The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-11-13
M iscella ne on S I.
MY DOG CHAP"

"Oh, never mind him, Frank, he won't
hurt you; 90 right in"
"Oh, yes" said |, sit is all well cnoug'
for you to say never mind him. but !
George, he looks as if he would beara great
deal of minding"
"Nonsense," said Alick laughing; Il tell
you the dog will not touch you; but, if
you will not believe me, wait a moment
and | will go along with you"
certainly was afraid to go into the
room alone and think you, my reader,
would have thought discretion the better
part had you been in my place.
Alick was talking with his agent as |
came to the hall door, and had walked to-
ward his library to wait his leisure; but
when opened the door, II large black dog
that had evidently been lying on the floor,
started to his feet with growl, and ex-
hibitcd row of teeth that would have
made good stock in trade for trst-class
dentist He was villainous looking brute,
and declined trusting myself to his mercy,
rs have told above.
Alick finished his business then took
me by the ann and led me into the room
the dog slowly dropping on his launches
when he saw his master, and l paid no
more attention to him until had finished
the business had in hand.
what in the world do you want with
such a vicious dog Z" l inquired, as l lit
the cigar my friend gave me.
81 don't think much of your judgment if
you call him q vicious looking dog" was
the answer.
"What breed is he p
Hes cross of several breeds"
"Yes, | should think from the way he
showed me his teeth that he was all cross :"
"Come, come, Frank, you must not run
down old Nap He has been too good a
friend for me to listen to anything but
praises Of him.
"What did he ever do that was particu-
lurly friendly?" l inquired.
Map? I'll tell you what he did, lie
saved me fifty thousand dollars during war
times
l was about to give an unbelieving
chuckle, but glance of Alexis face told
me that lie was in earnest, so begged for
the story.
at was about the middle of the war;"
said Alick, "when was treasurer of the
Grafton Drilling Company. Our office safe
was as unsafe as n pin box would have
been, and disliked to leave & dollar in it..
There were several burglaries about the
place and all of them were skilfully plan
ned and executed.
zone night our office was visited, the
safe pried open with wedges, and the con-
tents carried off. The burglars found but
a few hundred dollars, but the worst feature
of it was that they had hit upon night
when there ought to have been large
amount of money there. We had received
large cash payment the day before, but
instead of trusting it to our old safe had
taken it home with me.
1--WE wondered if the burglars had any
knowledge of this payment If they had,
then they must have extraordinary means
Of gaining intelligence, and would know
whenever we received any large amounts
again, and would they not come at once
to my house, now that they had seen did
not trust the safe The question was Il
very perplexing one, and had an angry
debate over it with some of our directors.
| was in favor of getting areliable safe and
employing II night-watchmap, but | was
out-voted.
"Old Evans, indeed, went SO far as to
say that as lightning never struck twice
in the same place, neither did burglars Wis
it the old safes the second time. And he
was inclined to think our money would he
safer if left in the office than if carried tn
my residence. And he talked so many OF
the others into his way of thinking that a
resolution was passed declaring it against
their wishes to have any of the company's
funds kept anywhere except in the office
safe
"Of course, the effect of this was that il
| carried the money home and lost it, the
loss would fall on me individually, and not
upon the company.
II was angry enough to have resigned
my place, but my interest in the concern
was too large to be triled with, though
determined there would be change in
that board of directors another year.
About a week after this cur secretary
returned from Boston on the evening train
and brought with him fifty thousand dol
lars, and all in greenbacks, the proceeds OF
our monthly bills receivable. He brought
the money in bills because the day follow.
ing was our payday.
II was in most perpleXing state of mind
when he handed me that money. l knew
the office safe was no protection whatever
and yet il carried the money home with
me | was assuming a great responsibility
Without saying word to any one deter.
mined to keep the money with me. found
an old dinner-basket in the Office and !
carried it home in that.
"You may be assured that did not feel
very comfortable that evening. thought
of every nook and corner in the house, and