Silas Bradford's Boy by Joseph C. Lincoln

For the next three or four days the interest of not only all Denboro, but all Ostable and Bayport and Harniss and Orham, centered about Mr. Christopher Trent and his bank. The threatened "run" became more than a threat, for a time it was an actuality and excited depositors stood in lines reaching to the sidewalk, brandishing passbooks and demanding their money. Then, as all claims were met, as usually happens in such cases the worst of the flurry subsided. But, among the wise ones, heads were still shaken and prophecies made that the troubles of the Ostable National were beginning, rather than ending.

-"Us Denboro directors were talkin' it over at our meetin' this mornin'," reported Abijah Bradford in conversation with his nephew, "and we all agreed that we wouldn't want to be in Chris Trent's shoes. There's bound to be examinations now, real ones, and if those other two notes and the concerns behind 'em are on the ragged edge Chris will have to dig deep in his own pocket, and his directors into theirs. I'd hate to have much of my money in Ostable Bank stock. By the way, Banks, there was more than one prayer of thanksgivin' put up at our meetin'. If that merger had gone through it would be the consolidated bank that would have to dig down and make good."