The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-07-28

tne Stranger, 'Dut II he is disengaged
/ should like to speak to him.
| "Here Is Mr.. Braintree now," 1 re-
Piled, as the president stepped out o
his private room into the bank.
! "Mr. Braintree," said the stranger
courteously removing his hat anC
speaking IN the most polite tone, "al'
low me to introduce myself. My
name is Elliot, the Rev. Robert FL.
liot. am an Episcopal clergyman,
lately appointed pastor to church in
st. PauPs. / am now on nv way
there, but cannot leave until Monday,
AT my hotel to-day l heard the land.
lard speak OF the extraordinary safety
vault you have attached to this bank.
AS 1 have q penchant for seeing such
structures, 1 have thought perhaps you
would allow me to see yours, of which
1 have heard so much.n
Certainly, sir, with pleasure,n re-
piled Mr.. Braintree, who by the way
was particularly partial to ciergymen,
doubtless because they formed such a
striking contrast to the inhabitants OF
frontier cities. "Mr. Archer added
my chief, "Hil YOU be good enough
to light tEedafk lantern and accompa-
ny usw
1t wanted twenty minutes to the
usual hour OF closing the bank, and
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; therefore Lighted dark
lantern, and we all three descended
the steps leading to The vault.
The specie and valuables of the bank
were kept in an immense iron safe
which was placed in stone chamber.
The walls Of this chamber were Of ex-
traordi:ary thickness and the entrance
to it was through 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-
ing that q roDber should succeed in OBJ
tanning an entrance into the stone
vault, he would still have to force the
immense safe, a matter of impossible
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.
1 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, indecdu'
he murmured. "You can set bank
robbers at defiance with q room like
this, Mr.. Braintree.n
"Yes, sir; l 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 / notice one |
about your safe,n headed, |
glancing toward 1t as he spoke, "ysu |
have no lock on it."
"lt is not necessary, returned Mr.. |
"for unless q person hap |
pened TO know the secret of opening
the door, | would defy him to open il.
You see," added the president, suiting
The action to the word, Gin order to
ELECT an entrance; ii is necessary TO
urn the handle around exactly seven
imes.n
rec gave strong pull and the heavy
ioOr slowly turned on its hinges. The
'everend gentleman glanced inside
With sxeusable curiosity.
Very curious very curious indeed
N ]
he ingenuity of man ~
AT that moment Mr.. Braintree call
ID the clergyman to see something
Use in the stone vault and they both
moved away to the extreme end ofthe
apartment.
On glancing into the safe | noticed
hat two ledgers were out Of their
Dlaces. l entered the safe to place
hem in their respective cases, when
.ither the clergyman or Mr.. Braintree
past the safe, unconsciously
Knocked against the door, as he did
o, which gave it an impetus that il
loSed on me; the bolts shot noiselessly
nto their sockets and | was a prisoner.
There was an acoustic phenomenon
with this safe which | new I
r heard explained, and that was, any
ne shut inside it could hear every
yord that was uttered in the vault,
While no noise that he might make
ould reach those outside. / was
ware Of this popularity and knew
hat it was utterly useless for me to
all out.
The only hope had was, that when
fr, Braintree missed me he would sur
nise where was. But in few mo- {
nents this illusion was dispelled.
"Why, where can Mr.. Archer be ~
heard Mr.. Braintree observe. "Oh
remember now, he had an engage
nent after banking hours, and | sup
ose he has gone to keepit, but | think !
e might have left the lantern with
ne. But we can find our way out
asy enough"
l heard them leave the vault, the
ron bar put in its place, and the key
urned in the paddock.
realized the fact that there was no
Ope for me. / was prisoner, and {
here l had to remain until Monday !
norniDg. /
1t was no pleasant thing TO contem-
late remaining shut up there for for !
y-two hours without food or water a; |
ut there was no help for it, for knew 1
hat all the screaming i'll the world !
you'd only be SO much breath wasted;
therefore determined to take matters 5
s philosophically as / could; and not
indulge in useless repinings.
Fortunately 1 had in my pocket a
olume of Shakespeare, and the dark !
antern was also in my possession. l
nade seat for myself of some ledg- !
rs and turning down the lamp to a
oint at which i could read conve-
iently, / began to enjoy myself as
he circumstances Of the case would
ermit.
l read for five or six hours, and ]
an safely affirm that i never enjoyed
ihakspeare as well before. The abso-
ute quiet prevailing, and the fact of {
eing shut of from all exterior inflG-
noes seemed to make me appreciate !
he hidden beauties OF the great poet
nuch more clearly than / ever did in
ny life.
l read till L grew sleepy. l then i
made bed for myself of the account |
'ooks, turned the lantern down to the !
aintest glimmer, for the sake of saw
ng oil, and closing my eyes L was
oOn fast asleep. |
When awoke and looked at my ]
ratch / found it was ten o'clock ON
sunday morning. | therefore slept !
bout twelve hours.
/ felt very hungry, but knew that /
ad twenty-four hours more to pass
here before 1 could get anything TO :
at, so determined to try and sleep as
ouch of the time as possible, remem-
ering the French proverb "Qitid doTe
Iine.n
/ read great deal of Shakespeare {
uring the day, and about eight {
clock in the evening, | again COM
osed myself to sleep.
was suddenly awakened 10y the
ound of voices in the stone vault, and
naturally supposing that it was ten ,,
CLOCK on Monday morning, and that ,