The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1871-07-28

WOle fine diamond ring on the little
| finger of the right hand. He was
! dressed in a suit of black, which fitted
/ him perfectly, and must have been
made by a tailor. It was this black
| suit together with the Whitest and stiff
! fest Of crayats, and q short-sighted eye
glass which dangled from his neck,
and which he every now and then
raised to his eyes, that gave him the
intense clerical appearance to which
have referred above.
''Do you wish to see Mr.. Braintree
! on business ?''
mot exactly on business, ;" returned
| the stranger, "but if he is disengaged,
should like to speak to him.
| Here is Mr.. Braintree nOW," re-
piled, as the president stepped out of
his private room into the bank.
"Mr. Braintree,n said the stranger,
/ cOurteously removing his hat and
speaking in the most polite tone, sal.
low me to introduce myself. My
name is Elliot, the Rev. Robert FL.
liOt. I am an Episcopal clergyman,
lately appointed pastor to a church in
st. Paups. I am now on my way
there, but cannot leave until Monday.
At my hotel to-day I heard the land
lard speak of the extraordinary safety
vault you have attached to this bank.
AS have penchant for seeing such
structures, L have thought perhaps you
would allow me to see yours, of which
l have heard so much"
Certainly, sir, with pleasure" ;" re-
Piled Mr.. Braintree, who by the way
was particularly partial to clergymen,
doubtless because they formed such a
striking contrast to the inhabitants of
Tp A V-nk
my chief, twill you be good enough
to light the dark lantern and accOmpa-
ny us ?'
1t wanted twenty minutes to the
usual hour of closing the bank, and I
had just finished my work. Had not
such been the case, should in all
probability, have sent one of the clerks
in my place.
There was nothing, however, to pre-
vent me from doing as the president
requested I therefore lighted a dark
lantern, and we all three descended
the steps leading to the vault.
The specie and v8luables Of the bank
were kept in an immense iron safe
which was placed in stone chamber.
The walls of this chamber were of ex-
tTaOrdiSary thickness and the entrance
to it was through a massive iron door,
which was secured by thick bar Of
iron fastened by an immense paddock.
By this means the specie of the bank
was doubly protected, for even suppos-
iRg that rObber should succeed in OBJ
tanning an entrance into the stone
vault, he would still have to force the
immense safe, matter of impossibili-
ty, unless he happened to possess the
secret, which was turning the handle
around exactly seven times. Once
more or less would be Of no avail.
I unlocked the paddock, leaving the
key in the lock, and we all entered the
stone vault. The Rev. Mr.. Elliot ap-
peared to be strangely interested in
the place. He gaZed around him in
seeming wonder; he measured the
thickness of the walls, and the length
and breadth of the stone room.
''Very secure very secure, indeed!"
he muFmured. "You can set bank
robbers at defiance with room like
this, Mr.. Braintree."
'Yes, sir; 1 believe we can. For
even if any one should succeed in get
ting into the stone vault, they would
have still the safe to force"
''True, very true" responded the
reverend gentleman, "but I notice one
popularity about your safe" he added,
glancing toward it as he spoke, "yeu
have no lock on it."
at is not necessary, returned Mr..
Braintree, "fOr unless a person hap
pened to know the secret of opening
the door, would defy him to open it.
You see," added the president, suiting
the action to the word, Gin order to
effect an entrance; it is necessary to
turn the handle around exactly seven
times"
After the seventh time, Mr.. Brain
tree gave a strong pull and the heavy
door slowly turned on its hinges. The
reverend gentleman glanced inside
with excusable curiosity.
every curious very curious indeed"
he Inurmured. "How wonderful is
the ingenuity of man :"
At that moment Mr.. Braintree call
ed the clergyman to see something
else in the stone vault and they both
moved away to the extreme end of the
apartment.
On glancing into the safe / noticed
that two ledgers were out of their
places. ] entered the safe to place
them in their respective cases, when
either the clergyman or Mr.. Braintree
brushed past the safe, uncOnsciousIY V
knocked against the door, as he did
so, which gave it an impetus that it
closed on me; the bolts shot noiselessly
into their sockets and was prisoner
There was an acoustic phenomenon
connected with this safe which | new
er heard explained, and that was, any
one shut inside it could hear every
word that was uttered in the vault,
while no noise that he might make
could reach those outside. I was
aware of this popularity and knew
that it was utterly useless for me to
call out.
The only hope l had was, that when
Mr.. Braintree missed me he would sur
mise where I was. But in a few mo-
ments this illusion was dispelled.
"Why, where can Mr.. Archer be ?i'
l heard Mr.. BraintTee observe. ooh !
[ remember now, he had an engage
ment after banking hours, and sup
( pose he has gone to keep it, but think
he might have left the lantern with
me. But we can find our way out
/ easy enough"
1 heard them leave the vault, the
iron bar put in its place, and the key
turned in the paddock.
1 realized the fact that there was no
hope for me. was q prisoner, and
there l had to remain until Monday
morning.
/ 1t was no pleasant thing to contem-
/ plate remaining shut up there for for
/ ty-twO hours without food or water
/ but there was no help for it, for knew
I that all the screaming in the world
would only be so much breath wasted;
l therefore determined totake matters
as philosOphically as I could; and not
indulge in useless repinings.
/ Fortunately l had in my pocket a
volume of Shakespeare, and the dark
lantern was also in my possession. /
made a seat for myself of some ledg-
ers and turning down the lamp to 3
point at which I could read conve-
niently, L began to enjoy myself as
the circumstances Of the case would