The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1914-12-25

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ing hired box in safe deposit
vault and got rid Of the awful and
wearing responsibility.
l waited Il week. and still there was
no advertisement of the lost fortune.
My associates began to comment on
my increasing restlessness and nerv-
BUSINESS and to suggest that l would
better take rest.
l intended to take long rest and
a luxurious one as soon as the owner
ship Of the million dollars was settled.
Perhaps the money was stolen prop
erty and the thieves were afraid to
advertise its loss. concluded to ad-
yertise for the owner myself.
After many advertisements had been
written and torn up decided on this:
| Large sum Of money left on Congress
sional Limited between Washington and
| New York. Will be restored to owner
upon proper Identification. Address Care.
taker p. 0. box 1911. Washington. d. c.
! For full week this was run in all
the daily papers of Washington. Balti-
more, Philadelphia and New York at
an expense to me Of $39.7O. l took re.
ceipts from each paper and preserved
them as souvenirs Of my stay in mil
/; lionairedom.
+. had any number of answers, but
none Of them got within a million
| miles of my million.
Having sought diligently for the
! owner Of the million dollars and spent
my own good money freely in advertis-
Ing. without success, was / not now
the legal and legitimate owner Of It?
That question had my poor brain do
ing a continuous twenty four hour
stunt. answered it in the afirma-
tive twenty times day. but the plaguy
thing wouldn't stay answered.
| began to feel quite as worn and
1 hdggard as l looked and to wonder
why the possession of a million dol
lars, with the probability that It would
all be mine growing into certainty.
did not bring me more pleasure.
asked myself whether all millionaires
were as much troubled about their
money as was.
Six weeks had passed since the mil
lion dollars was placed in my posses
sion, and began to make plans as to
what would do with 1t. l no longer
expected the owner to turn up
had not mentioned the money or
the odd manner in which it had come
into my possession to any one and was
still undecided as to how l should ac-
count for my sudden wealth when I
began to spend the money.
After mature deliberation decided
to make my appearance as a man of
wealth gradually.
I would make deposit of $4,000
In one bank.
After taking ten of the $1,000 notes
from my safe deposit box it occurred
to me that 1t would be good idea to
carry them to the United States treas
ury and get notes of smaller denomina--
lions for them.
On reaching the cash room of the
treasury handed the ten 81 900 notes
through the wire wicket teller's win
dow and asked that he give me fifties
for them.
1t did not surprise me to notice
rather astonished and startled look on
the teller's face us he took the notes
or that he should step to one side and
examine one Of them carefully through
a glass.
| did not suppose that ten $1,000
notes were passed through the wicket
very frequently by any one except rum
ners for the banks; consequently it
seemed the natural thing that they
should be carefully examined.
His deliberation. however, in count
Ing and recounting those fifty dollar
notes was getting on my nerves. and I
was about to speak impatiently to
him when felt a light touch on my
shoulder and II low but distinct voice
said near my ear. II want YOU"
well. I'm here" answered. fac
ing the speaker impatiently. what
do you want with me?"
Il want you to go with me-" he re-
piled with smile. without raising his
voice.
why should go with you?" l ask.
ed rather sharply. Il don't know you"
mo. but ! think you'll co." he an
swered In the same exasperatingly
calm tone.
WhyT ! demanded. somewhat
frightened by his manner, without hay-
ing any clear idea why should be.
Because" he said. almost IN a whis-
per. you are under arrest"
What for?" managed to ask. at the
same time trying hard to think of any
reason why should be arrested.
Trying to pass counterfeit money"
he replied, turning back his coat and
allowing me to see the United States
secret service badge he wore.
"You are out Of your head" ! re-
torted angrily, but ut the same time
the awful truth flashed upon me-my
million was counterfeit.
That may be-" he said as he reached
for the notes. which the teller handed
him, each with the word Counterfeit"
cut across its face. ''You can talk
about that to Chief Wilkes. Come"
Fortunately was well known to
Chief Wilkes. He not only accepted
my story, but added to 1t by telling
me that the woman had learned from