New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-11-05
THE STONE VAULT.

- ] have Q ho0lC OF Oolng exact A0Ol
dates; am now within . few weeks of 70
eaty-6ve. But - foe being old. bless 70
Tn younger than the youngest clerk, To-
hard drinking, has . hand that shakes lii
those old ledger leaves blowing in the win
BY the open window y0nder.
Cold water, early hours, and temperate
in Ill things, keep D man hale his Ii
through. II you don't believe that, look ,
me- I'm IN example, sir. Yes, I've Gee
chaneea here. The firm was Morris, Girl
BY & Bloom" when came, though youn
No0D died three months after, and youn
0rinby was taken into partnership. W
had . hre here. too, and the Offices hsv
been rebuilt On . different plan. Al, yes
changes enough, sd and pleasant; bat th
pened to poor Ben Wade.
All, dear me. 1t did seem hard, yer,
lard, locking at it with huoan eyes, an
3ogxetting, % We are apt to. that God doe
everything for the best ...
z PesAaps you don't know how this hous
il built. II 10 an old place, although til
front oad Offices are new; those great balua
trades were only put up last year. Dow
below Won can judge how very old it i
S1oh . cellar, sir, such massive walls, AMI
Ill paved with stone; and below tho celia
-
1aughs at serious thingg. says tho old Arn
built to b buried in. Ny own opinion il i
was intended to conee0 valuebles, for i
- great and plated door and three locks
eaoA fastened With . different key-thst is
II they were fasteaed at all The vault va
disused long before my time. Well, cir,
hadn't been here nix months when, one day
Or rather one evening, for II was nearly six
1erchants kept later hours In those days
bad occasion to 60 down into the cellar
before going home TO give directions to th(
peetee about some bales to be sent up in the
early morning next day.
~ cellar, where the bales were, and l wa
giving him my orders, when, ct my elbow
9 IL seemed, Ihesrd sounds kind Of
Wheeling cough smothered In moment
I looked around, there was nobody
fhere-not . soul; and thought, now oul
ears deceived W, 70 be sure, and went on
talking. But give to you my word,
hadn't spoken three words when there was
that sound again. It quite startled me.
mike, said l. did you coughi"
mo, cir" said Nike II thought yer
ut must be imagination, or some sound
from the Office overhead" said, but Just
then, ough-Ough. We both heard it.
ITS no good, yer honor" said Mike.
There's some one hiding in the cellar"
..- g Nth Nikes laatszn ne vent over, the
great stOne-paved place, looking behind
boxes and bales, and under the steps and
up the coal aide. But not q soul did We
1ad, until passing the door Of the vault,
heard it, this time very faint and strange,
and called out to Mike.
"WhOever it is, IL hidden in the vaulr."
And 9TH that hn<1, svrrs.n1 .<>s~w,..l
and bolted into Mr.. Grinby' Office together.
Tho old gentleman, Grinby Senior. He
don't como to the Office once year now, for
he's past ninety. Old Mr.. Grinby was Just
locking his desk and buttoning his overc0st.
He ' stared r. us through his glasses and
"Bless me, HUMPHREYS, is the house on
Arer
sNo, sir" said !, but there is some one
IN the Stone vault"
"3ah !" said Mr.. Grinby. II thought you
had moro sense, Mr.. HUMPHREYS. No one
could exist ten minutes in the stone vault.
Il y next thing to air tight"
ut II my belief, sir, that whoever it is
nay Be choking to death, sir" I said, "but
hero b some one there. Mike heard q
pough - well - l.
Every WE'LL" said Mr.. Gripby; "call the
nearest constable, Mike, snd-llr. Morris,
Ne y0u In your Office, sir Perhaps you'll
rome down with US and assist in the CAP
ture Of burglar Mr.. Humphries has dis
covered in the air tight vault below the eel
lar"
He was very satirical; 90 was Mr.. Morris.
But We ell went down together, the consta-
bic with ne, and stopped before the stone
vault. The door was shut go tight that it
took al Mixes strength to force it open.
And Mr.. Grinby, looking straight before
him, shouted:
"Ha, ha-nOb0dy, as told you."
But the next moment he saw what the
rest had already seen-a bundle of rags in
one corner Of the vault down ON the Ioor,
And amid the rags was the white face and
thin hand, and bare, bruised and bleeding
loot. And we dragged out into such air as
here was In the cellar miserable wretch
Df little boy. who seemed quite dead.
Up IN the office, however, We brought him
% life, and got the story from him. He
lived, it seems, among thieves, and thew
nd planned to rob US that night, and he,
ooor little nudge, had slipped in somehow.
md hidden in the cellar, to omen the door
or them, never thinking any one would
,ome there that night.
But when Mike and went down he took
o the vault, ana there would have
mothered but for my hearing him. don't
are to tell you how We kept him, and filed
he place with constables, who, when the
'urglars came, bounced out upon them and
COX them into custody. You can guess ali
hat. It's the boy have to tell You about
,oor BEN Wade. 1t came out during the
consequent upon the arrest,
hat the poor child was kept among the
hieves by force, and that they used him
ruelly. Once Q ruffian of the gang had
roken his leg in drunken fury, and he
Imped yet from the injury. He was such
ale, worn, miserable thing, that every one
bit merciful 10 him, and it was decided
0 pardon him and send him to the Door
ouse.
But that very morning Grinby, Junior
. young man-came into the Office where
10 father sat, and put his hand upon his
Em.
'Father," said he. Il want to oak you
favor. want my own way in one
WELL" said the old gentlemen, "let me
car you"
Il want to take Ben Wade into this house
On GRAND boy" said young Mr.. Grinby. |
'Hey!" said the old gentleman. "What |
!, young housebreaker as an errand boy. |
Hess my sOul."
Father" said young Grinby, 1.-THE boy is
Atureily good boy like him; want to
ave him. Perhaps if had not 80 good q
lther to guide me and to care for me. |
hight have been worse than he. / don't ask
on to trust him, sir. orly ask leave to
rust him myself. am sure he viii prove
eservipg of confidence"
Old Mr.. Grinby took out his snuf.box.
nd booked at Mr.. Morris.
"I've noticed the lads eye; it's good
ne,r said, NJ. lOrris.
..It,se ri.k, 2 saA Mr.. Grinby, "but we'll
)Uo10cf Il. =, >-A l