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VOL. XI.
ISTEW BLOOMFIELD, PA., TTJESDA.Y, 8EPTEMBEE 11, 1877.
NO. 36.
THE TIMES.
An Independent Family Newspaper,
IS P0BLI8BBDBVBRT TUESDAY BT
F. MORTIMER & CO.
Subscription Price.
Within the County,". II 25
" " " Six months 75
Out of the County, liiolmllug postage, 160
" " " all miiiillm SS
89
Invariably in Advanoe I
Adrertlslug rates (urnished upon appli
eatlon. THE UNOPENED LETTER.
DINNER hour In the manufacturing
town of Middleton-upon-Irk ; a Lot
Bummer's day. We are an energetic and
thriving community at Mlddleton, al
though you might not think It just now
when our streets are all deserted, and
everybody Is engnged In hard feeding.
It is no fault of mine that I am not
among the everybody. A peremptory
engagement retains me at my post. I
expect my Uncle Henry on business of
Importance, for which he has chosen
the dinner hour when no one is about.
My obligations to Uncle Harry are so
great that his wishes are law to me, even
when they involve the sacrifice of my
dinner. He has been my guardian and
my best friend. By his help I have been
enabled to set up on my own account as
a solicitor, and, through his Influence, I
hope eventually to be provided with a
respectable practice. He is a thriving
merchant of our rising town, and one
of the best fellows in the world, enter
prising and speculative perhaps rather
too much of the lost, but there Is a cool
confidence about him that generally
brings him out right at the end. He has
no children of his own, but has another
ward, a niece of his wife, one Kate
Brown, between whom and myself, I
may tell you, exists ail attachment of
long standing. When my practice brings
in a sufficient income, Kate and I are to
be married. ,
Altogether, in spite of the dusty, sul
try air, the Bleepy aspect of things, and
the sense of something wanting caused
by the neglected call to dinner, I felt as
happy as a man could well desire to be ;
the future seemed bright and cheerful,
and there was nothing in the present to
cause me the slightest disquietude.
But something in my uncle's step up
on the stairs gave me a kind of presenti
ment of coming misfortune. He came
in, and threw himself into a chair ; flung
his hat upon the floor, and wiped his
face with his handkerchief, an unaccus
tomed air of weariness and chagrin upon
his face.
" All well at home ?" I asked. " Aunt
all right, and Kate V"
He nodded In an abstracted way, and
flung a telegram across the table to me.
It was from his London correspondent :
" Gillies & Co.'b acceptance returned;
regular smash; everybody connected
with them will come down."
I remarked calmly that it was a very
good thing that he was not connected
. with them.
" But lam, Jem, worse luck," he said:
" We were operating in cotton together
for a rlse.and they have drawn upon me
for a big figure."
I felt that this was bad news, and I
did not know what to suggest. But
presently Uncle Henry brightened up,
and went on to say that, although this
would no doubt hit him hard, yet he
could weather ii as long as his connec
tion with the bankrupt firm was un
known. The bills that were now ma
turing, drawn upon him by Gillies &
Co., were payable in London. He must
raise 10,000 to meet them, and this at
once, and with the utmost secrecy, He
could do this easily enough on the secur
ity of the title deeds of the property he
had in the town and neighborhood ; his
banker would advance the amount at
once, but he did not want to go to his
banker. He would not have It known
for the world that he was raising money
on hlB property. Better pay a heaver
percentage for the loan, and deal with a
money lender unknown to the world of
commerce. Could I find him some one
to advance the money at once on these
securities? 1
It was not without embarrassment
that I replied that I thought I could put
my hand on such a person at once.
Borne time before In my hot and foolish
youth I had been led Into betting a good
deal on races, and losing, one Liverpool
meeting, a good deal more than I could
pay, was recommended to a money lend
erone Bob Hargreaves, of Howbent
who had relieved my pressing necessi
ties at a sufficiently exorbitant rate of
interest. Uncle Henry had subsequent
ly very generously paid off all my debts
without asking any questions, only ex
acting from me a promise to abstain
from such courses for the future. Bob,
it was well known among the initiated,
could find money to any amount if he
could see his way to a good profit, and I
had no doubt that he would jump at the
prospect of getting both a high rate of
interest and unexceptionable security.
Hargreaves was nn eccentric kind of
man, nominally a tailor, living the life
of a recluse, and nervously apprehensive
of having it known that he had any
money at all of his own. There was no
fear of any want of secrecy on his part.
He did not bear the best character in
the world, it Is true, and it was said that
he had acquired his money in a way that
would hardly bear investigation. But,
then, you don't ask the character of a
man who is going to lend you 10,000.
