Newspapers / The News-Herald (Morganton, N.C.) / Dec. 20, 1906, edition 1 / Page 1
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4. i The new5heralDo vrB Publisher. -j " " , 'z-. j ; Subscription Price, $1 Per Year In Advance. MORGANTON, N. C, DECEMBER 20, 1906 No. 36. NEFACT COPYRIGHT. 1906. the coffee cups on a De cember nwruiug Richard Macmillan and Miss .r-iia liia aunt, discussed a of conscience, that same hard w.h has busied so many K and pens and la known by the fe'flf -tainted money. r ffas fl certain ncu wan uamcu Langiiaie, who had married , rears ago a - m.. nnnr plprtTTllflTl Hftti re- jut iue.vu"8 .jMrious small favors from Lang- resents at Christmas not only Ljflss Amy cranio, m j -1 .V, lion , was engaged, in yarucuiar ,.4 o rhAfk for $50 everv JL'ag for the last three years, since 'emillan had been pastor of the so ;ed Sandstone enurcn or ooumneiu, i this check was a contribution to ,,'harirv fund of the church. About a year before the date of this native the attention or me uev. Air. -nrllan had been sharply eailea to fart that Mr. Langdale was a very l-odern financier, wnose cnier aengnt .jjniost recent torrn or promaDie dusi- consisted in half wrecking a bank isnch connivance with some official hereof, buying control rrom rrigntenea iktolders and then putting the bank a its legs again. He knowledge of this truth so af- Vted the Rev. Mr. Macmillan that he bsd a serious talk with Mr. Langdale in that gentleman's office In New York cd returned the last check for $50 on 4e ground that his church would be more blessed without it. On this oc casion Mr. Langdale, who had a genius for dissimulation, professed to sym pathize with Mr. Macmillan's opinion, to be grateful for his friendly admoni tions and in all ways very ready to serve him should occasion arise. Ami now the occasion, vaguely prophesied by Langdale, had really cose, and In such form that Macmil liB ksew not how to deal with it; for, in a certain sense, it was not his own Hcsc-ienee that should render the de epen, nor was the sacrifice his. It us Amy Branford's. Amy had just celebrated her twenty fct birthday and was certainly old enough to be a free moral agent. She naj been left almost alone In the world by the death of her father two years ago and was now living with relatives in Southfield who were In narrow circumstances. Her father had left considerable property, but In such an involved condition that no Income could be extracted from It, and the estate itself drew nearer and nearer to total extinction. Mr. Macmillan was the trustee of this property, and he had striven with all his power to save it. He believed himself to be a good business man; he had confidence In the policy which he hcd pursued in this matter, and- yet. abcost In the moment of victory, he found himself face to face with total defeat. Ready money that was the only thing that could save the day. A few thousands in cash, not later than Dee. 2S, would nut all ricrht: the lack cf it would mean irreparable disaster. It was the morning of Wednesday, hoc. 23, and he had failed to raise the Bior.ev. "Why don't you go to Mr. Lang daie':" hI Aunt Marsha, and that re mark had precipitated the discussion. Sow, it happened that in the news Papers of that morning there was a particularly interesting story about Mr. Langdale, to the effect that he had hcgua his usual game upon the old Dey Street National bank. "I'll go and see Amy," said he. "If anything is to be done there is no time to lose." He found Amy engaged in a snow ball battle with her cousin's two little Iys. The girl's cheeks were reddened ith the exercise in the crisp air; her eyes shone with alluring fires; her lithe form quivered with delicate and ac cordant energies; the exquisite beauty f her youth seemed to transcend real ty, and the man stood for some sec onds unperceived, watching her with a mini or wonder. But this divine en chantment could not endure. Surely there was a malign and sordid spell ypon him working against the heaven 'y powers, for as she came forward to fc'reet him he observed that the gown she wore was one that she had de spaired of repairing a year ago. "Amy," said he, breaking suddenly from the lighter talk, "I want you to read this," and he laid the newspaper article before her. "Not all of It, The gist is iu the first three paragraphs.' Sue scanned them rapidly and then looked up at him. "Lo you think this makes any dif ference?" she asked, timidly trying te read his face. "Perhaps it isn't true. Really, i Caa't believe that Mr. Lang dale would do such a thing. And, be sides, he wouldn't dare. He might be sent to prison." He seized her little mittened hand in a tight grip. "Dear child," said he, "do yon wish me to go to Mr. Langdale?" "Why, Richard, not If you think It's wrong. But somehow I can't believe e's a bad man. He has such a fine f-ce! Couldn't you that is, don't you ;nk that you could talk to him? He likes you so much! Don't you think you ought to stand by him now