le. Some Nawthern men came down there, suh,
and started a Bank. Their plan was to start a haalf dozen mo' of them
over the County, and so they called this one the Fust National. They
never started a second, suh. Our people wouldn't permit it, and befo'
I get through you'll find out why. They began by hirin' a buildin' and
movin' in an iron safe about as big as a hen-coop. Then they sent out
a circular addressed to our prominent citizens which was a model of
style, and couched in the most co'teous terms, but which, suh, was
nothin' mo' than a trap. I got one and I can speak by the book. It
began by sayin' that eve'y accommodation would be granted to its
customers, and ended by offerin' money at the lowest rates of
interest possible. This occurred, suh, at a time of great financial
depression with us, following as it did the close of hostilities, and
their offer was gladly accepted. It was the fust indication any of us
had seen on the part of any Yankee to bridge over the bloody chasm,
and we took them at their word. We put in what money we had, and
several members of our oldest families, in order to give chaaracter to
the enterprise, had their personal notes discounted and used the money
they got for them for various private purposes--signin' as a gaarantee
of their good faith whatever papers the bank people requi'ed of them.
Now, suh, what do you think happened--not to me, for I was not in need
of financial assistance at the time, Aunt Nancy havin' come into
possession of some funds of her own in Baltimo',--but to one of my
personal friends, Colonel Powhatan Tabb, a near neighbor of mine and a
gentleman of the highest standin'? Because, suh"--here the Colonel
spoke with great deliberation--"his notes had not been paid on the
vehy day and hour--a thing which would have greatly inconvenienced
him--Colonel Tabb found a sheriff in charge of his home one mornin'
and a red flag hangin' from his po'ch. Of co'se, suh, he demanded an
explanation of the outrage, and some words followed of a blasphemous
nature which I shall not repeat. I shall never forget my feelin's,
suh, as I stood by and witnessed that outrage. Old family plate that
had been in the Tabb family for mo' than a century was knocked down to
anybody who would buy; and befo' night, suh, my friend was stripped
of about eve'ything he owned in the world. Nothin' escaped, suh, not
even the po'traits of his ancestors!"

"What became of the bank, Colonel?" I asked in as se