I telegraphed to Hargreaves to come
over and see me, and next morning, at
the appointed hour, I heard a tremen
dous thumping on the stairs, as if a
heavy bedstead or something of the
kind was being dragged up. Presently
the door was cautiously held ajar, und a
wizened face appeared In the opening.
Seeing that I was all alone, Bob for
he it was whisked dexterously into the
room, incumbered as he was by a crutch
handled stick in each hand, and brass
bound wooden clogs on IjIb feet. The
amount of timber he carried account
ed for the noise up the stairs.
" Well, I'm here to oblige you, Master
Turner ; but if it's brass you want, you
will bear in mind I'm a poor man."
" Then you are no good to me," I re
plied brusquely, "and you'd better go
the way you came." : ,
'Aye, but I can get a bit of money
sometimes, thou knows. There's many
thinks a deal of Bob Hargreaves. But
at this minute, I'd take my Bible oath,
I'm worth nothing but what I carry on
my back."
According to appearance that was very
little, for he was dressed in threadbare
clothes of a dirty snuff brown color,
patched and mended, and that would
have advantageously borne still more
patching and mending. A greasy block
cloth cap was on his head, and the only
solid thing about him was a heavy cow
skin walstcost, strangely out of keeping
with the sultry weather.
After chaffering a while for Bob's
impecunloslty was only assumed to jus
tify a higher percentage he consented
to find the money at siz per cent, for
three months down upon the nail.
While he was away to get the money, I
sent for Uncle Henry to come and ratify
the bargain. A simple memorandum of
deposit of title deeds was all that was
necessary, and this I was not long in
preparing; so that the affair was con
cluded at once, and the parchments
handed over to Robert in exchange for
10,000 in bank of England notes, all
soiled and limp, as if they had been a
long while in circulation. It gave me a
great deal of trocble to make a list of
them, for they were of all denomina
tions, and none of the same dates, or of
consecutive numbers. I finished the
task after a while, and slipped the list
in my portfolio. The notes I placed
carefully within my safe, and locked
them up. Bob wrapped up his parch
ments in an old blue cotton handker
chief and hobbled off, casting many a
regretful look behind at my safe, as if it
had been a sarcophagus where his heart
was enshrined. - That safe, by the way,
was a present from Uncle Henry, a cap
ital one by a first-rate maker, and I was
really pleased to have something valua
ble to put In it. Hitherto a simple cup
board would have answered my purpose
just as well.
As soon as Bob was gone, Uncle Hen
ry gave me Instructions as to the dis
posal of the money. On no account was
it to go through the bank. It must re
main in my safe until the next morning
when I was to take it up to London my.
self, and retire certain acceptances then
coming due, and get back the bills. My
uncle was much pleased that I had man
aged the business so promptly and gave
me a ckeck for 50 for my services. He
was in excellent spirits now. Cotton
had seemed a little harder at that day's
market, and should it rise a little more,
he would be able, he told me, to put
back the 10,000 he had Just borrowed,
and clear as much more besides. In that
case, he would settle a good part of the
money on Kate, and we might be mar
ried as soon as we liked.
I went to bed that night In a happy
frame of mind, proud of the confidence
placed in me, with vague but pleasant
dreams of future happiness, when I and
Kate should be man and wife. But just
at dawn I awoke in a horrible fright,
perspiration breaking out all over me.
I had dreamed that somebody had rob
bed the office, and in the moment of
waking it flashed upon me that I 'had
left theTdupllcate kep of my safe hang
ing on its accustomed nail over the fire
place in my ofilce. For there I had got
into the habit of hanging it, as I had a
trick of leaving my keys at home, and
found that the duplicate key would ob
viate the inconvenience of not being
able to get at my things. In the excite
ment of the day I had forgotten about
Its existence. . '
I arose at once, although it was barely
four o'clock, and walked down to my
office at top speed. There everything
seemed quiet and tranquil ; the windows
grim and dusty looking, blinked down
upon me in a reassuring way. 'After all
my scare was uncalled for. There was
hardly the remotest chance in the world
of thieves getting Into the place, and if
they did, would they be likely to find
the duplicate key ? There was no use
in alarming the neighborhood by trying
to wake up the housekeeper. Every
thing was firm and tight, the street
tranquilly sleeping in the early sunlight.
I would wait till six o'clock, and the
world was astir again, and then go and
secure the duplicate key. I walked
about the deserted town, refreshing my.
self-at an early breakfast stall, and then,
as the factory bells were all jangling out
and the streets were filling with opera
tives hurrying to work, I presented my
self at the door of the building that held
my office. The housekeeper nodded to
me amicably. No catastrophe had hap
pened in the night, evidently. I ran up
stairs, three steps at a time, darted into
my office, and casting a glance around
to assure myself that everything was in
statu quo toward the fire-place for the
key. It was hanging in Its accustomed
place. With a feeling of joyous self
gratulatlon, that no ill effects had follow
ed my carelessness, I proceeded in a
leisurely way to open my safe, to assure
myself of the safety of the deposit.