that 5H BY C. W. HOOKE his enemies are saying such hard things of him? Perhaps you might advise" "Precisely," said be, laughing in a sort of nervous desperation. "That's just what Aunt Martha said. And I'm sure you both have exactly the same idea. Goodby, dearest. I'm going to New York." Shortly after 12 o'clock Macmillan arrived at the little office in New York which he had engaged for his conven ience as trustee of Amy's tangled in heritance. Macmillan was a man who did not relish defeat or easily suc cumb. As one of his worst adversa ries expressed it, he "had to be killed half a dozen times before he would die." A letter from the man who had thus described him was waiting for him on this day, and as he read it he mutter ed, "This kills me for the sixth time." It was Curtis Langdale's habit to lunch in his office between 12 and 1. As Macmillan approached the door of Langdale's private office he was surprised to meet a physician with whom he had a slight acquaintance, a man of some distinction in the medical profession. Macmillan uttered a hasty word of salutation, but the other pass ed him without a glance. Langdale's aversion to doctors was well known, and Macmillan had no thought that the visitor had come upon a professional errand, but at sight of Langdale the incredible became proba ble. An uncanny change had taken place In the man's aspect. The lines In his strong face were not only deeper, but greatly different in their signifi cance. He looked ill In body, as in mind. Surprise was instantly succeeded by sympathy in Macmillan's mind, and the conventional "How do you do?" had a real Import. "Oh, I'm all right," answered Lang dale. "Never better." "Well, that's good news," said the clergyman. "I was a bit anxious, hav ing met Dr. Haywood in the hall." "Dr. Haywood? Who's he?" "Why, he just went out." "No, sir," responded Langdale; "you'll Bee no doctors here. I can bunko my HE FOUND AMY ENGAGED own stomach for nothing. Do JOV uan the tall man in the gray suitf "Yes." "That's a seventeenth cousin of mln from Omaha. He's looking rip the fam ily Going to write a history of us." Macmillan was perfectly sure that the man was Dr. Hayward, but he supposed that Langdale was ashamed of having called In a physician after all the abuse which he had heaped upon the profession. Macmillan turned to his real errand. But he had made scarcely more than a beginning of the story when Lang dale suddenly recurred to their last interview. 'You didn't approve of me tnen, said he. "What do you think of me now?" Macmillan 'vould gladly have pow poned the deal for a few minute. nan H He had decided to lay Amy's affairs before Langdale as a jimple matter of business, Just as if he pad been dealing with an officer of a bank, to ask Lang dale to consider it and give an answer on the following day and, having thus put off the decision, to lead the conver sation to the precise point which Lang dale had reached at a bound. Before the two men could come to gether upon any common ground the arrival of important visitors broke off the session. Langdjle excused him self courteously and gave his hand to Macmillan. j "I'm glad you cane to see me," be said. "You've done me a considerable service." ; "Well, I really don't see" "you have, Richard; you have in deed. And I won't forget It. I always keep you irnnind ae this time of year. Goodby, goodby." In a daze of disappointment, perplex ity and self reproach Macmillan de parted. He had bundled the interview in all ways. He had accomplished ab solutely nothing for Amy, for Lang dale, for his own conscience. The ac count of the occurrence which he gave to Amy had no clearness to his own in telligence, but seemed quite satisfac tory to her. "You must see him again," she said. "You have Influenced him. He feels It and Is grateful. Of course you can't know just what It was that you said that gave him light, but I am sure that he saw a way to carry out his plans more honestly. That's what he meant when he spoke of your service to him." "Amy, that is absurd." "But, my dear Dick, is there any oth er possible explanation? Try to be rea sonable. He said you had served him. How else could you have done It?" The next day was Thursday and busi ness practically ceased for the week. There was really nothing of Importance that Macmillan could do to avert the doom" that would fall on Monday, yet he went to town about noon and forced himself to face several discouraging and useless interviews. At 3 o'clock he went to his little office, beaten and dis heartened. There was a letter on the floor, and he recognized Langdale's envelope. It gave him a shock, but no real hope, for he had not even succeeded in telling Langdale what he wanted. He would not have been surprised to find a check for $50. Under the circumstances a man of Langdale's peculiar notions of humor might have found amusement in such a gift. There was a check in the envelope, but not for $50. Five thousand was the sum! A thrill went through Mac millan's vitals, and he unfolded the ac companying letter with trembling hands. It was very brief, as follows: Dear Richard Inclosed you will find my mite. In the inscrutable ways of Provi dence even the self righteous may be brought to repentance and be made tli c .