Newspaper Page Text
NEWS & PLANTERS’ GAZETTE.
D.. COTTIMWj Editor.
No. 28—NEW SERIES.]
NEWS A PLANTERS’ CAIEiTE.
terms:
Published woekly at. Three DollMs per annum
if paid at the time of subscribing; or Three
Dollars and Fifty Cents, if not paid t ill the expi
ration of six months.
No paper to be discontinued, unless at the
option of tho Editor, without the settlement of
all arrearages.
ID* Letters, on business, must be post} aid, to
insure attention. No communication shall be
published, unless we are made acquainted with
the name of the author.
TO ADVERTISERS.
Advertisements, not exceeding one square, first
insertion, Seventy-five Cents; and for each sub
sequent insertion, Fifty Cents. A reduction will
be made of twenty-five per cent, to these who
advertise by the year. Advertisements not
limited when handed in, will be inserted till for
bid, and charged accordingly.
Bales of Land and Negroes by Executors, Ad
ministrators and Guardians, are required by law,
to be advertised, in a public Gazette, sixty days
previous to the day of sale.
The sales of Personal Property must be adver
tised in like manner, forty days.
Notice to Debtors and Creditors of an Estate
must be published forty days.
Notice that application will be made to the
Court of Ordinary, for leave to soil Laud or Ne
groes, must be published for four months. —
notice that application will be made for letters
of Administration, must be published thirty days;
and Letters of Dismission, six months.
Mail Arrangement®.
POST OFFICE, >
Washington, Ga., January, 1843. $
AUGUSTA MAIL.
ARRIVES.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 5, A. M.
CLOSES.
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, at 12, M.
MILLEDGEVILLE MAIL.
ARRIVES.
Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 8, A. M.
CLOSES.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 11, A. M.
CAROLINA MAIL.
ARRIVES.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 11, A. M.
CLOSES.
Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 6, A. M.
LEXINGTON MAIL.
ARRIVES.
Tuesday and Saturday, at 2, P. M.
CLOSES.
Monday and Friday, at 9, A. M.
ELBERTON MAIL.
ARRIVES. CLOSES.
Thursday, at 8, P. M. j Thursday, ai 8, P. M.
LINCOLNTON MAIL.
ARRIVES. CLOSES.
Friday, at 12, M. | Friday, at 12, M.
LAWNOTICE.
xashbs a.ssrxaat*.
ATTORNEY AT LAW.
Btr Office in Mr. Barnett's new building, North
west corner of the Public Square.
Washington, Wilkes.county, Ga., I
December 22, 1842. 5 17
COTTING & BUTLER,
ATTORNIES,
HAVE taken an OFFICE in the rear of
Willis & Hester's Store.
January, 1843. 29
To Rent.
THE STABLE situated in the rear of the
Printing-Office. Apply to
M. J. KAPPEL.
Ffib-oary 9,1843. 24
arlf fMim
tha IfAVE removed to the tenement next to the
XI Store formerly,occupied by H. S. Belcher,
on tho West side of the Public Square, where
they will be at all times happy to see their
friends and customers.
March 2,1843. 8t 27
For Safe*
A GOOD supply of CANDLES, of excel
lent quality. If on trial, they are not found
to suit the purchaser, they may be returned.
R. H. VICKERS.
March 2,1843. 27
Saddle Found*
A SADDLE was taken off a Sorrel Horse,
found loose in the Streets during Court, and
deposited in my Stable. The owner can have
the same by paying for this advertisement, and
’ Replying to me. R. H. VICKERS.
* March 2,1843. 27
Notice to Debtors and Creditors.
A LL persons indebted to the Estate of Thom
as J. Ellington, late of Wilkes county, de
ceased, are requested to make immediate pay
ment, and those having demands, will please
present the same, duly attested, for payment.
WILLIAM B. ELLINGTON, Ex’r.
February 9, 1843. 6t 24
HWKNKB*
ALL persons indebted to the Estate of Mary
Hughes, deceased, late of Wilkes county,
are hereby notified to make immediate payment
to the undersigned, and those having demands a
gainst the same will present them in terms of the
law. BARNARD H. HUGHES, Adm’r.
