power
over him lessened his hopes Of leaving
his bed alive, he could do nothing.
How he fought! How he struggled
active will against deadened nerves and
corresponding muscles.
1t could not last long. Such q fight
is a warfare between man and death.
Victory for one is speedy. And this
time the man won. He moved hand.
The horrid spell was broken.
The man crept weakly from his bed
and dressed hurriedly. 1t was not US
ual for him to go to the bank on Sun
day. though he did sometimes go in for
llllle W llllc Sllui ~
read his paper on write few letters.
This morning he hurried. He un-
locked the door and went in. The
desks and papers were all in perfect
order. The safe was closed and locked.
The dream was already growing dim
in his memory. The man laughed
softly to himself, thinking how foolish
he had allowed himself to he. as he
opened the safe.
And them
He didn't find his tin box with a
handful of ashes in it.
He didn't find any tin box at all!
Donald Barron was prompt and ac-
tive He had not lived long and grown
old without getting wisdom. In ten
minutes after discovering his loss. his
telegram was on the way to one of the
best private detective agencies in Bos-
ton:
"Boomvile, Me-, Nov. 6, 1870.
Send your best man by first train.
To-day If nOSSible Donald Barron"