Judge of my horror and dismay when I
found that the notes were gone clean
gone. , ,
To the first stupefaction of despair at
the loss of my vmcle's money followed
an eager desire to be doing something. I
must go to the post office at once ; the
notes must be stopped ; I had taken the
numbers where was the list ? In my
portfolio ; that too I hod placed in the
safe, that also was gone. Nothing else
was touched, the loose silver I kept
there was intact.
Here was a blow that almost overpow
ered me. In addition to the loss of
money, loss of reputation would follow.
What a pretty sort of tale I should have
to tell, of a robbery in which the thieves
had not left the slightest trace of their
operations, where the objects stolen were
notes of which I had retained none of the
particulars. Those who knew me best
might believe me, but certainly no one
else would.' Ten thousand pounds ab
stracted from an unlocked safe.the num.
hers not known, and no signs whatever
of any unauthorized person having en
tered the premises! Should I believe
such a story myself told of any third
person ? '
One opening for hope occurred to me.
It was possible that Bob Hargreaves had
kept the numbers of the notes he had
handed over to me. Howbent was only
six miles away ; I might be there and
back before the hours of business com.
mencea, in ample time, too, to tele
graph the numbers to the leading banks,
After some difficulty I found a cab, and
started to drive there. A mlaerable.anx
lous drive it was.
Bob lived la a rough stone cottage on
a waste, untidy piece of land in the out
skirts of the village of Howbent. Early
as it was, he was already astir ; I could
see him through the window, cross-legged
on his board, busily at work, stitch
ing away at a cowskln waistcoat ; even
In the overpowering anxiety of the mo
ment, I could not help a feeling of won
der at his employmenty the rest of his
apparel so much more in need of his
labor. The ground was too soft to give
warning of my approach, but my shad
ow falling across the window, made him
look up suddenly. Catching my eye, a
deadly pallor came over his face, the
corners of his mouth began to twitch,
he Jumped off his board and came to
the door. Bob stood in the doorway re
garding me with an air of covert mis
trust, then his eyes glanced eagerly
around as if he doubted whether I were
not accompanied. Seeing only the
empty cab and its driver, waiting In the
road, a hundred yards off, he recovered
his self possession and inquired my bus
iness. I asked him, eagerly, if he had
kept the numbers of the notes he had
paid me on the previous day. "Why,
what's amiss; haven't you?" parried
Robert with instinctive caution. Some
thing at this moment prompted me to
equal caution. It struck me that Har
greaves would be more ready to give In
formation if he' thought that I was al
ready possessed of it. "Oh, I have the
numbers," I replied; "but I thought I
should like to compare my list with
yours." "What, you've gotten a list
then," cried Robert, "then what do
you want more?" "The notes have
been stolen," I said, and then went on
to describe the circumstance of the rob
bery. Robert listened with a sarcastic,
incredulous smile that was very provok
ing, especially as I felt that his mental
attitude toward the story was that which
the whole world would speedily assume.
"Take my advlce,"he said,"go home and
frame a likelier tale than that. Same
time, if your uncle's in with ye, I'm not
one to spoil sport. There's one lee to
begin with ; if they took the case with
the numbers in it, how do you come to
know 'em now?" "I took a copy, of
course," I replied, scarcely noticing the
insinuation, or broad assertion rather,
contained In Robert's speech ; I was too
broken spirited. " But I must compare
it with yours. Oh do give me the num
bers, Mr. Hargreaves." "Nay, I've
gotten no numbers," he replied, sullen
ly ; " what'd be the use of numbers to
me? I'd work enow to gather 'em to
gether, bit by bit and one by one, with
out bothering about numbers. I'm no
scholar either, for that matter."
With that he slammed the door in my
face, and went back to his board, but I
saw no sign of the cowskln waistcoat as
I passed his window, dejected and crest
fallen. Bob was sitting with his needle
in his hand, gazing at its point in a kind
of sullen reverie. In him was the last
gleam of hope I possessed, and I could
not give it up without' another trial.
" I'm sure you could tell me something
about them, Mr. Hargreaves," I cried
to him through the window, " where
you got them from, some of them."
" I tell thee what," said Bob from his
board, " I swear my Bible oath I know
naught more about thy notes, so go thy
ways."