-i&S SNOWBALL Instruments of good. I am very, glad you came to eee me. Cordially and with Christmas wishes yours, CURTIS LANGDALE. The awkward wording of the letter left some doubt, as to who was the "self rignteous" and who had been "brought to repentance," but Macmil lan was not In a critical or sensitive mood. He was merely glad and grate ful. Thrusting the letter into his pocket and holding the check in his hand, he strode out to the bank just in time to cash the check. Good luck attended him at every step. Though the hour was so late, he found the men of whom he went in search, and by the strength of his new hope he was enabled to accomplish whatever he desired. Among the millions of the great city, with all t'aelr feverish desires and vast diversity of fortune, there was not a man whose heart sang louder for joy. If he had been able to communicate with Langdale and express hia sense of gratitude the day would have been perfect, but Langdale was celebrating Christmas in some secure retreat, no one knew where. On Saturday morning Macmillan went to the city and spent an hour or more in his office. He was at work there and singing as he toiled when there came a tap at the door. Mac millan admitted a young man, whom he presently recognized aa a clerk of Langdale's. "Mr. Macmillan," said this man, without so much as a bow by way of greeting, "did you receive a letter with a check in it?" "Yes," answered Macmillan cheerily; "I received it Thursday afternoon." The visitor moistened his lips. "You haven't cashed it yet?" he asked. "But I have," was the reply. "I needed the money right away." The young man sank down In a chair. "I'm knocked out, I guess," he said in a high keyed voice. "I'm done for that's the truth about me." "Why, what's the matter V "I've been speculating we all do in Langdale's shop. We get tips, you know some good, some bad, but they all look good. A fellow who Is a sort of an office boy there has made over $10,000," and he laughed nervously, "but I couldn't make a cent. Oh, It was my own money. There's nothing wrong. But it's knocked me out. I don't know what I'm doing. I drew that check of yours. Here's Mr. Lang dale's memorandum, '$50.00.' Well, 1 couldn't see the decimal point, and, though I'd heard him say fifty, I drew It for $5,000, and he signed It." He passed a crumpled slip of paper to Macmillan, whose hair had begun to stir at the roots. Upon the paper were these words scribbled In pencil: "Draw check to order of Richard Mac millan tor $50.00." "Most men wouldn't write the last two ciphers at all." said the clerk, "but Mr. Langdale always does. So I might have known what the amount was. I've drawn enough checks for him in the last three years." Macmillan passed his hand along the top of his head. "This Is very Important," he said. "Of course It shall be rectified, but but I'm afraid I can't command the money Immediately. I will explain, however, to Mr. Langdale on Monday, and," he added, moved by the weari ness and misery In the other's counte nance, "I will put in a good word for you." "It's kind of you to say so," respond ed the clerk. "My name is Tunbrldge." He rose and stretched himself like a weary animal, then moved stiffly to ward the door. But Macmillan called him back and talked to him for a long time cheerfully, so that he went away In better spirits. This kindness was very 111 requited, though not willfully. for poor Tunbrldge was wholly una ware that he had added to Macmil lan's burden. The fact is, however, that he had made Macmillan see clear ly what an egregious blind owl he had been. Surely the feeblest perceptive powers should have sufficed to inform him that the check had been sent In error. The whole tenor of the note which accompanied it was relevant of Langdale's design. He had malicious ly renewed his contribution of $50 to Macmillan's charity fund in order to Imply" that he believed the elergyman had called upon him for the purpose of reminding him of it Macmillan had spent about $2,500 of the money in such a way that he could never get It back, and Amy would not be benefited one penny unless he should disburse about $1,500 more on Monday, and this, of course, he could not do. How he was to return the $2,500 to Langdale within a reasonable time he did not know. He had stolen it, in effect, for the simplest common sense should have kept him from such frantic haste. Monday would have served him quite as well as Thursday for the payments and would have given him opportunity to assure him self of the reality of Langdale's gen erosity. Mr. and Mrs. Langdale returned from a Christmas visit on Monday morning, fiud-the lady went on alone to their home in Lirchmont, whence she tele phoned to