Year: 1862




Mr.. Christian Harold.on. One day there
was presented for payment three hundred
dollar note, which proved 10 be forgery.
The presenter, senator Of the town, had
got it from his correspondent in Amsterdam;
the correspondent had got il from Rus
sian merchants the Russian had got it from
his correspondent in Lcndon; and at length
the cashier of an English banking house,
then of high repute in Hamburg, declared
that he bad received it, among other notes,
direct from the Danish bank, in exchange
for some issued by his firm. On closer in
vestigation, Christian Haroldson recollected
that on the day mentionel by the cashier,
he had exchanged notes with the English
house, by the hand of Edward Grunder.
The prudent banker, as his custom was, had
registered the number sent, not only in the
bank books but also in private ledger of
his own, and the forged one was not among
them. Moreover, the English cashier
clearly indentifed Grundler as the messen.
ger, but the latter persisted in knowing
nothing about the forgery. The notes had
been given to him in a sealed packet as
he got, so he said he delivered them. The
English cashier in some respects corrobora-
ted his statement, for he had found the bank
seal perfect, and the time at which the notes
were sent and delivered, agreed with that
which Grunder might have taken TO walk
from The bank to the Elbe Stress, where
the English bank was situated. BY the
laws Of Hamburg, Grundler was obliged
either to tell how he had come by the note,
under those peculiar circumstances, or suffer
the penalty of forgery, which was there
capital offense as in most other countries of
Europe; and as no explanation could be
got from him, he was committed TO prison,
and day appointed for his trial in the city
court.


All who knew Grundler were sorry for
him. Nobody thought Of blaming the
Flenchman Delapres, he had never been
accused of any crime, and there was not
shadow of suspicion against him; but
Grundler's friends and relations said that
bad company was the cause of his ruin
and it was easy seeing how little Delapres
cared for the boy now, for he was to be
seen in all public places as gay as ever,
laughing and jesting with new companions ;
but that was like his country. Late in the
evening before the trial, Christian Harold
son remained in his Office arranging some
papers and looking over accounts; the bank
er, If possible, stuck closer to business after
that difficulty. As he was about TO leave
for the night, the porter said gentleman
wished TO speak with Mr.. Haroldson and
with one of his best bows, in walked Dela-
pres. He introduced himself in the most
insinuaiing manner, but with little ceremo-
ny, as t.aving come 10 request MIR. Harold
sons good Offices on behalf of his friend
In spite of his French accent he spoke
Danish well, and he plead hard for mercy
toward the accused clerk. Grundler. First,
he fatered the banker on every imaginable
subject, and chiefly on those on which he
prided himself-his noble descent, his abil-
ities for business and the figure his son
Frederick was sure to make. Then he
urged that a man OF his sound sense and
uprightness could not believe in Grundler's
guilt; showed how incapable the boy was
of committing forgery, even if he had been
willing; how unlikely it was that be knew
anything of the note, lie would not save
himself by full confession that he had
always led an honest life, was young, and
had no relations that cared for him. Har-
oldson agreed TO all be said it was a hard
case, but he could not interfere with the
law.


i know you cannot said Delapres but
you can save the boy. The condemnine
evidence is in your hands. Remember
that neither your pen nor your memory is
infallible; that note may have been in the
packet


i am certain that it was not said Har-
sldson.


But you could waive that certainty to
save young man's lie, and make me your
eternal debtor. Excellent sir, what is tam
pering with a bank entry, or admitting that
you are not sure of its accuracy, compared
with spilling blood|


what sir--falsify my books, and swear
to what know TO be untrue " cried the
banker.


: 'Mr. Haroldson, l know you to be an
! honorable and pious man; but were your
: own son in the same position, what would


you wish TO be done And does not the
, highest authority you acknowledge say
Whatsoever ye would that men should do
unto you, do even so


! Haroldson was not to be moved by such
dexiercus reasoning He had high and
iriexible sense of duty. Every man was
I bound TO tell and show the truth. He would
do an, thing lawful to save the boy, but he
: must act according to his conscience Then
} the Frenchman took TO prayers and entreat-