The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-11-26

their burglars were in use, and couldn't
be spared of the premises. Very good /;
but supposing were to send the safe up
to the burglar to while away few hours
ofhs leisure at a cOngenial pursuit mo.
He didn't see that he could; it would be
against the rules; besides which, their
burglars had become 80 reformed by at
tenfion to the ministrations of the chap
lain, that it was exceedingly doubtful il
they would be willing to return to sinful
ways, such as breaking open safes, lest il
might show a worldly spirit that would
interfere with their tickets-ofleave; and
then. again, there were no burglars tools
in the Jail.
/ "Ill tell you what, though" he said,
after a bit; II dare say l could find you q
ticket-of-leave man who would do it.
They report themselves to US at stated in.
tervals, so that we always know where to
find them. Indeed, / think I know Just
the very man. and will send him to you"
One evening in the twilight, about q
week afterwards, our servant came in, in
some alarm, to say that two very ill-look.
ing men were at the back door, who said
they had "come to crack the gov'nor's
money box" They were not nice looking
men. One of them, great brawny ruffian,
with head and neck like q bull, and &
wisp of colored handkerchief over shirt
less chest, hairy as Esau's, gave me stolid
nod when / went out.
I" The boss up at the Model" he said,
pointing with his thumb over his shoulder
in the direction of the jail, "asked me il
so be as would oblige you by crackin' a
little bit of box you've got You see,
goy'nor, l ai'nt any tools O. my own, 80
I've brought pal who's got his 'Lady's
Companion with him, to do the job" in
dicating his friend, who carried parcel
of tools done up in mating. should say
he was not nice man to have for friend
"a spare, short, cunning little fellow, with
restless eyes; face that gave you the inn
preston Of a weazel's; and thin nose,
with acontinual nervous twitching in the
nostrils, like a rabbits, as though he was
an animal always on the scent for game or
hunters, which perhaps he was His name
was Toney.
l brought them in, and pointing out the
safe, asked if they thought they could open
it.
"Opm it !" repeated Toney, with ineffa-
BILE contempt, "why kid could open it
with pen-nive! It's one of them Unim-
peachables, Bill" he said to his mate /;
ayou remember 'em; like what we had
at" (some name couldn't catch.
"Why, l could blow it open it with an
ounce of baccer in a quarter of an hour. ="
aWell," said, 81 would give you five
shillings to open it"
"Would you, be-gar" growled the big
man. sour terms is 'arf a suv'rin'-me
and Toney-and two pots of beer, and
two ounces of baccer; and then it's ia
vor, on account of our doin' it to oblige
the boss. And we amt a-going to do it
here, un'stan'; but if you've got e'er bit
of a clubhouse out at the back, where We
can be private, we'll do the job there on
the quiet"
was obliged to accede to their terms
(indeed they were both persons l would
not have had difference with for the
world). So they carried the safe into the
tool house in the garden, where l supplied
them with the quantity of ale and tobacco
agreed on, and they shut themselves in.
"It's only cas-. for the alderman,
Bill" heard the little man remark as
left them.
In twenty-five minutes, by my watch,
the bull headed man came and told me it
was done. "Not that.we've been all this
time about it though, guv'nor, for Toney
he prised it open in five minutes, as easy
as a oyster, but we've been settin' and
doin' a quiet pipe together.
They certainly had opened it, not by
picking the lock, as Anticipated, but by
wrenching off the back, 50 that the safe
was completely destroyed. They had
drilled two holes in tie back-plate, 70 al
low of inserting two Immensely powerful
Steel crowbars in such position that the
leverage of the two bars would tell one
against the other, and wrench out the in
termediate piece. From the appearance
Of the holes and the smell in the clubhouse,
Judged the men had previously lowered
the temper of the steel back with blow
pipe in the places where they intended to
drill. / felt disposed to be angry at the
destruction of the safe, and was going to
say 50, when Toney pointed out dirty
roll of papers lying inside. took them
out, unrolled them, and forgot my wrath
Immediately. A prize indeed! Fifty
share certificates, each for twenty pounds,
in the Undeniable Security and Unlim-
tied Discount Banking Corporation
Oimited);" Offices Lud street, city. I
paid off my two burglars with light
heart, and returning to the house, believe
l danced q variance of triumph round
Mrs. T., exhibiting thousand pounds
worth Of property, which had cost me but
three.
"There," said /, "that's the good of 60
ing to sales!"
"Well, but, John, these shares are not
yours"
"But they are" retorted. II bought
he m, and they are to Bearer, and no
name on them to indicate whose they are"
"But had you not better see the auc-
tioneer, and tell him what you have
foundg"
"Why, NJ bought the lot, faults and
errors of dt cription, and all and it is as
much mine IS if had paid a thousand
pounds for :"
"Yes; ut some poor man may be
ruined by le loss of these shares"
WELL" sid /, what will do will be
to go up 10 London, to the company's
offices, and ascertain whether these certifi-
Gates are claimed on behalf of any one
else, and if not, to claim them for my
self"
found the offices of the "Undeniable
Security and Unlimited Discount Banking
Corporation UimltedJ" most imposing
edifce Of Italian architecture, and inn.
mense plate-glass windows, and Purbeck-
marble columns, and the name of
the company in MEDIEVAL gold let
tiers, ru1ning the whole length of
the building. Evidently very pros
perots concern. On entering there
was not that amount OF business doing
which should have liked to see; in fact,
beySnd two clerks-One of whom was
parhg his nails with the Office pen-knlfe,
while the other, and more elderly, was
reading the newspaper-the place was
emDty. l stood quite five minutes at the
massive Spanish mahogany counter ap-
without either of the clerks be-
coming officially aware of my presence, so
intent were they on their duties. l there
FIRE raped on the floor with my umbrella,
which made great noise in the empty
office, which was church like for size and
echoes. The elder clerk looked up impa-
tiently from his paper, but resumed its
perusal Immediately. The younger got
1ff his stool. and went to looking glass,
where he commenced arranging his hair
with a pocket comb.
az have called" remarked in some
What bud tone, "about SOME shares in
his company, the certificates of which 1
hold"
"Eh?" said the old clerk, at last detect
ng my intrusion.
I repeated my business.
Certificates Nos. 2034 to 90SS, they
ire in my possession; in fact, bought
hem,
Well, what do you want: Do you
wish them registered in your namef Simp-
,on," to the young clerk), "get down the
ransEr- book"