January 5,1843. 6t 19
JWotfce*
ALL persons having demands against the Es
tate of Larkin Clark, late of Elbert coun'y,
deceased, will present them as the law requires;
” jand those indebted to said estate will please make
’ 1 immediate payment to
- ROBERT McMILLAN, Executor,
j ETherton, January 4,1943, 2D
The Subscriber ,
\\T ISHING to close business, offers at Rcriu
* * ced Prices, his present STOCK, consist
ing in part, of the following :
trjn Ladies’ Kid and Calf walking
Vj Shoes, just received.
Misses Calf and Seal do. do.
. Children’s Shoes,of various kinds
Boy’s Calf and Kip, sew ed and peg’d. Shoes,
Men’s Shoes, sewed and peg’d. a variety,
Women’s sewed and peg’d. Kips,
Women’s fine Leather Bootees,
Gentlemen’s fine Calf Boots,
Coarse Brogans, men’s and boys, best quality,
Do. do. extra size,
Men’s Leather Slippers,
Men’s Calf and Seal Pumps.
ALSO,
Ladies’ Kid Buskin Ties, and a case of Gentle
men’s sewed Shoes, soon to arrive.
Also, Factory Oznaburgs, at 9 cents per yard,
and woolen Linseys, nearly a yard wide, at 28 to
30 cents, which article was sent, invoiced at 45
cents, and cannot be bought at the Factory now
at much lees than 40 cts. by the quantity.
ET Persons wishing any of the above articles,
will do well to call at the SHOE STORE of
A. L. LEWIS.
N. B.—Persons indebted on account will please
call and settle at the earliest possible date.
January 12, 1843. A. L. L.
Cabinet
THE Subscriber will continue the CABI
NET BUSINESS at the old stand for
merly occupied by Mr. Joseph Moseley, where
ho will despatch all kinds of work in his lino at
prices corresponding with the hard times.
Persons wishing- to purchase any articles in
his line will do well to call before buying else
where.
He would also inform the public that he is
prepared loexei e'e TURNING, which he will
do low and on terms to su.t his eus*omcra. Do
not l-e okv urd in coming forward.
JOSEPH GARDNER.
February 23,1843. 4t 20
Removal*
THE Subscriber informs the public that he
has removed from Tyrone to Crawford
ville, where he has permanently located himself,
and will carry on the business <4 in;u alacturing
COTTON-GINS, and wT deliver Gm* v- ..>
part of Georgia cr Souk Carolina, to or. r
Persons wishing any cor:■■■ pendence wiff*.
Subscriber, will please direct to Craw fore.'.
Taliaferro county, Ga., viaire ai: orders miv
line of business will be thankfully received and
will be promptly attended to by tha .vriber.
1 return iny thanks to Old Wilkes for her pat
ronage, and yet hope not to be torgotten by her,
believing as I uo that ! can do as well by the
Planters in furnish es thorn with Cotton-Gins as
any man in the Southern Stales.
S. It. CRENSHAW.
January 5,1843. 19
mwA%
Tailoring Establishment
Removed over H. S. Belcher’s Store.
•’I4HE Subscriber begs leave to inform the pub
*- lie and his former customers, that in conse
quence of the present Hard Times, he will make
up Work in a Superior Style of Fashion, at a
reduced price for Cash. Cotton, Hog-meat,
Lard, Meal, Flour, or Irish Potatoes. Persons
wishing to patronize a TAILOR that is willing
to comply with the Times, can do so by applying
to the Subscriber.
WILLIAM F. SOU AN.
October 13, 1842. 7
Georgia, Elbert county.
Superior Court, September Term, 1842.
William Pulliam, Admin-’
ißtrator of
Jacob Higginbotham, De
ceased,
vs. IN EQUITY.
James Higginbotham,
Jacob Higginbotham,
John Higginbotham,
William Higginbotham,
Francis Higginbotham,
Riley Higginbotham,
Joseph Higginbotham,
Benjamin Higginbotham,
Elizabeth Higginbotham,
William Maxwell and
Jane his wife, and
Stephen Rowrey and
Hannah his wife.
Evidence liaving been submitted to the
Court that three of the Defendants, to-wit: Jo
seph Higginbotham, James Higginbotham and
Jacob Higginbotham, had renounced ali further
claims upon the estate of their deceased father,
in consideration of advancements made to them
by their father in his life-time. It is Ordered by
the Court, that the said three Distributees iur
nish testimony on or before die first day of the
next Term of this Court, s o rebut said proof, at
i which time a final distribution of the Assets will
be made in terms of the interlocutory Decree
already rendered. It is Ordered, that a copy of
this Rule be published monthly, until the next
Court.
