Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 October 1881 — The Story of a Hundred Dollar Bill. [ARTICLE]

The Story of a Hundred Dollar Bill.

Baltimore Gazette. A distinguished statesman forty years ago was on a visit to Baltimore, and he gave to a colored girl while here what he supposed to be at the tjme a dollar bill. The next morning the girl went to a grocery store, ami a’ter making\* few trifling purchases, gave the bill iu payment, supposing that it was a dollar. The proprietor ot the store, a highly-esteemed citizen of Baltimore, noticed with great surprise that it was for a hundred dollars, aud lie supposed at once the woman had stolen it. Ascertaining the delusion she was under, lie informed her of the true character of the note, and told her he would detain it until the owner was found. The girl told how she had received it, persisted that it had not been stolen aud assented to the gentleman retaining it until the owner was found. He advertised Jhe bill, and the statesman, in answer, called to say that the girl’s story was true, and that as her honesty had been suspected she could keep the hill. He then departed to the scene of his daily triumphs, and in acquisition of a great fame perhaps lorgot the incident. The grocery merchant retained the note, in the expectation of the girl returning, but she never called for it, it is Bup|>osed being frightened aud fearing being charged with its the t. He deposited it at interest. Years rolled on and she married, bore children, and died, and a tew years ago a son applied to the merchant for the note and the interest, which now amounted to a large sum of money. This amount the custodians paid into one of the city courts, iu order that the court should decide whether or not the claimant was entitled to it. The cohrt sustained the claim, and the money was paid to the heir, and thuseuda the story of a uudred dollar bill.