Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-07-28
S,lrlte0 Mi5ftllann.
THE STONE VAULT.

and-thirty years come the first OF next
onth | was forty when came here and
SC have a habit of being exact about dates !
and am now within few weeks OF seventy
five. But US for being old, bless you, I'm
younger than the youngest clerk, ION Goa,
gers, who, what with ate suppcrs aud hard
q rinking, has hand that shakes like those
old ledger leaves blowing in the wind by
the open window yonder.
Cold water, early hours, and temperance
in all things, keep man hale his HE
through. Ii you don't believe that, look
at me, I'm an example, sir Yes, I've seen
changes here. The firm was "Alorris, Grin
by & Bloom" when | came, though young
Bloom died three months after the young
Grinby was taken into partnership. We
had fire here. too, and the Offices have
rebuilt on n different plan. All, yes
changes enough, sad and pleasant; but the
strangest and saddest of all WAS what hap.
pcned to poor Ben. Wade.
All, dear me. 1t did seem hard, looking
ut 1t with human eyes, and forgetting, as
We are apt to, that God does everything
for the best.
Perhaps you don't know how this house
is built. It's an old place, although the
front and offices are new, and those great
balustrades were only put up last year
Down below you can judge how very old it
la. Such a cellar sir--suoh massive walls,
paved with sto ., and below the
cellar il small stone vault, which Cod
gers, who laughs at serious things, says the
old firm built to be buried in. My own
opinion il. it was intended to conceal valu-
ab,es, for it has CRATE and painted door,
md the looks each fastened with differ
nt key that is if they were ever fastened
at all. The vault WAS disused long before
my time. Well, sir, hadn't been here six
months, when one day, or rather one eve
ming, for it WAS nearly six merchants kept
later hours in those daysI had occasion
TO 90 down into the cellar before going
home, to give directions to the porter about
some balls to DO sent up in the early morn
ing next day,
Mike and l we're up at the north end of
The cellar, where the bales were, and was
giving him my orders, when at my elbow,
AZ il seemed, | heard an odd sound a
kind of wheeling cough smothered in Il
moment.
| looked around; there was nobody there
not soul and / thought: How our
ears deceive U.S. to be sure, and went on
talking. But, give you my word, | hadn't
spoken three words when there was that
sound again, 1t quite started me,
Mike" said |, "dld you cough2"
"No sir, said Mike, Il thought your
honor did"
1T must be imagination or some sound
from the Office overhead but Just then.
ough-ough. We both heard it.
"It's no good. your honor said Mike
There's some one hiding In the cellar,
said /.
So, with Mikes lantern. we went over
the great stone-payed place, looking be-
hind boxes aud bales, and under the steps
and Mp the coal slide. But not soul did
We find until, passing the door OF the vault,
heard it this time very faint and strange
and called out to Mike;
Whoever il is, is hidden in the vault. -
And with that we both turned stairward
and hoted into Mr. Grlnby's Office togeth-
or the old gentleman, Grinby senior He
don't come to the Office once year now,
for he's past ninety. Old Mr.. Grinby was
Just locking his desk and huttou,ng his
overcast He stared AT us through his
glasses and calculated.
Bless me, HUMPHREYS, is the house on
fire.
mo sir, said |, "bGt there's some one
hidden IN the stone vault
BAH" said Mr.. Grizzly, II thought you
had better sense, Mr. HUMPHREYS, Noone
could exist ten minutes in the stone vault
Ii is the next thing to alright"
1T IS my belief sir, that whoever il is
may be choking to death, sir, saidl; "hut
there may be some one there Mise heard
\ cough AS well rs !,
Very we'll, said Mr.. Grinby; .'call the
nearest constable, Mike, and Mr. Morris
are You IN your office, sir Perhaps you'll
come down with us and assist in the cap
ture of n burglar Mr. Mumphries has dis
covered in the alright vault below the
cellar
He was very satirical SO was Mr. Norris.
But we all went down together the con-
stable with us. and stopped before the
stone vault The door was Shul SO tight
That il took sll Mikes strength 70 iorce ID
open. Aud Mr. Gr'uby, looking Sta'gh,
before him, shouted:
"Ha, la, nobody, rs told YOU
But the next minute he saw what the rest
Of Us had already seen "a bundle Of rags N
one corner OF the vault, down on the door.
And amlds. the rags was white isee and
thin hand, and bare, bruised and bleed
ing foot Aud We dragged ont into such
air rs there was in the cellar a miserable
wretch OF a little boy VINO seemed tobe
quite dead,
Up in tine Office. however we brogsL.
hun TO HE, aad got the story from him
BE lived it seems, amongst thieves, and
they had planned q rob Us that nigga. ana
be, poor little nudge, had slipped II some.
how, and hidden IN the cellar % GreL the
door for them, never thinking anyone would
come there that night.