Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-09

to be fine for your proposition on ac-
count of its being such manufacturing
center, and you won't find any compcti =
tion but the fair grounds and picnic
grove. We've got four hotels, three
banks, nine churches and two big de-
partment stores, to say nothing of the
library and the town hall. Oh, you'll
find us quite up to date! The best ain t
none too good for us -
Three banks?" repeated the young
man meditatively. "I'H have to do
business with bank right away"
Eyes. sir First and Second Ma
tional, and the Municipal that used to
be the. Riverboro, but it failed a few
years ago, wrecked by the president,
Ienas Prall." The, conductor paused to
accept a cigar. '"Thank you, sir, don t
mind if 1 do! Prall, he went to Jail,
but they say he's out now. Beats all
how those slippery fellers can get out
! of paying for what they do"
Has he shown up again in River
boro" the young man asked care
lessly.
by Godfrey. mo-" The conductor
calculated. HE made away with the
savings of all the small shopkeepers,
to say nothing of the foreign mill
hands and factory workers. River
boro's a law abiding community, but
old Zenas's life wouldn't be worth a
plugged nickel if he ever came back.
The banks all right now though under
its new name and all reorganized Ed
mund Coe is the only one left that used
to be on the old board, and his hon
esty never was questioned; he's the
| president now. You won't go wrong
doing business with them, and if you re
a stranger in town with no lodgings en-
gagged I'd advise you to try the Norton
House; it's got grill room and II
Turkish bath and all the latest i'm
provements. Yes, sir, there's nothing
slow about Riverboro -
The next morning as he deposited his
bags in jitney and climbed in after
them for the ride to the Norton House,
Paul concluded that the conductor had
spoken truly. There seemed to be moth
ing slow about the CHEEKY, prosperous
! looking town. Embryo skyscrapcrs
were springing up on every hand,
traffic policemen in much dignity stood
at the intersections of car lines and
the number of jewelry shops, motor
car agencies and sporting goods dis
plays attested to the wealth Of the com
hunity.
At 10 o'clock Paul left the rather
blatant gorgeousness of the Norton
House and presented himself at the
Municipal Bank. where he asked to see
the president. fortifying his request
with the credentials with which he had
supplied himself for the emergency.
President Coe proved to be cadaver-
Gus individual, with hook nose and a
long goatee which persisted in intruding
itself into the conversation. But he
took kindly to the young strangers en-
terprise, particularly when it developed
that he required no additional financial
backing to What he already possessed.
The interview was an eminently salts
factory one and Paul remarked in con
clusion:
You've made an enviable reputa
ton, Mr.. Coe, by establishing this in
stituton so solidly on the ruins of the
old Riverboro. Prall's speculations and
exposure must have been frightfu
blow, not only to the depositors, but
to his associates and family"
President Goes cordiality congealed
and his goatee waggled a protest at the
tactless reference.
iroNTrI>rIyED TOAJORROW)