h"r husband at his office about 11 o'clock. Tbe chff part of her message was that she nau "und, some very pretty presents that hau been sent by Miss Amy Branford and Miss Martha Macmillan. How did her husband account for this? Had he not told her of a quarrel with Mr. Macmillan a year ago? Had he not advised her against sending anything to Miss Branford and Miss Macmillan? Langdale had neglected to tell his wife about Macmillan's call and had willfully concealed his own malign jest In the matter of the fifty dollar check. Now therefore he disclosed the one and stiU hid the other. "You'd better hustle around and get them something," said he, "something rather nice, and invent some excuse for the delay." ' The Incident passed from his mind immediately, for he was called to con sider a matter of considerable gravity. This developed in the visit of a Mr. Gridley, one of the very few persons to whom Mr. Langdale told the truth. "Well, Gridley," said he when that gentleman had drifted noiselessly Into the office, "have you looked him up?" "It's Dr. Hayward, all right," re sponded Gridley. "1 took one of your boys up there to see him, and I've heard from Omaha. The cousin racket Is a fake, and I don't suppose there's any doubt that somebody has got Hay ward to make a report on your health, though I can't find out who it is." "It's the Dey Street bank gang, of course," responded Langdale. "Thi FIRST SAVINGS DEPARTMENT. Open for Business January 1 st. In connection with pur Bank we will open a Saving's Department tc proyide a safe and profitable place for the earnings of all persons in either small or large amounts. DEPOSITS of $1.00 and up will be received, and a pass book given with the amounts entered therein, upon which interest will be paid. COMPOUNDED QUARTERLY. We invite you to open an account in our Savings Department, promising that you will receive every courtesy and consideration. If you are interested in an account of this kind, or if you have children and would like to open an account for them, thereby encouraging them to saye, iuppose. you come in and let us talk to you about it. FIRST N4TIONJL B4NK, MORGANTON, N. O SAFETY accounts for the bluff that they're making. They think I'm going to break down. What do you think about it?" he demanded upon a sudden im pulse, for he had caught a look In the detective's eye. "What change do you notice in me? Come! You're a keen eyed chap. Tell me!" Gridley hesitated. "Well, sir," he said at last, "aside from your general appearance, which isn't what it was, I notice a kind of something in your speech, a sort of hes itation. Now, there was a man I knew who got into a state where if he want ed to say 'dollar' he couldn't think of the word, and sometimes he'd say any old thing, perfectly ridiculous. I be lieve they call It aphasia." "Yes," said Langdale, paling, "that's what they call it." An attendant entered, bringing Mac millan's card. "Here's the fellow that put us on to Hayward," said Langdale. "I thanked him heartily, b.ut of course he didn't know what I was talking about. WelL he'll have to wait now till Hayward shows up. He's my first duty now. I'll give him a jolt, and then he'll run to his employers, of course, and you'll see where he goes." Langdale was waiting grimly when Hayward's presence was made known Piis THE DOOR BETWEEN THE TWO ROOMS WAPPEN, AND HE DARED NOT to him. He had prepared a greeting consisting of the single word "doctor," which he knew would startle Hayward more than any other utterable sound. The door opened. HaywaEd entered. Langdale drew breath to speak, but what was that word? The word, the word! He knew the meaning as well us ever In his life,. but not the word. Phantoms of words galloped through his brain, but of them all he could catch only a phrase that Gridley had used, and it was that which he uttered: "Perfectly ridiculous." "I beg your pardon," said Hayward. Time time was what Langdale need edtime in which to triumph over this enemy in his own brain, whose state must be concealed from this man at all costs. NATIONAL MORGANTON, N. C Capital Stock, -Shareholders' Liability, Surplus and Undivided Profits. DEPOSIT BOXES FOR RENT. "I was thinking about a man who is waiting to see me," said Langdale, and, to his own surprise, he now spoke sanely enough. "Would you mind step ping into this other room while I see what he wants? He's a minister and a relative of my wife's, and I don't like to keep him out there with the rabble." "Certainly," said Hayward and en tered the adjoining room. Langdale sank into his chair and tried to bring the word "doctor" to his lips, but he had not succeeded when Macmillan entered. "Mr. Langdale," said the clergyman, "I want to speak two words, one for myself and one for an unfortunate young man In your employ, a Mr. Tun brldge. It appears that in drawing a check to my order he mistook the amount. He has had great trouble and is suffering from what I should call nervous prostration. Probably a little