The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-04-06
THE STONE VAULT.
IFrom the N. 0. Times.l

From the N. o. Times.]
Ilave been with Morris e. Grinby
five-and; thirty years come the first of
next month. l was forty when l came
here, and SOL have habit Of being
exact about dates-am now within a
few weeks Of seventy, five; but as for
being old, bless you, I'm younger than
the youngest clerk, Tom Codgers, who,
what with late suppers and hard drink
ing, has hand that shakes like those
old ledger leaves blowing in the wind
by the open window yonder.
Cold water, early hours, and temper
ence in all things, keep man half his
life through. Ifyou don't believe that,
look at me, I'm an example, sir. Yes,
rye seen changes here. The firm was
"Morris, Grinby g. Bloom" when ]
came, though young Bloom died three
months after, and young Grinby was
taken into partnership. We had Il fire,
here, too, and the offices have been re-
built on different plan. All, yes J
changes enough, sad and pleasant bat
the strangestand saddest ofall was what
happened to poor Ben Wade.
Alb, dear me. 1t did seem hard,
very hard, looking at it 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, al
though the front and Offices are new,
and these great balustrades, were only
put up last year. Down below you can
Judge how very old it is. Such cell
lar, sir-such massive walls, and all
paved with stone; aud below the eel
lar, a small stone vault, which Colgers,
who laughs.at serious things, says the
old firm built to be buried in. My own
Iopininn is, it was intended to conceal
valnables, for it has q great plated
door and three locks, each fastened
with different key-that is, if they
were ever fastened at all. The vaul
was disuscd long before my time
Well, sir, ! hadn't been here six months
when one day, or rather one evening
: for it was nearly six merchants KEEP
later hours in those days-l had coca
sion to 20 down into the cellar befor
going home, to give directions to tn
porter about some bales tn be sent u
J in the early morning next day.
Mike and l were up at the north en-
:. of the cellar, where the bales wer.
and / was giving him my orders, whe
at my elbow, heard an odd sound
: kind OF wheeling cough smothered in
moment.
Hooked around, there was nobod
there-not soul; and l thought, no
our ears deceive us, to be sure, al
went on talking. But, I give you N
" word, / hadn't spoken three wor'
when there was that sound again.
, qnite startled me.
''Mike," said I, "did you cough ~
"No, sir" said Mike, 81 thought yo
honor did"
sit must be imagination, or sol
: sound from tie Office overhead, )" sa
a but just then ough-ough. We be
heard it.
"It's no good, yer honor" said Nil
E, "There's some one hiding III the C
lar,7 said I.
Ms So with Mikes lantern, we wento'
. IS. the great stone paved place, look
the behind boxes and bales, and under
or steps, and up the coal slide. But
W soul did we find, until, passing
door of the vault, | heard it this ii
lho very faint and strange, and called
= to Mike.
"Who ever it is, is hidden in
q vault.n
-, And with that we both turned st
ward, and bolted into Mr.. Grinby's
fee together. The old gentlen
Grinby, Sr. He don't come to the
ms flee once a year now, for he's
eed ninety. Old Mr.. Grinby was just !
aree ing his desk and buttoning his 0
coat. He stared at us through
glasses and calculated.
rBless me, Hnmphries, is the Ii
on fre?''
lei "No, sir,r said I, "bnt there is
one hidden in the stone vault" s
lhs nBahv' said Mr.. Gtinby, II the
. you had more sense, Mr. Humphri
ANS mo one could exist ten minutes i