The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-05-21
The Romance of Quakertown

It was dull evening at Youpon, one
of those full spring evenings, when the
sunset is golden, the sky is golden, and
a breath and tinge of gold rests on earth
and sky and sea The gentlemen boar
ders lounged idly around; the ladies
were asleep. Col. Carlton, to select
Set Of the choice few, proposed cards.
Mr.. Wilton, the gambler, slowly shook
his head. mo, on this day / never
play; they are my life, my all, know !;
but on this day never took them, and
I never will " He spoke slowly, sadly,
as if of something far away and lost,
dead, though sacred forever, II am a
gambler. | know, and bad enough, God
knows, though l have been worse as the
world goes-a thief, a burglar-vet |
have had little good in my life some
times, just little, and this, once in my
life, might have been better and more :;
hut as it could not be, hold one cay
sacred in my year and life to romance
of mine. old dead romance of my heart,
almost the only one ! ever had, aud
call it the romance of Quakertown
"You see, when Bill the Muffin and
was over to Quakertown, we determined
to blow open the bank safe and get off
with the money and bonds there 1t was
a fine chance, and we would have sue
ceeded but for Bill, who got spooney.
and turned parson, you know,snd as you
live, now teaches Sunday School in a
white choker and gloves.
"You may know, and il you don't /
will tell YOU, that the bank is at the cor
ner of Main and Blind streets, just lit
tie back in the yard, which is tagged
and without any fence in front, though
back up against one Of the windows is a
tree with a branch, where man could
climb in as easy as YOU please, and with
a little powder, a match or so, couple
of old bags to deaden the sound and no
watchman around, could blow open the
safe and carry OF as much cash as he
wished, and no one would ever catch
him
But you see the bank had q watchmap.
Bill and | used to see him Of nights
when we loafed around. He was an old
man, and always awake. He had been
most all his life in the bank, and so
there was no use irving to bribe him, and
the cussed old chap used to walk around
and look at US kind Of suspicious like
in way that was really insulting
This chap we decided must be got out
of the,way. l proposed 10 tap the old
man on the head and finish him, but Bill
refused. tried giving him little dose
of laudanum in bottle of brandy, but
he didn't drink, and so we were stuck
The thing, however, must be done !;
we were hard up and wanted money, but
could not think of anything that would
do, until one day he took sick. BY
George! l was happy. l told Bill; and
that night we fixed for it. At nine O'Clock
lie was to be at the corner with dark
lantern,the sacks and powder. l was to
bring short rope ladder. crowbar and
drill, to cut hole for the powder. Well,
so We met 1.-The night was dark and rainy,
just splendid for the job; SO we, with
black masks op. climbed over the wall
fixed the ladder on the tree, and got in
the window
"Here misfortune met US. wanted
drink, and found Bill had broken the
bottle. / was mad as fits, and liked to
have spoiled the whole thing bv my
deuced fuss; but after l quieted tried
to drill hole in the safe, when ths in
ferna thing snapped off We tried the
lock, and found a splendid place for the
powder; there being large hole where
the old fashioned key went in, so while
Bill held the lantern to stouch her off, l
rammed in the powder. All being ready,
we muffled the place with our bags, and
stepping back it hurst with so little
noise that not even q mouse would have
stirred.
I'VE pulled off the bags and found
the lock smashed to finders, and with
the chsel pried open the safe, when we
heard door creak. | mutlled the lam
tern and we laid low. We then heard
the front door of the bank shut, and the
footsteps of somebody coming toward
the back room where we were.
81 whispered to Bill He seized the
crowbar and l took a sack 10 smother
the cries when he struck him, for it Was
gone case, burglary was in those days
twenty years or maybe lifetime, and
we couldn't stand that, no way.
"The footsteps came nearer. Bill held
the iron bar tighter; lifted nv sack :;
| .. q
Bill didn't strike, ard we started and
stepped back little 1t was pretty
woman, too-a young woman, more like
girl, with brown hair and slight, grace
ful build She passed right by, almost
80 close she might have touched Us, but
her back heing 10 the gas in front, ard
the room being kinder dark, she didn't
see us.
"I crept over in Bilps corner and
whispered, What in the name OF the
fiends is she doing here? Ii she goes
out and don't see nothing, let her go :;
but if she squeals, hold her. We've got
masks on, and I'll 90 through the safe,
then we'll gag her and run He nod.
ded, and we watched her. She walked
straight up to the safe and felt the door.
Grab her."
We sprang forward Bill caught her
by the arms, while drew my pistol and
held it close to her head. "If you hol
ler one word now, I'll shoot you" She
didn't shrek or move or even look much
frightened, and. giving Bill the pistol, |
stopped and opened the safe door
There was the cash, bundles on bundles
| reached out to move it from the
shelves, when felt hand on my arm
"Please, sir, don't; my father watches the
bank and is sick all Of this money is en-
trusted to his care. and if any of it was
lost it would kill him and break my
mothers heart Please, sir, don't; if
you ever had mother or sister, don't >
She looked so sorrowful and tender
like, and so pitiful, that | felt like q
demned fool looked at Bill he must
= have felt somewhat that way, too; he
looked like it. Again she put her hand
on ,,,, or,,, ond ono on RjlPs HMv fa.