The bill should be presented by the holder or his agent to the drawee personally, or to some one designated by him, and a diligent attempt should be made to find him.1 But a presentment at the place of business or counting-room of a merchant to one of the clerks where the merchant was not in was held to be sufficient,2 and the absence of the drawee from home need not be treated as a refusal to accept.3 "While the presentment should be personal or at the drawee's place of business or residence, the inclosure of the draft in a letter to the drawee with the receipt of an answer refusing to accept is sufficient.4 There is no absolute rule as to exhibiting the bill by the person presenting it. It is sufficient that the person has the bill ready to present if it should be demanded.5 Should the drawee be temporarily absent the bill may be held without protesting for a reasonable time to await his return.6 No rule can be given for the time within which a bill must be presented for acceptance, except that it should be presented within a reasonable time7 and before maturity.8

5 Hall v. Cordell, 142 U. S. 116; Coghlan v. So. Car. R Co., 142 U. S. 101; Barney v. Newcomb, 9 Cush. 46. Contra, Russell v. Wiggan, 2 Story, 213.

6 Exchange Bank v. Hubbard, 62 Fed. R 112, 26 U. S. App. 133; Scott v. Pilkington, 15 Abb. Pr. 280. It seems impossible to reconcile these cases with those in note 5, supra.

1 Wiseman v. Chiappela, 23 How. 368; Sharpe v. Drew, 9 Ind. 281.

2 Whaley v. Houston, 12 La. Ann. 585; Stainback v. Bank of Virginia, 11 Gratt. 260.

3 Bank of Washington v. Triplett, 1 Pet. 35. Absence from his place of business can be so treated. Wiseman v. Chiappela, 23 How. 368.

4 Carmichael v. Pennsylvania Bank, 4 How. (Miss.) 567.

5 First Nat Bank v. Hatch, 78 Mo. 13; Fisher v. Beckwith, 19 Vt, 31.

6 Wiseman v. Chiappela, 23 How. 368.

7 Fugett v. Nixon, 44 Ma 295; Salisbury v. Renick, 44 Mo. 554; Lin-ville v. Welch, 29 Mo. 203.

8 Bachellor v. Priest, 12 Pick. 399. Compare Prescott Bank v. Courly,

"What is a reasonable time must depend wholly upon circumstances.9 But bills payable at sight or after sight may be negotiated and put into the usual channels of trade, and so long as they are not held by any holder an unreasonable length of time the drawers will not be released where the bill is protested for non-acceptance.10 The sections upon presentment for payment should be compared with this.