True copy from ‘he Minutes of said Court, this
2(3;h day of September, 1842.
IRA CHRISTIAN, Cierk.
October 6. mo;n 8
Lincoln Superior i mrt,,
October Term, 1842.
Rebecca Fleetwood, 1 Libel for Divorce,
vs. >l.i Lincoln Sup’r. Court,
John Fleetwood. ) returnable April Term.
TT appearing to the Court, that tho defendant
in the above stated Libel for Divorce, has not
been serven, ~and he removed out of the cemr;
of Lincoln, . parts unknown. It is there
fore Ordered, lire, said defendant do appear at, the
next Term of this Court and answer to said Li
bel, or in default thereof that the Court will pro
ceed as to justice shall appertain. It is further
Ordered, that a copy of this Rule be served upon
the deiendant by publishing the same once a
month for four months in the Washington News
and Planters’ Gazette.
True extract from the Minutes,
HENRY MURRAY, Clerk.
December 15,1842. in4m 16
mm
EXECUTED AT THIS
© F IF 0 © E .
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY MORNING.
WASHIVGTOV, (WILKES COUNTY, GA„ ABARCIB J), IH4S.
From Colburn’s London Monthly Magazine.
THE DEFAULTER;
AN OWRE TRUE TALE.
BV THOMAS HOOD.
CHAPTER I.
Give him needful note,
For I mine eyes will rivet to his face ;
And after we will both our judgments join
In censure of his seeming. Hamlet.
‘ What is the matter with Mr. I’ryme ?’
The speaker was a tall, dark man, with
grizzled hair, black eyes, a long nose, a
wide mouth, and the commercial feature of
a pen behind his right ear. He had sever
al times asked himself the same question,
hut without any satisfactory solution, and
now’fiddressed it to a little sandy-haired
man, who was standing with his back to the
office fire. Both were clerks in a govern
ment office, as well as the party whose
health or deportment was involved in the
inquiry.
‘ What is the matter with Mr. Pryrne V
‘ Heaven knows,’ said the sandy Mr.
Phipps, at the same time lifting up his eye
brows towards the organs of wonder, and
shrugging his shoulders.
1 You have observed how nervous and
fidgety he is V
‘To be sure. Look at the fire-place;
he has done nothing all the morning hut put
on coals and rake them out again.
* Yes, 1 have been watching him and kept
count,'’ interposed Mr. Trent, a junior offi
eial ; ‘he has poked the fire nineteen times,
besides looking five times out of the win
dow, and twice taking cjown his hat and
hanging it up again.’
‘ I got him to change me a sovereign,’
said the dark Mr. Grimble, ‘and lie first
gave me nineteen, and then twenty-one shil
lings for it. But look here at his entries,’
and he pointed to an open ledger on the desk,
‘he has dipped promiscuously into the
black ink and red.’
The three clerks took a look a-piece at
the hook, an<l then a still longer look at
.a: h oihf None of them spoke, but each
rhade a fa l ", one pursing up his lips, as if
to Mow .in imaginary flageolet, another
frowning, as with a distracting headache,
and the third drawing down the corners of
f mouth, as if fie hud just taken, or was
about to take, physic.
‘ Whal can it he ?’ said Mr. Phipps.
‘ Let ■ usl. him,’ suggested Mr. Trent.
• li. ue- iot,’ said Grimble, ‘You know
how hoi ar.d fouchy he is. I once ventur
ed to cm a joke on him, and he has never
thoroughly forgiven it to this day.’
‘ What was it about ?’ enquired the ju
nior.
‘ Why he has been married above a doz
en years without having any children, and
it was the usual thing with us, when he
came of a morning, to ask after the little
Prynies ; but the joke has caused so many
rows and quarrels, that we have given it
up.’
‘ Where is he ?’ asked Mr. Phipps, with
a glance round the office.
‘ln the Secretary's private room. But
hush ! here he comes.’
