Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1924-05-28
Settled
Without
Interest
BY JUSTIN WENTWOOD
20. 1924, Western Newspaper Union.)

HAD Deen matter OF a twenty.
dollar bill that had disappeared
from the cash drawer thirty years be-
fore. The suspicion had fallen upon
Jensen. Haldman did not go as far
as to accuse the young clerk. But
until the young fellow could disprove
the charge, which was unlikely in tive
extreme, there would be no promotion
for him. And until the money was
found Jensen couldn't give up the
position.
Jensen stayed on. In those days
jobs were not so plentiful and men
did not shift from one to another.
Jensen remained ut his bookkeepcr's
desk, While the firm enlarged, became
first a company and then Il corpora
ton. Other men came and went, but
at tifty-three Jensen was still assistant
booEkeeper at exactly the current
salary
For thirty years Jensen had stuck
to his job, at first because of the sus-
picion that hung over him, and after
WaGl cat OF an obstinate pride 1t
became a sort of mania with him to
show Haldman he would not be driven
out, and being an old bachelor he had
no absolute incentive to earn more
money. He became a queer, logged
elderly man, perpetually revolving his
grievance in his mind.
The corporation was successful. 1t
was moving to new premises. The
cid furniture was to be sold off and
replaced by new Jensen's old desk, mt
which he had sat for the thirty years,
was being carried toward the entrance
when it came apart in the bearers
hands. 1t went to pieces on the ground
completely wormeaten, the merest
She'll or a desk.
AT the noise Haldman came out of
his Office and stood frowning by.
Hello, what's this?' he asked
The desk had once been the till,
when the business was in its begin
nings. Now, STOPPING, Haldman eX-
| tracted from the crevice behind the
drawer, into which it had become
Wedged, a twenty-dollar bill, faded
from age, perforated and moudy, and
still undeniably a twenty-dollar bill.
Haldman looked up and saw the
triumph in Jensens eyes, and sud
denly he remembered. 1t was a long
time since he had thought about that
| Old matter. His eyes dropped.
I'D like to see YOU" said Jensen.
Come into my Office" answered
| Haldman.
Through Jensen's triumph there
| surged the practical sense of the value
of this discovery Haldman should
pay him the value his services ought
to have received those thirty years.
With interest he calculated this at
thirty-ive thousand dollars at least.
This calculation was a hobby OF his.
| At any rate he would ask ten thousand
and take-well as little as five.
Nobody about them understood the
meaning of the little DRAMA for those
who had been acquainted with the
story had long since passed off the
scene. There were only Jensen and
| Haldman. Jensen followed the presi-
| dent into his office.
Haldman turned and held out his
hand you've cleared yourself, Jen-
sen," he said.
At this Jensen's wrath surged up
| and suddenly overcame his prudence.
Cleared mysef?" he shouted. Its
| you whove been shown up for what
you are. You've broken my life. |
wish to God l had stolen that d-n
| twenty-dollar bill. I've toiled for you
these thirty years past in the same
| job when l ought to be one of the
heads of the firm
MY dear fellow, l know. It's too
bad, and I'll keep YOU in mind for pro-
motion when the head boollkeeper
leaves" said Haldman.
Leaves? Dies, YOU mean! That
| fellow means to stick forever? And
do you think there can be anything
that will make up for the HI YOU'VE
made my life, for the ruin of it,"
mo, no Jensen said Ialdmal
alphabetically. AS you say, nothing
can make up for that. However |
want to SHOW my regret in some prac-
teal way. Wouldn't a little monetary
acknowledgment be acceptable to
you?"
Jensen grew calm. "Well-l suppose
we've got to take practical view Of
the matter, Mr.. Haldman,' he admit
ted.
Exactly" answered Haldman with
vast relief, "Of course the things
so difficult" He hesitated, then
picked up the twenty-dolar bill which
he had laid down on his desk. Here,
take this, Jensen, as little attempt
at conversation" he said, placing it