The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-11-29
The Stone Vault.

and so have habit of being exact about
dates am now within a few weeks of
seventy-fve. But as for being old, bless
you, I'm younger than the youngest clerk
Tom Codgers, who, what with late sup
pcrs and hard drinking, has hand that
shakes like those old ledger leaves blow
ing in the the wind by the open window
yonder.
Cold water, early hours, and temper
ance in all things, keep man hale his
life through. If you don't believe that,
look at me, I'm an example, sir. Yes,
I've seen changes here. The firm was
i" Morris, Grinby Il Bloom" when
came, though young Bloom died three
months after, and young Grinby was tax.
en- into partnership. We had a fire here
too, and the Office has been rebuilt on q
different plan. All, yes-changes enough
sad and pleasant; but the strangest and
saddest of all was what happened to poor
Ben Wade.
All, dear me. 1t did seem hard, very
hard, looking at it with human eyes, ant
forgetting, as we are apt to, that Goo
does everything for the best.
Perhaps you don't know bow this hous,
is built. It's an old place, although th'
front and offices are new and those grea
balustrades were only put up last year
Down below you can judge how very ol,
it is. Such a cellar, sir-such massiv,
walls, and all paved with stone and be
low the cellar small stone vault, whicl
Codger, who laughs at serious things, say
the old firm built to be buried in
My own opinion is, it was intended t.
conceal valuables, for it has great an,
plated door, and three locks, each fasten
ed with different key-that is, if the,
were ever fastened at all The vault wa
disused long before my time. Well, sill
| hadn't been here six months, when on
day, or rather one evening, for it wa
nearly siX-merchants kept later hour
in those days. had occasion to 20 dow
into the cellar before going home, to Civ
directions to the porter about some bale
to be sent up in the early morning mex
day
Mike and were Up at the north en-
of the cellar, where the bales were, and
was giving him my orders when at m
elbow, as it seemed, | heard an cd
sound-a kind of a Wheeling coug
smoothered in a momen.
| looked around, there was nobod
therc-not soul and | thought, ho'
our ears deceived us. to be sure, an
went on talking. But | give you m
word hadn't spoken three words whe
there was that sound again.
Nike said |, :" did you cough, jul
now?"
No, sir" said Mike, 81 thought you
honor did"
1t must be imagination, or SON
sound from the Office over head, | sal
but just then, ough-ough. We bot
heard it,
at is no good, yer honor sal
Mike.
"There's some one hiding in the cellar
said |.
So with Mixes lantern we went ov'
the great stone paved place, looking b
hind boxes and bales, and nnder the stel
and up the coal slide. But the vault,
heard it, this time very faint and strani
and called out to Mike.
"Who ever it is, is hidden in Il
vault"
And with that we both turned stat
ward, and bolted into Mr.. Grnby's Off
together. The old gentleman Grinl
senior. lie don't come to the Office on
year now, for he past ninety. D
r Mr.. Grinby was just locking his des
. and buttoning on his overcoat. |
b. stared at us through his glasses and eja
ulated.
E Bless me, Humphries, is the hou
on fire ?"
No, sir" said, "but there is some o
hidden in the stone yault."
Bah !" said Mr.. Grinby, 81 thong
you had more sense, Mr.. IIumphri
No one could possibly exist ten minu'
in the stone vault 1t is next thing
air-tight."
It's my belief, sir, that whoever it
may be choking to death, sir" | sal
"but there is some one there Mi
heard cough as well as L.
Very we'll" said Mr.. Grinby &c
the nearest constable, Mike. and-N
Morris, are you in your office" P'
haps you'll come down with us and ass
in the capture of a burglar Mr.. HUMP
ries has discovered in the air-tight ste
vault below the cellar"
He was very satirical SO was \
Morris. But we all went down togeth
H. the constable with us, and stopped befi
e. the stone vault. The door was shut
III tight that it took all Mikes strength
G. force it open. And Mr.. Grinby, look
So straight before him. shouted
., 4" Ha, ha, nobody, as | told you
" But the next minute he saw what
rest of us had already seen-a bundle
rags in one corner of the vault, down
d. the floor. And amidst the rags wal
n white face and thin hand and a bs
/" "r bruised and bleeding foot. And
er dragged out into such air as there was
the cellar a miserable wretch of lii
boy who seemed quite dead.
Up in the office, however, we b.
him to life, and got the story from h
y lie lived, it seems, amongst thieves
u, they had planned to rob us that night, ),
a, he, poor little midge,had slipped in sol
im how, and hidden in the cellar. to o.
the door for them, never thinking
ell one would come there that night.
W W But when Mike and went down
lily took to the vault, and there would b
ng smoothered but for my hearing him.
N, don't cara IN toll CON how NC -, 4,