The three clerks hastily retreated to their
several desks, and began writing with great
apparent diligence, yet vigilantly watching
every movement of the nervous and fidgety
Mr. Pryrne, who entered the room, with an
uneven step, looking rather flushed and ex
cited, and vigorously rubbing his bald head
with his silk handkerchief. Perhaps he
noticed that he was observed, for he looked
uneasily and suspiciously from one clerk to
the other ; but each face preserved a de
mure gravity, and the little, stout, bald, flo
rid gentleman repaired to his own place.
The Morning Post, damp and still unfolded,
was lying on his desk ; he took it up, dried
it at the fire, and began to read ; but the
next minute he laid down the paper, and
seizing the poker, made several plunges at
the coals, as often against the bars as be
tween them, till the metal rang again.
Then he resumed the Post; but quickly
relinquished it; quite unable to fix his at
tention on the type ; an incompetence per
fectly astounding to the other clerks, who
considered reading the newspaper as a reg
ular and important part of the official du
ties.
‘ By Jove,’ whispered Mr. Phipps to Mr.
Grimble, whom he had approached under
the pretence of delivering a document, ‘he
cannot Post the news any more than his
ledger.’
Mr. Grimble acquiesced with a grave
nod and a grimace ; and Mr. Phipps re
turning to his desk, a silence ensued so pro
found that the scratching of the pens at
work on the paper, was distinctly audible.
The little bald cashier himself had begun
to write, and for some minutes was occupi
ed so quietly that curiosity gave way to
business, and the three clerks were absorb
ed in their calculations, when a sudden
noise caused them to look up. Mr. Pryrne
had jumped from his high stool, and was in
the act of taking down his hat from its peg.
He held it for a while in his hand, as if in
Ho p deliberation, then suddenly clapped it
on his head, but as hastily took it off again;
thrust the Morning Post into the crown, and
restored the beaver to its place on the wall.
The next moment he encountered the eyes
of Phipps ; a suspicion that he was watched
seemed to come across him, and his uneasi
ness increased. He immediately returned
to his desk, & began to turn over the leaves
of an account book ; but with unnatural
haste, and it was evident that, although his
eyes were iixed on the volume, his thoughts
| were elsewhere, for by degrees he went off
! into a reverv, only rousing now and then to
take huge pinches of snuff. At last, sud
denly waking up, he pulled out his watch ;
pored at it; held it up to his ear ; replaced
in his fob, and with a glance at his hat, be
gan drawing on his gloves. Perhaps he
would have gone off, if Mr. Grimble had not
crossed over from his desk, and placed an
open book before him, with a request for his
signature. The little, bald, florid man,
without removing his glove, attempted to
write his name, but bis hand trembled so
that he could hardly guide the pen. How.
ever, he tried to carry oft’ the matter as a
joke; but his laugh was forced, and his
voice had the quivering huskiness of inter
nal agitation.
‘Ha! ha ! rather shaky; too much wine
iast night—eh, Mr. Grimble?’
The latter made no reply, but as he walk
ed off with the book under his arm, and his
back towards Mr. Pryrne, he bestowed a
deliberate wink on each of his associates,
and significantly imitated with his own
hand the aspenlike motion he had just ob
served. The other responded with a look
of intelligence, and resumed their labors :
bnt the tall, dark man fell into a fit of pro
found abstraction, during which he uncon
sciously scribbled on his blotting-paper, in
at least a score of places, the word EM
BEZZLEMENT.
CHAPTER 11.
The little bald, florid man, in the mean
time, continued his nervous and fidgety ev
olutions ; worrying the fire, trying on his
hat and gloves, snuffing vehemently, cough
ing huskily, and winking perpetually ; now
scurrying through folios ; then drumming
the devil’s tattoo on his desk, and moreo
ver, under pretence of mending his pens,
had slashed half-a-dozen of them to pieces;
when he received a fresh summons to the
Secretary’s room.
The moment the door closed behind him,
the two clerks, Phipps and Trent, darted a
cross to Mr. Grimble, who silently exhibit
ed to them the shaky autograph of the agi
tated cashier. They then adjourned to the
fire where a pause of profound cogitation
ensued ; the Junior intensely surveying
his bright hoots ; -Mr. Phipps industriously
nibbling the top of his pen ; while Mr.
Grimble kept assiduously breaking the bi
tuminous bubbles, which exuded from the
burning coals, with the point of the poker.
‘lt is very extraordinary !’ at last mut
tered Mr. Phipps.
‘ Very,’chimed in the Junior Clerk.
