THE TALISMAN and HOARDED GOLD

The chestnut gelding turned into the gate entrance off Main Street automatically without any bidding from the portly little man with gray hair who held the reins. The iron rims of the surrey screeched twice in protest as they caught momentarily in the streetcar rails. The horse drawn surrey crossed the Belgian blocks known as cobblestones that made up the major portion of the suburban Philadelphia street, and thence onto the deeply ridge clay drive.

Old Doctor Wister pulled gently on the reins and called softly, “Whoa there, Jack,” to his faithful horse. It was a cold, raw February day in 1898 and the steam-like breath appeared from the horse’s nostrils as he stopped adjacent to the square granite stepping stone. The overcast gray sky looked like impending snow and the old man mused to himself, “Hope it will only be a light snow fall,” remembering the terrible blizzard of ‘88.

He removed the heavy wool robe from his legs and stepped painfully and gingerly down. He winced with pain as the rheumatism in his knees reminded him again that he really should retire. His routine calls were becoming a burden.

As he neared the solid oak front door of the modest dwelling, he noticed that the tarnished brass plate reading Caleb J. Wister, M.D., was only faintly visible in the growing darkness. ‘Even my name plate is losing its shine just as I am,’ he thought. His feelings brightened, however, because he knew Mrs. Negley, his housekeeper, would have a fire glowing in the fireplace in his sitting room and he was anxious to sit for a spell in the old leather easy chair in front of the fire and sip his glass of sherry before dinner. ‘First, however, I will call McGowan’s boy, Tom, to unhitch and feed Old Jack. I am tired and I know he enjoys it as well as receiving the quarter for his services.’

Mrs. Negley, clad in her gingham dress, white apron and dust cap, met him at the door and exclaimed, “Doctor, Mr. Franklin Galt sent a message. He fears his wife may deliver tonight and she appears to be in great pain. He was quite upset, Sir, and asked that you come at once.”

The doctor’s shoulders slumped in resignation, and then he replied, “Don’t keep supper for me, I am sure the Galts will provide something.”

Moments later he was traveling north on Main Street to the crest of the hill where he would turn left on King Road to number twenty four which was the rented home of his patient, Catherine Galt.

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EPILOGUE

The will of Colonel Richard N. Leas, Jr. was probated in Wilmington, Delaware. His total personal estate amounted to slightly over $87,000.00 which included $35,000.00 in life insurance.

Named as beneficiaries in the will were his sister-in-law, Janice, and her two sons. Each of them to receive a bequest of $20,000.00

Also a trust of $20,000.00 invested in a certificate of deposit with the Wilmington Trust Company, in the name of Mary Ellen Sterling, with her mother, Elizabeth Sterling, as Trustee. The CD was to be rolled over until Mary Ellen’s 18th birthday. The principal and interest to be used for her college education.

After payment of his last expenses and any outstanding debts, the balance of his estate to be placed in the fund for needy enlisted men in the Army Reserve center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and $1000.00 allotted for new recreational equipment for the enlisted reservists.

There was a sealed envelope addressed to the President of the Gardner National Bank in center city Philadelphia. The envelope contained keys to four large safe deposit boxes in the same bank and a letter of instructions. The safe deposit boxes were to be opened in the presence of the bank President, a Board member of the bank, and the attorney who had drawn up Colonel Leas’ last will and testament. The letter further explained how he had come into possession of the original $73,600.00 and his reasons for not turning it over to the bank or the police at that time.

The letter described his conversion of the cash into $20.00 gold pieces at $36.00 per gold piece. He instructed the bank officer to convert the gold back into cash after the first of January, 1980. He further instructed the bank to pay back the bonding company $73,600.00 plus interest from the date of payment.

By the time the furor had settled down and all the technicalities taken care of, it was well into January before the gold pieces were converted into cash. By some strange coincidence the exchange rate was over $800.00 per ounce, the highest rate it had ever been, on the day the bank converted the gold into cash.

After paying back the bonding company, as instructed, the bank ended up with a net gain of over $1,500,000.00 This unexpected windfall put the bank in a much stronger position and eliminated their need to merge with a larger bank.

A little dark-haired girl with dark brown eyes sat on the top step of her center city home and looked down at the gold coin suspended from a chain around her neck.

The battered old Indian’s face on the gold coin seemed to have a sardonic smile.

THE GOLD TALISMAN would protect its new owner today and for as long as it was worn.