The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-09-24
MISCELLANY.
An Adventure with Robbers.

One dark night in the latter part o
November, as | was examining some new.
ly arrived packages of fancy paper in the
lower story of our warehouse, | thought
heard slight noise in my vicinity; but
ms | was alone, and the wind outside was
mourniully sighing, | thought that it was
merely fancy, and so | aTplie myself
again TO my Labor with increased dill
gonce. But in the stiffness of the room,
all alone as | was, the other clerks being
for the mos, part in the third story in
speciing new invoice of goods, | must
confess that felt little suspicious, and
thoughts of what | would do, should | be
attacked by robbers, or suddenly placed
in any emergency, began TO pass through
my mind, but | soon forgot them, and
my whole heart was absorbed in my busi-
ness. As reached to get another pack.
age Of paper | felt almost sure that !
heard some one whispering aside, and
scarcely had / turned to see from whence
the noise proceeded. before saw the head
of Il person protudhg but for an instant
from behind IA large bale Of paper, and it
was Instantly Withdrawn. AT first for II
moment was tranlixed, and the next
minute rushed to the sound conductors
! which led up to the different rooms
above. In my hurry and agitation l
eraSped the wrong one, and, as was GUS
tomary, whistled, bnt almost instantly
discovering my mistake turned to the
at h,t l., ,l,I hat I
could not have time open it before
was IN the han Is of two ugly looking ruf.
fans.
The speaking tubes were SO constructed
that by pushing back an air valve an
opening was made, and AZ sJon as per.
son had finished speaking, 10y letting 20
1i Il small lever the valve would spring
back and close the tube; AMI it was in
opening the tube that my trembling fin
gers refused to perform their thor. 50
that rs Il consequence was now in the
hands of these two blool-thirSty robbers
My heart beat wildly, and cndravorcd
in vain TO rrprcsS mys,lf, while the two
began TO gag and bind me Finally, thus
being completed, they threw me on some
bundles of paper, and one OF them began
To "take Il Look rs lie said, sat the pros
poets"
Finally he returned and cautioninc
me TO make no noise. or | was "a dead
man," they proceeded t. remove the gag
from my mouth, and began to qucsti, n
me IN regard to the Location and condi
ton of the sale and surroundings. tried
to mi>lea1 them as mncli as possible, but
hy some means they la become cogni
z,nl oi the fact that hal the power to
unlock the safe and get AT its contents,
80 that although | eLdeavored TO IN Ike
thcm believe the contrary, my cnlcavurs
were in vain
They finally misunderstanding warm
over my ob-tinncy,-that shonld stay
there until midnight, and then rclusng t,
obey them, if dared, see what lh,
consequences would be; | well knew from
their ugly looks, that there was hut little
hope for me, and rs they sat brrie me,
began TO think of the hest means t, escape
from my captors- When had at first
whitsled through the tube | saw that their
faces expressed traI but when they found
no answer returned they felt sure that all
was right and they informed me that il
any one answcrd my call through the tube
| should he compelled with their pistols
at my head, to stand AMI answer that it
was mistake, and that | wanted moth
ing. Oh how | blamed my limility
my nervousness How [ wished that |
had seized the right tube should at
least then have had Il chance TO escape
but now all hope was gone.
AS the dio sat conversing together
tried to imagine how the two had gained
an entrance TO the buiding, and as | was
cautiously turning my eyes around the
room, they rested uprn the paper which
bad been inspecting; ah here was a
solution. While we were getting the
paper in, they had crept down the sile-
walk enterance and concealed themselves
among the bales, waiting for darkness, SO
that they conl begin their nefarious OPP
crations.
All the time that we sat there, | kept
revolving in my mind every mode of es-
cape, practicable or impractiaple. and could
not help blaming myself for not tel ling
the up stairs clerks that I was going
down Stairs to sort the paper. The only
reason why | did dot do so was, that
wished to finish up the business, and in
the morning surprise my employer, when
he shonld enquire about the paper, by
telling him that il was all assorted, ar
Ranged &C; consequently no one knew
that | was way down in the lower room
sorting paper, and none suspected it,
hence | had little hope To expect any aid
from the clerks, or IN fact, from any one
but myself. While | was thinking of
these things, revolving the whole mat
ter in my mind, | preserved with a faint
spark of hope, that in opening the speak
ing tupe which had first used the spring
had not worked, else it had caught and
was siil open.
But when thought it all ove", hope
deserted me-ihat tube did not lead to
any room that was being used at this
hour, and even if any one should happen
TO be IN the room, they could not hear
the Whispering that was going on, unless
their end was open, and that was entire
ly unlikely why should any one open it,
unless they had heard my signals No!