Mr. Grimble silently turned Ins back on
the fire, and fixed his gaze on the ceiling,
with his mouth firmly compressed, as if
meaning to signify, that whatever he might
think, he would say nothing ; in case ofa
ny thing happening to Mr. Pryrne, he was
the next, in point of seniority for the vacant
place, and delicacy forbade his being the
first to proclaim his suspicions.
‘ You don’t think lie is going off, do you?’
inquired Mr. Phipps.
Mr. Grinible turned his gaze intently on
the querist as though he would look him
through—hemmed—but said nothing.
‘ I mean off his head.’
‘ Oh—l thought you meant off to Ameri
ca.’
It was now Mr. Phipps’s turn to look in
tently at Mr. Grimble, whose every feature
he scrutinized with the studious interest of
a Lavater.
‘ Why you surely don’t mean to say— ’
‘ I do.’
‘ What, that he has— ’
‘ Yes.’
‘ Is it possible !’
Mr. Grimble gave three distinct and de
liberate nods, in reply to which, Mr. Phipps
whistled a long phe-e-e-e-e-ew !
All this time the Junior had been eager.
!y listening to the mysterious conference,
anxiously looking from one speaker to the
other, till the hidden meaning suddenly re
vealed itself to his mind, and with the usual
indiscretion of youth he immediately gave
it utterance.
‘ Why then, Grimble, old Pryrne will be
transported, and you will walk into his
shoes.’
Mr. Grimble frowned severely, and laid
one forefinger on his lips, while the other
he pointed to the door. But Mr. Pry me
was still distant in the Secretary’s private
room.
‘ Well, I should never have thought it!’
exclaimed Mr. Phipps. ‘He was so regu
lar in his habits, and I should say very mo
derate in his expenses. He was never giv
en to dress (the young clerk laughed at the
idea,) and certainly never talked like a gay
man with the other sex (the Junior laughed
again.) I don’t think he gambled, or had
any connexion with the turf? To be sure
he may have dabbed a little in the Alley ;
or perhaps in the Discounting line.’
To each of these interrogative specula
tions, Mr. Grimble responded with a nega
tive shake of the head or a doubtful shrug
of the shoulders, till tho catalogue was ex
hausted, and then, with his eyes cast up
ward, uttered an emphatic ‘Heaven knows!’
‘ But have you any proof of it ?’ asked
Mr. Phipps.
‘ None whatever—not a particle. Only
what I may call a strong —a very strong
presentiment-’
And as if to illustrate its strength, Mr.
Grinible struck a blew with the poker that
smashed a large Staffordshire coal into
shivers.
‘ Then there may be nothing wrong after
all !’ suggested the good-natured Mr.
Phipps. ‘And really Mr. Pryrne has al
ways seemed so respectable, so regular, and
so correct in business— ’
‘So did Fauntjeroy, and the rest of them,’
muttered Mr. Grimble, ‘or they would
never have been trusted. However its u
comfort to think that he has no children,
and that the capital punishment for such
offences has been abolished.’
‘ I can hardly believe it!’ ejaculated Mr
Phipps.
‘ My dear fellow,’ said the young clerk,
‘ there is no mistake about it. I was watch
ing him when the messenger came to fetch
him to the secretary, and he started and
shook as if he had expected a policeman.’
Mr Phipps said no more, but retreated
to his place, and with his elbows on his
desk, and his head between his hands, be
gan sorrowfully to ruminate on the ruin and
misery impending over the unfortunate
cashier. He could well appreciate the
nervous alarm and anxiety of the wretched
man, liable at any moment to detection,
with the consequent disgrace, and a punish
mem scarcely preferable to death itself.
His memory reminded him that Mr. Pryrne
had done him various services, while his
imagination pictured his benefactor in his
most distressing situations—in the station
house, at Bow. street, in Newgate, at the bar
of the Old Baily, in a hulk, in a convict
ship, with the common herd of the ruffianly
and the depraved—and finally toiling in
life-long labor in a distant land And as
lie dwelt on these dreadful and dreary
scenes, the kind-hearted Phipps himself be
came quite unhinged ; his own nerves be
gan to quiver, whilst his muscles sympa
thising with the mental excitement, prompt
ed him to such restless activity, that he was
soon almost as fidgety and perturbed as the
object of his commiseration.
