Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-05-31
q Seleetea Shiny.
THE IRON VAULT.

live in San Francisco, and am lock-
smith by trade. My calling is a strange
one, and possesses certain fascination rem
dering it one of the most agreeable Of pur.
suits. Many who follow it, see nothing iD
it but labor-think of nothing but its returns
in gold and silver. To me it has other
charms than the money it produces | am
called upon, almost daily, to open doors
and peer into long neglected apartments !;
to spring the stubborn looks of safes, and
gloat upon the treasure piled within; to
quietly enter the apartments of ladies with
more beauty than discretion; to pick the
locks of drawers containing peace-destroy-
ing missives, that the dangerous evidences
of wandering affection may not reach the
eye of husband, or father in possession OF
the missing key; to force the fastenings of
cash boxes and repositories of records, tel
ling of men made suddenly rich, of corpo.
rations pluudered, or orphans robbed, OF
hopes crushed, of families ruined. Is there
no charm in all this mo food for specu.
lation-no scope for the range of pleasant
fancy? Then, who would not be lock-
smith, though his face is begrimmed with
the SCOT of the forge, and his hands are
stained with rust!
But 1 have a story to tell-not exactly
story, eitber-for story implies the CON-
pletion as we'll as the beginning of nara
tiye-and mine is scarcely more than the
introduction to one. Let him who deals in
things CT fancy, write the rest. ln the
spring of 1861 think it was in April
| opened little shop on Kearney street,
and soon worked myself into fair business,
Late one evening lady, closely yelled,
entered my shop, and pulling from beneath
q cloak small japanned box, requested
me to open it. The lock was curiously
constructed, and was all of an hour in
fitting 1t with q key. The lady seemed
nervous at the delay, and at length reques
ted me to close the door. was little
surprised at the suggestion, but of course
complied. Shutting the door, and return
ing to my work, the lady withdrew her
veil, disclosing as sweet face as can we'll
be imagined. There was restlessness in the
eve and a pallor in the cheek, however,
which plainly told of heart i'll at ease,
and in moment every emotion for her had
given place to that of pity.
"Perbaps you are not well, madame, and
the night air is too chilly?" said I rather
inquisitively.
I felt a rebuke in her reply: In request
ing YOU to close the door had no other
object than to escape the attention OF
persons"
did not reply, but tboughtfully contin-
ned my work She resumed: "That little
box contains valuable papers-priVate pa
pers-and I have lost the key, or 1t has
been stolen. I should not wish to have
YOU remember that I ever came here on
such an errand," she continued, with some
hesitation, and giving me look which 1t
was no difficult matter to understand.
"CertainIy, madam, if you desire it. If
cannot forget your face | will at least at
tempt to lose the recollection of ever seeing
it here"
The lady bowed rather coldly at what l
considered fine compliment, and l pro-
ceeded with my work, satisfied that sud-
den discovered partiality for me had moth
ing to do with the visit. Having succeeded,
after much filing and fitting in turning the
lock; was seized with curiosity to get q
glimpse at the precious contents of the box,
and suddenly raising the lid, discovered a
bundle of letters, and deguerreotype, as 1
slowly passed the box to its owner. She
seized it hurriedly, and placing the letters
and pictures in her pocket, looked the box,
and drawing the vail over her face, pointed
to the door. I opened it, and as she pas
sed into the street, she merely whispered
aRememberw We met again, and l have
been thus particular in describing her visit
to the shop to render probable subsequent
recognition.
About 2 o'clock in the morning, in the
latter part of May following, l was awoke
by gentle tap upon the window of the lit
tie room back of the shop, in which lodg-
ed. Thinking of burglars, I spraug out of
bed, and in a moment was at the window,
With heavy hammer in my hand, which l