New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-05-07

a
agreeable pursuits Many who follow it, see
nothing in it but lshor-Jhink Of nothing but It's
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 stuo
born locks of safes, and gloat upon the treasure
piled within; to quietly enter the apartments o.
ladies with more beauty than discretion 20 PICK
the locks Of drawers containing peacedesHoymg
missives, that the dangerous evidences OF wanuef-
inr Affection may not reach the eye OF husoand,
1 or father, in possession Of the missing key 70
force the fastenins Of cash boxes ana repositories
! of records telling Of men made suddenly rich, of
! oornorati9ns pluudered, Of orphans robbed, of
| homes crushed of families ruined. Is there no
/ charm in all this ?--no food for speculauon-n0
scope for the range of pleasant fancy? Then,
| who would not be a locksmith, though his face is
| hecrimmed with the SCOT of the forge, and his
| hands are stained with rustl
| But have story to tell--not exaetlY,a story,
either--for story implies the completion as we'll
as the beginning Of narratye-and mine is
scarcely more than the introduction to one. Let
him who deals in things of fancy write the rest.
In the spring of 1861 think it was April
opened little shopper Kearney street, and soon
worked myself into fair business, Late one
evening q lady, closely yelled, entered my shop,
and pulling from beneath cloak small japanned
box, requested me to open it. The lock was Gu
rously Constructed, and was all of an hour in fit
ting it with a key. The lady seemed nervous at
the delay, and at length requested to close the
/ door. Twas a little surprised at the suggestion
| but Of course complied, Shutting the door, ana
returning to my work, the lady withdrew her ven,
disclosing as sweeta face as well can be imagined
There was restlessness in the eye and pallor in
| the cheek, however, which plainly told OF heaft
/ ill at ease, and in moment every emeuonl Tor her
had given place 70 that OF pity.
/ g Perhaps you are not we'll, madam, ana lhe
night air is too chilly p? said rather inquisuyeiy
Il I felt rebuke in her reply e In requesting you
to close the door had no other object than 10 es
cape the attention of persons" -
4 work. She resumed: :" That little box contains
\ valuable papeTs-prigate papers-and nave lost
the key, or it has been stolen. | should notwish
4 to have you remember that i ever came mere on
such an errand, she continued, with some hesita-
ton, and giving me look which it was no difficult
/ matter to understand,
g Certainly, madam if you desire it. II I can
not forget your face VIII at least attempt to lose
/ the recollection of ever seeing it here.n
4 The lady bowed rather ooldy at what consid-
Il cred fine compliment, and proceeded with my
I work, satisfied that sudden discovered Partially
4 far me had nothing to do with the visit. Having
succeeded. after much filing and fitting, in turning
! the lock, l was seized with curiosity to get a
glimpse at the precious cantentss of the box and
suddenly raising the lid, discovered a bundle of
letters and daguerreotype, as | slowly passed
the box to its owner She seized it hurredly, and
/ placing the letters and picture in her pocket,
I locked the box, and drawing the veil over her
/ face, pointed to the door. l opened it. and as she
passed into the street she merely whispered, NJ Re-
particular in describing her visit to the shop to
render probable subsequent recognition.
About o'clock in the morning, in the latter
part of May following was awoke by gentle
| tap upon the window of the little room back of
the shop, in which lodged. Thinking Of burglars
/ sprang out of bed and in a moment was at the
/ window with q heavy hammer in my hand, which /
usually kept at that time within convenient reach
/ of my bedside.
q Who's there ~ I inquired raising the ham
ner. and peering out into the darkness-for it was
as dark as Egypt when under the curse of Israel's
Hist!p exclaimed a figure, stepping in front
| Of the window; open the door, have business
for you.
Rather past business hours, should say but
/ who are your
z No one that would harm youlp returned the
| voice, which imagined was rather feminine for
burglars.
I" Nor no one that eann I replied, rather en-
| phatealy, by way Of warning, as frightened my
grip upon the hammer, and proceeded to the door
! pushed back the bolt, and slowly opened the
door, discovered the stranger already upon the
steps.
T" What do you want?'' abruptly inquired.
:. will tell you answered the same soft voice
"ifyou dare open the door wide enough for me to
\ entern
Come in, said Iresolutely, throwing the door
! ajar, and proceeding tolight candle Having
4 succeeded ! turned to examine the visitor He
was small and neatly dressed gentleman with q
| heavy raglanaround his shoulders and blue navy
cap drawn suspiciously over the eyes. ASH adj.
yanced toward him, he seemed to hesitate mo
II ment, then raised.the cap from his forehead and
looked me curiosity in the face. Ibid not drop the
I candle, but acknowledge to a little nervousness
as hurriedly placed the light upon a table, and
silently proceeded to invest myself with two or
three very necessary articles of elothing AS the
J Lord lizeth, my visitor was lady, and the same
for whom had opened the little box about
month before! Having completed my hasty
toilette, I attempted to SKINNER an apology for
my rIrda mi MI cd I'M 4, 7
was e0nfounded.
Smiling at my discontinue she said
" Disguise Is useless; presume you recognize
"a believe told you, madam, / should not soon
forget your face. In what way can | serve you %
By doing half an hours work before daylight
tomorrow, and receiving five hundred dollars Tor
your labor, was the reply,
It is not ordinary work., said l. inauirinrIy
" that commands SO munifcent a eompensation.a
1t IS labor common 10 your calling y re.
turned the lady The pride is not so much for the
labor as the condition under which ii must be per.
formed
And what is the condition y, inquired
I That you will submit to being conveyed from
and returned to your own door hiindfeded,n
Ideas Of murder, burglary, and almost every
other crime to yillainy, now hurriedly presented
themselves IN succession, as politely bowed, and
said;
must understand something more Of the char.
acter Of the employment, well as the conditions
| to accept your ofier.n #
/ VIII not five hundred dollars answer in lieu Of
an explanatonn she inquired
No, nor five thousand"
She patted her foot neryousy on the floor. /
could see she had placed entirely too low an esti
mate on my honesty, and felt some qualification
in being able to convince her of the fact
We'll, then, if it is absolutely necessary for me
to EXPLAIN she replied II must tell you that YOU
are required to pick the lock of vault, and--5
lou have gone quite far enough, madam, with
the explanation interrupted lam notat your
service.n :
AS | said" she continued, You are required
to pick the lock of vault, and rescue from death
man who has been confined there for three
days"
TO whom does the vault belong ~ incurred
My husband" was the somewhat reluctant
reply:
trhen why so mhch secresy; or rather how
came man confined in such place ~
secreted him there, to escape the observation
o. my husband. He suspected as much, and closed
| the door upon him. Presenting he had left the
| vault and quilted the house by the back door.
/ did not dream until to-day that he was confined
mere. Certain suspicious acts of my husband this
afternoon convince me that the man is there. Be.
/ yond human hearing, and will be starved to death
| by my barbarous husband, unless iramediatelyres-
eued For three days he has not left the house
/ druggsd him less than an hour age and he ia
now 50 completely supplied that the lock NAV be
picked without his interference. have searched
his pockets but could not ind tie lev. Hence NV
application 70 yog,. Now YOU know all. VIII you
M -+baFnyd oF Az ,,+o.lI - .