Oh! that, that guilty man. forewarned of
danger by some providential inspiration,
might have left the office never to return !
But the hope was futile ; the door opt n and,
the doomed Mr. Pi vine hastily entered—
went to his own desk, unbuttoned his waist
coat, and clutching his bewildered bald
head with one fevered hand, began with the
other to turn over the leaves of a journal,
without perceiving that the book was upside
down.
‘ Was there ever,’ thought Phipps, ‘such
an infatuation ! Ho has evidently cause
for alarm, and yet lingers about tiie fatal
spot.’
How he yearned to give him a hint that
his secret was known ; to say to him. • Go !
Fly ! ere it be too late ! Seek sonic other
country where you may live in freedom
and repent.’
But, alas! the eyes of Grimble and Trent
were upon him, and above all the stern fig
ure of inexorable Duty rose up before him,
and melting the wax of Silence at the fla
ming sword of Justice, imposed a seal upon
his lips.
CHAPTER 111.
But Mr. Pryrne ?
That little bald, florid, fidgety personage
was still sitting on his high stool at his desk
snuffing, coughing, winking, and pretend
ing to examine a topsy-turvy account-book,
sometimes, by way of variation, hashing up
anew pen, or drumming a fresh march
with his fingers—
Mr Grimble was making some, private
calculations, which had reference to his fu
ture income-tax on a slip of office-paper—
Mr. Trent was dreaming over an imagi
nary trial, in which he was a witness, at
the Old Bailey—
And Mr. Phipps was fretting over the
pre-destined capture of the infatuated Cash,
ier, when all at once there was a noise that
startled the clerkly trio from their seats.
The nervous Mr. Piyrne, by one of his
involuntary motions, had upset his leaden
ink-stand—in trying to save the inkstand
he knocked down liis rule—in catching at
the rule he had let fall the great journal ;
and in scrambling after the journal he had
overturned his high stool. The clatter was
prodigious, and acting on a nature already
overwrought sufficed to discompose the last
atom of its equanimity.
For a moment the bewildered author of
the work stood and trembled as if shot—
then snatching his hat, and clapping it
“kovv.wow any how,” on his le ad, rushed
desperately out of the office.
‘Thank God!’ ejaculated Mr. Phipps,
drawing a long breath, like a swimmer af
ter a dive.
I say. Grimble,’ exclaimed the Junior
Clerk ; “it’s a true bill !’
But Mr. Grimble was already outside
the door, and running down the stone-stairs
into the halt, seized on the first office-mes
senger that offered.
‘Here —Warren ?-quick !-Run after Mr.
Pryme-don’t let him out of your sight;
but watch where he goes ; and let me
know.’
CHAPTER IV.
Messrs. Grimble, Phipps, and Trent,
first held a consultation, and then proceed
ed in a body to the Secretary, to whom they
described the singular behaviour of Mr.
Prvme.
‘Very singular, indeed, said the Secreta
ry I observed it myself, and inquired if
he was in good health. No—yes—no.—
And Mrs. Pryme? Yes—no—yes. In short,
he did not seem to know what he was say
ing,’
‘Or doing,’put in Mr. Trent. ‘He threw
a shovel of coals into the iron safe,’
‘Withother acts,’ added Mr. Grimble,
‘the reverse of official.’
‘Tell him at once, 7 whispered Mr. Trent.
‘ln short, sir,’said Mr. Grimble, with a
most sepulchral tone, and the face of an un
dertaker,’ I am sorry, deeply sorry and
TI. J. ItiITKL, Printer.
concerned to say, that Mr. Pry me lias sud
denly departed.’
‘lndeed ! But lie was just the sort of a
man to do it.’
The three clerks started at each other,
for they had all thought exactly the reverse
of the little, bald, florid, ex-cashier.
‘Short-necked, sanguine, and of a full
habit, you know,’ continued the Secretary.
‘Poor-fellow !’
‘I am sorry, deeply sorrv arid concerned
to say,’ repeated Mr. Grinible, ‘that l mean
he has absconded.’
‘The devil he has !’exclaimed the Secre
tary, at once jumping to his feet, and in
stinctively buttoning up hi pockets—‘but
no—it’s impossible !’and be looked towards
Trent and Phipps for confirmation.
‘lt’s a true bill, sir,’ said the first, ‘he has
bolted sure enough.’
The other only shook his head.
