The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-09-18

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| meet a run.
My wife thought long while before
replying. When she did she said:
Give ii TO him. He is an old man
and to break down would kill him.
have little doubt that in saving him
you will go under. But We are COM
paratively young and can begin again"
Remember" | said. beginning again
is hard thing to do"
$50 it is, but when l or another must
perish l prefer to give way to the
other"
Without replying. 1 took up the
board concealing my treasure and was
about to put the gold in satchel when
my wife stopped me.
go back to the bank" she said,
land let me attend to this. You are
needed there, and | can convey this
gold to Mr.. Redfield."
There were the shining gold pieces
that had accumulated slowly and by
constant work and that l was going
to send to another on the eve Of need
ing them myself TO save me from ruin.
"'Charity begins at home,'" said
to Molly. 81 fear we are going to do
something we will regret"
"That adage has good deal Of
truth in it" she replied, but / have
never come across any adage that will
cover every case. l prefer the one
Cast your bread upon the waters"
Every well, sweetheart; if we go
under through saving another you will
not chide me with having done so and
l shall have stout helpmeet with
whom to begin anew"
l left my wife to attend to the mat
ter in her own way and returned to
my own immediate duties.
A few minutes before 2 o'clock Molly
came to my bank.
WELL" she said, 1--WE taken the gold
to Mr. Redfield. chose a coarse bag
that had held potatoes to carry it in,
and the bulk looked very small. 1t Oc-
Cured to me that l would be seen de-
livering it at the bank and if l could
make the crowd believe there was
more of the gold it would induce con-
fidence. l emptied the coal scuttle
standing beside the range into the bot
tom of the bag and put the gold on
top"
"All of itT'
Every dollar"
"GO on
"When l got the coal and the gold In
the bag and had tied a string around
the top l cut Il slit in the bag near the
gold, over which held my hand. Then
| called a cab, got in with the treasure
and drove to the Henderson bank.
When l reached it | sent in for some
one to come out and carry it inside.
The crowd watched the clerk take the
bag from me, and as l handed it to
him | took my hand away from the slit
l had cut in it, and out rolled half
dozen gold pieces.
THE crowd set up shout, and, hur
rying the clerk into the bank, l picked
up the pieces on the pavement-that
is, all l could find. l think l must
have lost something like five half ca
giles. or $25.'
"An investment worth $25OO0w
exclaimed.
"As l went into the bank to take
receipt for the funds there was an
other shout, and l noticed a number
of persons leave the line"
1 threw my arms about Mollys neck
and kissed her.
There was call at the telephone. 1t
was Redfield.
'That wife of yours" he said, "far
more than the gold she brought has
saved me. We have counted dozen
depositors whose accounts would ag-
gregate $4,000 leave the line. The
gold wouldn't have been enough. 1t
was the coal that did it,
told Molly that had had some very
large amounts drawn during the day
and if there was as much cash called
for on the morrow l would surely go
under
The next morning / was Mortified at
seeing a line of unintelligent depos-
itors before my bank waiting for the
doors to open. thought / could stand
the run for that day, and l did. but
the next as early as IL o'clock our
funds had been so reduced that l knew
we could not keep paying till the clos
ing hour.
The morning journals had given an
account Of my wifes arrival at Red
fields bank with bag of gold and Of
the effect it had produced. This help
ed me good deal, but it seemed that
every depOsitor l had in the lower
walks of life was i'm line. 1t was half
past 2, and our pile had been reduced
to 5000. Despite the delays practiced
by the receiving teller to gain time
knew it would not hold out for the re-
manning half hour.
At Twenty-Five minutes to 3 Mol
ly drove up to the bank with a sack
and called for some one to carry 1t into
the bank. l rushed out. seized il and
ran with it into the bank amid the
paudits of the crowd. When / got it
into my private Office and opened it,
hoping that Molly had effected loan,
was shocked to see nothing but nut
coal
But her ruse was effective. Some
Of those In the line, having deposits
which for their class were quite large.
on seeing her carry in a bag. suppos-
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