Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-10-18
An Adventure with Robbers.

OHO uesi uiSut III Iuc ldttef pdrC
of November, as l was examining
some newly arrived packages of fancy
paper in the lower story of our ware
house, | thought l heard slight
noise in my vicinity: but as l was
alone, and the wind outside was
mournfnlly signing, l thought it was
merely fancy, and so l applied my
self again to my labor with increased
diligence. But in the stillnes of the
room, all alone as l was, the other
clerks being for the most part in the
third story inspecting a new invoice
of goods, | must confess that l felt
a little suspicious, and thoughts of
what | would do, should l 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
business. AS l reached to get an
other package of paper, felt almost
sure that heard some one whisper
ing aside, and scarcely had l turned
to see from whence the noise proceed
ed, before | saw the head of person
prOtruding but for an instant from
behind large bale of paper, and it
was instantly withdrawn. At first,
for moment, | was transfxed, and
the next minute l rushed to the sound
conductors which led up to the differ
ent rooms above. In my hurry and
agitation | grasped the wrong one,
and, as was customary, whistled, but
almost instantly discovering my mis-
take | turned to the other; but my
hands trembled so that | could not
have time to open it before | was in
the hands Of two ugly looking ruffians.
The speaking tubes were so con-
structed that by pushing back an air
valve an opening was made, and as
soon as a person had finished speak
ing, by letting 60 of small lever the
valve would spring back and close
the tube; and it was in opening the
tube that my trembling fingers re
fused to perform their labor, so that
as a consequence | was now in the
hands of these two blood-thirsty rob.
bers. My heart beat wildly, and |
\ endeavOred in vain to repress myself
{ while the two began to gag and bind
, me. Finally, this being completed
they threw me on some bundles of
: paper, and one of them began to
!: take look" as he said, at the ''pros
/ poets"
4 Finally he returned, and cautioning
!, me to make no noise, or | was "a
: dead man." they proceeded to remove
r the gag from my mouth, and began
b to question me in regard to the lOca
t ton and condition of the safe anC
$ surroundings. | tried to miSlead
9 them as much as possible, but by
some means they had become cogni
zant of the fact that had the power
to unlock the safe and get at its con
tents, so that although | endeavoreC
to make them believe the contrary
my endeavors were in vain.
They finally declared--waxins
warm over my obstinacy-that
should stay there until midnight, anC
then refusing to obey them, if
dared, see what the consequences
would be; | we'll knew from theil
ugly looks, that there was but littl,
hope for ne, and as they sat beside
me, l began to think of the bes
means of escape from my captors
= When had at first whistled through
the tube | saw that their faces eX
IL pressed fear; but when they found nj
answer returned, they felt sure tina
all was right, and they informed M
n that if any one answered my cal
g through the tube, | should be com
j. PEELED with their pistols at my head
+ to stand and answer that it was ;
mistake, and that | wanted nothing
~ Oh. how | blamed my timidity IN,
nervousness ! How | wished that
r had seized the right tube; | shOul'
y at least have had chance to escape
4 but now all hope was gone.
AS the two sat converSing together
s. | tried to imagine how they ha,
N gained an entrance to the building
a. and as | was cautiously turning IN,
"a eyes around the room, they reste'
Is upon the paper which | had been in
IN specting; ah ! here was a solution
c, While we were getting the paper il
l; they had crept down the sidewalk Ell
= trance and concealed themselve
is among the bales. waiting for darkness
If so that they could begin their nefar
Gus operations.
lie All the time that we sat there,
b. kept resolving in my mind ever
/; mode of escape, practicable or in
II practicable, and could not help blan
In ing myself for not telling the up stair
a clerks that | was going down stair
d. to sort the paper. The only reaso
s, why | did not do so, was, that | wishe
VS. to finish up the business, and in tn
d, morning surprise my employer, whe
is he should enquire about the paper
If 10y telling him that it was all assor1
ed, arranged, &C.; consequently n
II. one knew that was. away down i
- the lower room, sorting paper, an
d, none suspected it, hence had littl
TO hope to expect any aid from tn
~ clerks, or in fact, from any one bu
Te myself. While | was thinking o.
er these things, revolving the whol
matter in my mind: | perceived wit
a faint spark of hope, that In openin
n the speaking tube which | had at firs
81 used, the spring had not worked, els
it had caught and was still open.
81 But when thought it all over, hop
I.@..