The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-05-12

year now, for he's past ninety-old Mr..
Grinby was just locking his desk and
buttoning his overcoat. He stared at US
through his glasses and calculated:
BLESS me, Humphries, is The house on
fire p
No, SIR said /, 'but there is some one
hidden in the stone vault
Bah 7 said Mr. Grnby, 4 thought you
had more sense, Mr. Humphries. No
one could exist ten minutes in the stone
vault. 1t is the next thing to alright
Its my belief, sir, that whoever Il is,
may be choking TO death, SIR said but
there is some one there Mike heard a
cough as well as
very WE'LL said Mr. Grinby; scall the
nearest constable, Mike, and-Mr. Mor>
ris, are you in your Office, sir ?-Perhaps
you'll come down with US and assist in
the capture of a burglar, Mr.. Humphries
has discovered i'll the air-tight stone vault
in the cellar
He was very satirical so was Mr..
Morris. But we all went down together,
the constable with US, and stopped before
the stone vault. The door was shut so
tight that it took all Mikes strength TO
force il open. And Mr.. Grinby, looking
straight before him, shouted:
'fla--ha nobody, as | told you
But the next minute he saw what the
rest of US had already seen--a bundle of
rags in one corner Of the vault, down on
the floor, and amidst the rags was white
face and thin hand, and bare, bruised
and bleeding foot, and we dragged cut
into such air as there was in the cellar a
miserable wretch of little boy, who
seemed quite dead.
Up In the Ufiice, however, we brought
him to life, and got the story from him.
lie lived, it seems, among thieves, and
they had planned to rob US that night,
and he, poor little midge, had slipped in
somehow and hidden in the cellar, to open
the door for them, never thinking any
one would come there that night
But when Mike and ! went down he
took TO the vault, and there would have
! smOthered but for my hearing him. L
dent care TO tell you how we kept him
and filled the hoase with constables, who,
when the burglars came, pounced out
upon them, and took them into custody
lou can guess all that. It's the boy |
have to tell you about-poor Ben Wade
1t came out during the investigation con-
sequent upon the arrest, that the poor
child was kept among the thieves by force
and that they used him cruelty. Once a
ruiiian of the gang had broken his leg in
drunken fury, and he limped yet from
the injury. He was such pale, worn,
miserable thing, that every One felt mer-
cltul to him, and it was decided 10 pardon
him and send him to the poor house.
But that very morning GriDby, junior
"A young man--came into the Office
where his father sat and put his hand
upon his arm.
Father, says he, want to ask yon a
favor. | want my own way in one thing ;
Well said the old gentleman, 'let me
hear you
Il want to take young Ben Wade into
the house as an errand boy said young
Grinby.
Hey p said the old gentleman, 'what,
young house breaker All errand boy
Bless my soul y
Father, said young Grlnby, the boy
is naturally good boy. l like him, l
want to save him. Perhaps, if | had not
so good father to guide me and care for
me, | might have been worse than he.
don't ask you to trust him, sir. l only
ask leave to trust him myself am sure
he is deserving of confidence
Old Grinby took out his snuff box, and
looked at Mr. Morris.
I've noticed the lads eye it is good
one,' said Mr. Morris.
Its risk, said MIR. Grinby, 'but We'll
consider
And | suppose the result was what
young Grinby wanted, for little Ben Wade
came to US the next Monday.
Now that he was clean and whole, he
didn't look SO bad, and good food and no
abuse made difference in him in week.
In month 50 people stopped pre-
dieting that young Grinby would repent
some day, and in year l don't think
there was one in the office who didn't love
that 5oy-so grateful and trustworthy,
and so ready to do everything for every
one. Young Mr.. Grinby had him taught,
and well taught too. The lightning cal
culator might beat him, but l doubt it /;
and | never knew that lad to forget to dot
his is or cross his t's in all my acquaint-
ance with him, after he had learned tc
write at all.
At twenty he was one of the best clerks
in our establishment, besides being as fine
looking young fellow as one would wish
to see. On the whole i did not wonder
that Miss Lucy Evans took fancy tc
him-a sister, sir, of one of the young
fellows at our place, and a girl who looked
like queen, and as good as she was
handsome. 1 used to meet them walking
on the battery, where lovers used TO walk
in those days. He was SO fond and proud
OF her, and she bad such tender way o
looking at him, that they made my old
heart young again, as | often told Mrs.