It’s incredible!’ said •: S c ret ary.— *
•Why, he was as steady as a quak. r. and as
correct as clock-work ! Mr. Grinible, have
you inspected his books ?’
‘I have, sir.’
‘Well, sir?’
‘At present, sir, all appears correct.—
But as the accounts are kept in this office
it is easier to embezzle than detect any de
falcation ’
‘Humph! Ido not think we are worse
in that respect than other public officers!
Then, il l understand you, there is no dis
tinct evidence of fraud ?’
‘None whae ‘or, sir,’ replied Phipps.
‘Except his absconding,’ added Mr.
Grinible.
‘Well, gentlemen, we will wait till ton
o’clock to morrow morning, and then if Mr.
Prvme does not make his appearance we
shall know how to act.’
The three clerks made three bows and
retir ‘d, severally pleased, displeased, and
‘indifferent at the result of their audience.
‘We may wait for him,’ grumbled Mr
Grimble. ‘till ten o’clock on doom’s day.
At this moment the door re-opened, and
the Secretary put out his head.
‘Gentlemen, I need not recommend you
to confine this matter, for the present, to
your own bosoms !’
But the caution was in vain. Warren,
the messenger, had given a hint of the af
fair to a porter, who had told it to another,
and another, and another, till the secret
was as well buzzed and blown as if it had
been confided to a swarm of blue bottles.—
In fact, the (light of Mr. Pryrne was known
throughout the several offices, where, ac
cording to English custom, the event be
came a subject for betting, and a consider
able sum was laid out at 6 to 4, and after
wards at 7 to 2, against the appearance of
the cashier.
CHAPTER V.
‘Well, Warren V
‘Well, Mr. Grimble, sir ?’
The three clerks on returning to their
office, had found the messenger at the door,
and took him with them into the room.
‘Well 1 followed up Mr. Prvme, sir, and
the first thing he did were to hail a cab.’
‘And where did he drive to V
‘Tonowheres at a!!—cox why, afore the
cab could pull round oil’ the stand, away
he goes—that’s Mr. Pryrne—walking at
the rate of live miles an hour; more or less,
so as not easy to be kept up with, strait
home to his own house number 9, where
instead of doubt I nocking at the door, he
ring’d to be let in at the hairy hell.
‘Very odd!’ remarked Mr. Grimble,
‘Well, he staid in the house a goodish
while, as long as it might take him, like, to
collect his porterble property and vallybles
when all at once out he comes, like a mail
with his head turned, and liis hat stuck on
hind part afore, for you know he’d wore it
up at the back like a curricle one.’
‘A clerical one—go on.’
‘Why then, away he cuts down the street,
as hard as he can split without bursting,
and me arter him, but being stiffii'di with
the rheinatiz, whereby 1 soon found 1 was
getting nowheres at all in tbe race, and in
consekense pulled up
‘Arid which wav did he run?’
‘Why then, he seemed to me to he a ma
king for the bridge.’
‘Alt, to get on board a steamer,’ said Mr.
Grimble.
‘Or into the river,’ suggested Mr. Trent.
M Phipps groaned and w rung his hads.
•You’re right, you are, Mr. Trent, sir,’
aid the Messenger with a determined nod
and at the junior clerk.
Tie-re was a gemman throwed himself
over last Friday, and they did say it was be
cos he had made away w ith ten thousand
Long Annuitants.’
‘The poor, wretched, misguided crea
ture !’
‘Yes he did, Mr. Phipps, sir-—right over
the senter harch ? And w hat’s wus, not
leaving a rap behind him except his widder
and five small children, and the youngest
on era’s a suckin baby.’
‘Thank Heaven.!’exclaimed Mr. Phipps
“that Mr. Prvme is not a family man.’
Poor Mr. Phipps !
As soon as the office w as closed he walk
ed home to his lodgings in Westminister,
hut at a slower pace than usual, and w ith
a heavy heart, for his mind w as full of sor
row and misgiving at the too probable fate
of the unfortunate Defaulter. The figure
of Mr. Prvme followed him wherever he
went: it seemed to glance ov, rhis shoulder
in the looking-glass ; and \vhen he went to
wash his hands,the pale drowned face oftho
cashier, shone up through the water, in
stead of the pattern atjho bottom of the btv
sin.
[VOLUME XXYIIL