rest will bring him round all right, and If I may venture to speak in his be half I would urge you to grant him a bit of a vacation, with perhaps a friendly word or two to start him on his recovery." "What did he do?" said Langdale. "He drew the check for five thou sand" Langdale stopped him with a ges ture. The.door between the two rooms CLOSE IT NOW. wna onen. and he dared close It ; now, and doubly he dared not have Hayward hear this story. Rich luna tics throw away their money. That Is why they are locked up by anxious rel atives. If Hayward should report this to the Dey street crowd they would withdraw even the proposition which they had made. And with that proposition Langdale was now content. He had seen the handwriting on the wall. A man Who can't say "doctor" when he tries is in no state for a long and bitter warfare of wits with clever enemies. His one Idea now was to keep his condition from Hayward's knowledge. But his decision to accept the proposition of the Dey street people he desired Hay ward to know andjreport, for the reac; 2Sc 0 3d 0 BANK, $35,000.00 35,000.00 15,000.00 0 tion following a quiet tip of that kind' would help him to dispose of the stock j which he had acquired. Insiders would j then buy greedily, thinking that they, were acting upon stolen Information. All this passed through Langdale's powerful mind in a moment. "For five thousand?" he said, echoing; Macmillan's words. "Well, why not?" "But you told him fifty!" gasped MacV mlllan. Langdale laughed softly. "Poor fellow!" he said. "Poor fel low! This is really my fault. I've no ticed that Tunbridge was breaking down. He's done quite a number of queer things around the shop. I ought to have given him a vacation long ago. Now I'll stake him to a good one, so don't worry about him, and, as for his tale, it's mere moonshine. I told him to draw the check for $5,000, and 1 1 signed It with great good will. I un derstood that you needed the money to pull Miss Branford's property out of the fire, and, heaven knows, I'd like to see you do It. And, besides," he con tinued, with the expansive freedom of a man who finds that he is lying ex ceptionally well, "besides, I owe you something for yourself. Yes, sir; I've never had the law laid down to me as you laid it down. It made mo see that business in the right light, and what with that and all this talk In the papers and my wife's conscience (which she generously shares with me) I've de cided to let the whole thing go. Those fellows have made me a decent propo sition, and I'm going to accept It, and then I'm going to take my wife to Eu rope for six months and have a nice, quiet time. She's been begging me to go, and now I'm going to do it as a sort of belated jOhristmas present. Mind you, this Is all confidential." "But, my dear Langdale, all this mon ey" "My dear Richard, it's a Christmas present to you and Amy, so say no l more about it" As to any expressions of gratitude which he may have had the grace to utter Macmillan retained only a vague memory. He was so completely un manned that he thought best to go to his office and be quiet for a few min utes before transacting the business which was now so easy. . He had barely had time to address a few appropriate remarks to Amy's picture and Indite one brief letter when a knock at the door announced Dr. Hayward. The distinguished phy sician had come to make a little ex planation. Doubtless Mr. Macmillan had remarked some change in Mr. Langdale of late. Doubtless he knew of Mr. Langdale's prejudice against doctors.- Mrs. Langdale, however, was a very sensible woman and had been reasonably anxious about her husband, so she had prevailed upon Dr. Hay ward to depart from the usual routine of professional life and call upon a patient incog. "I'm afraid I gave Mr. langdale a hint," said Macmillan. "I deeply re gret it." "Oh, that's all right," replied the doc tor. "It makes no diff erenow -now. You've done more for him than I could. If he stops this confounded scandal and goes away to Europe he'll be all right. How you ever persuaded him to doJLt I don't know." "I cannot understand it any more than you can," responded Macmillan. A WESTERN WONDER. There's a Hill at Bowie, Tex., koa-v5 MfiLas last year. This wonder is LrffiITrwC7 from a weight of 90 pounds has trrown to over 180. He says: 'I SUIterea WlUi leriAUia cough, and doctors gave me up to die of Consumption. I was reduced to 90 pounds, when I began taking Dr King's New Discovery for Consumption, r Coughs and Colds. Now, after taking 12 bottles, I have -more than doubled in weight and am completely cured." Only sure Cough and Cold cure. Guaran teed by W. A- Leslie and Barke Drug Co., Druggists. 50c and $1.00, Trial bottle tree. 1 ' .... v : : , ' v v ' ' ' If -: . . " , . - - - " - ' " " - -- i ' s-- .,, r. ,:. . - i '
The News-Herald (Morganton, N.C.)
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Dec. 20, 1906, edition 1
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