THE BANKER AND THE TRAMP.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3264, 17 December 1881, Page 4

THE BANKER AND THE TRAMP.

A man having all the attributes of a tramp —bedraggled garments, unshaven, unshorn —stepped briskly into a Titusville bank one Saturday afternoon, and approaching the cashier's window, said : ' Hope I ain't too late ?' 'Too late for what?' ' You haven't closed the vaults yefc, have you ?' ' What's that to you ?' said the cashier, as he glanced to where his pistols lay. ' You see, I want to borrow a five or a ten to tide me over until I reach Cincinnati.' ' We have no money to lend.' 'Yes, bufc you have though when you know who I am. I am a delegate to the Banker's Convention afc Saratoga. Read an elaborate paper before th» convention

yesterday on " The Rise and Progress of the Bank of England," with a few off-hand _ remarks on the coming crisis in Amerioan finances.' 'In your own case the crisis appears to have arrived,' suggested the cashier. 'In point of valuable information to bankers my paper takes rank ahead of that submitted by Secretary Sherman.' ' We are not lending any money now at all.' . , ' I'm right from the big Convention,' continued the stranger, untouched. 'Made a slight miscalculation as to expense money, and find I'll be obliged to drop off at Titusville and ask you for aV. I didn't mind it, however, as I have always had a great desire to visit your beautiful little city and meet some of your solid men.' ' Perhaps I should have told you before that the vault is closed.' 'Of course you have a fiver in your pocket. No ? Well, then, a two will do.' ' Haven't a dollar about me.' ' Say fifty cents then P' The cashier said he didn't have it. ' Make it a quarter.' ' Can't do it.' ' Make it a dime.' ' I'll not make ifc a red cent,' said the cashier, as he moved about his business. ' Oh ! you won't, won't you !' exclaimed the stranded banker, as he hitched up his forlorn pantaloons, danced about and made a feint to spring through the little window. 'If I had you out here about two minutes and a half, I would teach you some of the amenities of banking. You haven't a soul to save you, you wall-eyed hypocrite, or you would jump afc the chance to help a fellowbanker in a delicate emergency like this !'