. There was nothing to by gained by
wasting more time over Robert, and I
drove away homeward, still more
wretched than before. By the time we
reached Mlddleton, business had com
menced at my uncle's warehouse, and,
always early at his work, he was there
himself busily occupied. The telling
him was the worst part of the business,
but he uttered not a word of reproach.
and evidently fully believed my account
of the matter. Still, as he paced up and
down his room with a gloomy, ashen
face, I saw that the disaster was one that
affected him bitterly.
" Have you told the police? "he ask
ed sharply, at last " No," I replied, "I
am now on the way ; I have only, seen
Robert Hargreaves since." "Thank
Heaven you have not. The thing is bad
enough, let us make the best of it Not
a word to anybody of the loss, except
Kate ; you may trust her ; but not an
other living soul."
.My uncle was right, I could see, hard
as It was, to keep quiet. The tale of
Bucaaioss, under these suspicious cir
curstanoes, at this especial juncture
would be fatal to his credit. As it was
he might be able to tide over his difficul
ties. He would aro to London at once
and try to get the bills held over. And
ir cotton would only spring a little I
Already Uncle Henry was over the
worst of his misfortune and going about
his business alert and composed. But
for me, how could I bear the thought of
the probable ' ruin disgrace, even I
should have brought unon mv friend
and benefactor I I kept up till I had
seen mm oil by the London train. Then
I hurried off to Kate to tell of the irre
trievable misfortune and get a llttlecom-
tort, where only comfort was possible,
from a woman's sympathy.
Kate, when I first told her my news,
was overcome with grief and dismay.
But she soon recovered Dresennfinf minri
and tried to re-establish mine. It was
possible to do something In the matter.
If we could take no measures to find out
the thieves, we might try secret nego- '
nations. Those who had stolen the
notes would likely be afraid to cash thm
at once ; perhaps they would be open to
an oner, and appreciate the advantages
of a good round sum and safetv tWa.
with. Without loss of time, I inserted
an advertisement In all the local papers
and London dailies, offerine a reward of
$1,000 for the recovery of the missing
notes, uut no result followed; whoever
was in possession of the treasure made
no sign.
Next day came back Uncle Henry
from London, having succeeded In re
newing his bills for another fourteen
days. It was now the middle of June
on the third of July the delay would ex
pire. There could be no further credit
given, for things were getting worse and
worse in town, Gillies & Co. 's failure
had caused universal mistrust and want
of confidence. But if cotton only sprang
an eighth per pound all would be well.
Cotton did not spring, however, but
fell a trifle instead. Failures were rife at
Middleton as well as in London. The
strongest firms were talked about, and
Uncle Henry did not escape. Still, he
carried on matters bravely ; but when
the fourteen days had passed, if there
should happen no favorable changes in
the markets, things would be bad with
him. I now bitterly regretted that the
loss of the notes had not been made
public. It would be a pretty story for'
my uncle's creditors, if he had to call
them together all the more improbable
too, as this would be the first that had
been heard of it. But it was too late
now to Bay anything about it, would
only preciplate matters, Indeed and, de
stroy Uncle Henry's last chance.
Day after day passed away, bringing
no improvement in the state of affairs.
It was now the last day of the month ;
on the third of next month, if no help
came, uncle would have to stop pay
ment. I was sitting at my desk, the
pen idle in my hand, brooding over com
ing misfortunes, when I heard a letter
drop into my box and the quick rap of
the postman. It was only a dead letter
after all some letter I had misdirected,
no doubt; another piece of carelessness
br stupidity to go to my account,
swelling by ever so little the great bal
ance against me. Ten thousand poundsl
why, a whole life's slavery would not be
an equivalent. I flung the dead letter
from me In disgust, and returned to my
dismal reverie. There it lay, looking at
me reproachfully, and I took it up at
last to be rid of it. But, on tearing open
the post office envelope, I found that the
letter within was not in my handwriting,-but
apparently in that of some illit
erate person, and that the address was
that of a person I knew nothing about.
' It was an unopened letter, addressed to
" Capt. Sam White, Nowland's Row,
Mlddleton," Why had they sent it back
to me.who certainly had not written it ?
The secret was that the envelope was
one of mine its seal embossed with my
name and address and thus it had been
sent to me at once, failing its delivery to
the address. It was very cool of some
body to make use of my envelope. Still,
as the letter had nothing to do with me,
I had no right to open it, and I was
about to enclose it to the postmaster
general, asking him to have the letter
opened and returned to the original send- -er,
when Kate came la as usual, to see if
I had heard anything. " No news again
to-day, James ?" she asked stoutly. "No
news, Kate," and we both sighed; then
she looked over my shoulder to see what
I was doing. .
"Oh Jem," she said reproachfully,
r