The Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii) 1840-1841, 1841-01-23

"tor Heavens sake, be quick, man! |
would not have the bank close before this
mnney is paid Tor fifty dollars!' exclaimed
the merchant.
81 thought so, was the lock smiths grave
reply; but not being Il malicious or >lhdc-
tive man, and satisfied with thc punishment
already inflicted, he delayed no longcr, but
opened the chest, giving its owner tilnc to
seize the cash and reach the bank after IL ra-
pid flight, Il few minutes before it closed.
About month after this affair. the rhiIa-
deiphia bank was robbed OF CONS and notes
to the amount OF fifty thousand dollars. The
bars of window had been cut, and the vault
entered 50 ingcniously, that it was evident
that the burglar had possessed, besides dar-
inc courage, good deal Of mechanical skill
The police secured the city and country
round about, but no cine to the discovery of
the robbery could bc traced. Every body
who had any thing to lose, felt that daring
and ingenious tclons were abroad, who NIGH,
probably pay them Il visit; all were therefore
interested in their discovery and con, teton
Suspicion at length began to settle upon
Sparks. But yet his poverty and known IN
tcgrity seemed to q i've them the lie. The
story Of the iron chest, which the mcrchan,
had hitherto been ashamed and Amos too
torgiving to tell (tor the latter did not care
to set the town laughing even at the man
who had wrongcd him) now began to be nois-
ed abroad. The merchant, influenced by IA
vindictic spirit, had whispered it to the d.
rcctors of the bank, with sundry shrugs and
mucndocs, aAd of course it soon spread far
and wide, with all sorts Of exaggerated vari-
atoms and additions. Amos thought for
several days that some Of his ncighbors look
ed and acted rather oddly, and he missed
one or two who used to drop in and chat al
most every afternoons; but not suspcciing for
Il moment that there was any cause for alter
ed behavior, these matters made but s.inht
impression on his mind. In all such cases
the person most interested is the last to hear
dlsagrccablc news; and the first hint that the
locksmhh got of the universal suspicion, was
from the officer of the police who came with
a party OF constablcs to search his premises.
Astonshmcnt and grief were. of course. the
portion of Amos and his family for that day.
The first shock to a household who had de-
rived, even amidst their humble poverty.
much satisfaction from the possession of n
-''u h"'ilc--d property tncV Hau DCCn taught
to value above all earthly trcasurcs-mav
be easily conceived. 10 have dctraudcd u
ncighbor of siNpcncc would have been q
mcanncss no one of them would have been
guilty oi-but fifty thousand dollars! the inn
lncns.ty OF the sum seemed to cloth the Sis
piclon with a weight Of terror that nearly
pressed them to the earth. They clunc to
each other, with bruised and flnttcrcd shirts
while the search was proceeding, and it was
not until 1t was completed, and the officer
declared himself satisfied that there was none
OF the missing property on the premises. that
they began to rally and look calmly at the
circumstances which seemed for the moment
to menace the peace aud security they had
hitherto enjoyed.
"Chccr up, my darIings," said Amos
VINO was the first to recover the sobrictv of
thought that usually characterised him.
'chccr up! all will yet be well: it is limos
'lD'e that the unjust suspicion can long hover
about us. y life OF honesty and fair dco)inr
will not be without its reward; there was
perhaps something in my trade, ard the skill
which long practice had given me in it. that
naturally enough led the crcdulous. the
houg''tlc and perhaps the mischicvous. if
any such there be connected with this inoui-
y, to look towards Us. But the real authors
II 'h's outrage will probably be discovered
soon; tor maud so extensive will make all
parties Vipi!aut and If NOT vrhv ,L II,