The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-11-12

English bank notes as packing paper.
The contents of the box were estimated
a. worth about $4,000. The whole came
to Us from England as bequest Of heir
looms from Miss Starks to niece IN Illi-
nois Miss Hattie Starks. We had it six
months before We could ascertsin where
the devisee lived. Meanwhile discovery
was made which just saved the precious
relics of the maiden aunt from mysteri-
GUS disappearance, and brought upon the
stage an individual who came very near to
playing the character Of villain to perfec-
ton.
Mr.. Roderic Murtagh was janitor of
our great building. He seemed remarka-
BILE principally because of his height
about four feet eight inches his weight
say one hundred and thirty pounds
the gravity Of his thin wrinkled Mce; his
little eyes-like black beads; his jerkiness
of speech; his nervous starts at the open
ing and shutting of door his rapidity
of action, and, last but not least, his wife.
The two were new w-comers-the old janitor
having suddenly and Unexpectedly fallen
heir to q slip of real estate in q cemetery
of which he had gone to take permanent
possession, leaving the salary and emolu-
ments of his position to an unnamed sue
cessof. We kept our legacy IN the Office
safe, and the janitor on the fifth floor of
the building, where, IN nicely furnished
rooms, he seemed to amuse himself at odd
times by standing as q target for, spare
crockery, skillfuily SHE'D BY ponderous
Mrs Murtagh, who was great in those
physical traits wherein her husband was
small. Her noted failing was weakness
for the bottle-an error in weaning-upon
which, as human pump, she operated
with extraordinary powers Of suction.
She was red-faced, fat, neat as women usu-
ally are, but with devil dancing cOntin-
uaIly in her eyes that spoiled her other
wise motherly appearance. fused to meet
her and her shaggy rat dog on the stairs,
and it was . fortnight, / think, before l
knew whom she was, and where she dwelt.
/ write thus particularly of this couple be-
cause, in cunning way, they compassed
my downfall, old and trusted as was.
Which of the two was the planner of the
scheme was never known. DIT -
/ made Mr. Murtagh' 8 intimate acquaint-
ance under very peculiar circumstances
had seen the man skipping hither and
thither in his duties as off1ce-cleaner, and
thought him shy, Insignificant creature,
sensitive as to his size, and shrinking
from observation and talk, beaten by his
wife into pitiable slavishnesa, and harm
less as lamb. Returning from the thea
ter late one night saw a light in the Of
fee. 1t shone dimly through the yellow
shades, which, against our habit, were
drawn down. I was very much sur
prised at this, for Mr.. Crounse was
out of town, and 1 had just said good
night to Mr. Scott at the theater, and the
janitor should have finished his work at
least five hours previously. 1t was barely
possible that Mr.. Scott had gone up, pass
ing me unseen while I was talking with
friend at the corner. My surprise in q
moment gave way to alarm, when !
thought OF the legacy buried in the safe,
of which alone carried the key. This
legacy had worried me and broken my
sleep for many a night, being, 30 to speak,
under my sole care. ran up stairs very
lightly, hearing no sound save the patter
Of the feet of frightened rats scampering
across and up and down the dimly lighted
halls, and tried to open the door of the
front Office. 1t was locked. At the same
instant heard q sound of violent sweep.
ing within. 1t ceased when l pounded
the door: the bolts clicked back into their
places, the door was swung cautiously
open, and through cloud Of strngling
dust espied the janitor.{ ~ .@iriE1
"Your works late tonight, Murtagh
I said, gasping.
ayes, sir. was down with a fever al
day and couldn't finish up as early a
usual. Better 60 into the back-room, sir
I'm through there.
"Noi Il doesn't matter. Isaw the lighi
and only came up to see what was going
on" replied, CROPPING through the dust
toward the safe.
HYes, sir! Am sorry I was late abou,
the Office"
40, never mind It's all right" Bu'
the words were hardly off my lips when
| saw that the safe doors were not tightly
closed. My heart gave one wilt
lump of fright. He must have been close
iy watching me, for on the instant b.
stepped forward.
Beg pardon, SIR found these, key
on the floor by your desk, a little Will,
| ago, and was afraid they were important.
He never looked into my face as he hel(
out the keys among which saw those o
the safe, and his hand shook violently a
| / took them from him. He turned away
and continued his work without another
word. a'h- "-A
1t seemed to me then, and does now, as
ercsllthe placeand circumstance, that wa
never before 30 utterly surprised by any
happening as by this one. would hav'
taken my oath, as strong q 1t could b.
| worded, that 1 had carefully locked tn
safe that night, as was my habit, just be
fore leaving the Office, What them T'ha
had set down in the huge arm chair ant
read the evening paper for lew minutes
And after thats had do7cd seven min
utes by the clock, then got up, once NOR
tried the safe, knew it was locked, ant
went out of the Office and locked it. Nov
the safe was open. Iswung back Its doors
Everything seemed secure, unsoucneo
The inner compartment, where the legac.
and other vsluables were kept, was close
and its contents safe, was perplexed ee
yond expression. How did Murtagh Oh
tain those keys! At first could only m
swer the question by supposing that the.
had dropped from my pocket upon tn
floor while I was napping. But that Oh
4 not explain why the safe door was open
! when / knew I had locked it In m
mind then decided the matter. While
was meditating, the janitor, watching m
closely and furtiyely all the time, lahore
Wildly, WletuiuS His DrOOm ucrCtly, uAnh
/. ing q great deal of noise and little whir
i vind Of dust This manner Of labor wa
unnatural to him. Suddenly, resdy 10 d.
mart he had his hand on the knob. Ever
mot3on now seemed to indicate his anxiet
to ret avay from me. / stepped betwce
him and the door, and pushed him away
:" what does this meany" he demanded
with an oath, his whole body tremblin
with fury.
"You opened that safe" l said, yer
quietly but determinedly.
, "You lie, them" he shouted, dancin
about in his anger.
When ths little viper said that too
hold of and shook him-shook him nal
: 80 that he winked his eyes quickly an
opened and shut his mouth like fsh o.
OF water. / think it rather surprised M
, to find how light and small he was
"You opened that safein repeate
sand you picked my pocket of tho keys
/ charged him with this because the ke,
4 being in my trowsers pocket could n
0 drop out unless was held up by the hee
o and also because the inner safe key-tl
t one belonging to the strong box-w
taken from the ring where it was alwa