The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-01-14
EENAP.''

| tell you the dog will not touch you; but
| If you will not believe me, wait moment
and will 60 with you."
/ certainly was afraid to 60 into the
room alone, and think you, my reader,
would have thought discretion the better
part had you been ID my place.
Alick Was talking with his agent as ]
came to the hall door, and had walked
toward his iib"ary to await his leisure;
but when opened the door large black
| dog that had evidently been lying on the
! floor started to his feet with Il growl and
| exhibited row OF teeth that would have
made a good STOCK in the trade for a
| trst-class dentist. He was vilainous
| looking brute. and l declined trusting
myself to his mercy, as l to- above.
Aick finished his business; then took
me by the arm and led me into the room.
The dog slowly dropped Oh his halmches
when he saw mis- master, aud paid no
more attention to him until had finished
the business had in hand.
"What in the world do you want of
such vicious dog?' inquired as lit
the cigar nv friend gave me.
III don't think much OF your ju ,smcnt
| if you call min Il vicious looking dog"
| was the answer.
What breed is he?'
sIie is a cross OF several Breeds"
ayes, should think from the way he
showed his teeth that he was all cross"
"COme, come, you must not run down
nv NAP He has been too good friend
tor me to listen to anything but praise
for him."
"What did he ever do that vas partc-
ularIy lriendlyw inquired.
"Nap: PIl tell you what he did; he
saved me ity thousand dollars during
1.-THE war times"
l was about to give an unbelieving
chuckle but.a glance ut Alexis face told
me he was in earnest, so | begged for the
story.
"It was about the middle OF the war;"
said Alick, "when i was treasurer ol'the
Grafton Drilling Co. Our office was as
unsafe as pine box would have been,
and | disliked to leave a dollar in it.
There were several burglaries about the
place, and all of which were skillfully
planned and executed.
zone night our office was visited, the
safe p1ied cpen with wedges, and the
contents carried OF. Tie burglars found
but a few hundred dollars, but the worst
feature OF 1t was that they hit upon a
night when there ought TO have been a
large amount Of money there. We had
received u large cash payment the day
before, but instead Of trusting it to our
old sale had taken it home with Rfe.
1--WE wondered il tine 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 l did not trust the safe? The ques-
tion was very perpleXing one, and l
had an angry debate over it with some OF
our directors. was in favor of getting
reliable safe and employing a night
Watchman, but l was out-yUted.
sold Evans, indeed, went so far as to
say that, as lightning never struck twice
in the same place, neither did burglars
visit old safes the second time. And he
was inclined to think our money would
be safer if left in the Office than if car
ried to my residence. And he talked SO
many of the others into his way OF think
ing that resolution was passed declar-
ing 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 If
l carried the money home and lost 1t, the
loss would fall heavily on me individual
ly, and not on the company.
III was angry enough to have resigned
Germ was too large to be trifled with,
though determined there would be a
change in the board of directors another
year.
"About a week after this our secre-
tary returned from Boston on the even
ing train, aud brought fifty thousand
dollars, and all In greenhacks, the pro-
ceeds of our monthly bills receivable.
He brought the money in bills because
the following day was our pay day.
81 was in the most perplexing state of
mind when he handed me the money.
knew the Office safe was no protection
whatever, and yet if carried the money
home l was assuming great respousi-
bility. Without saying word to any
one, determined not to keep the money
In the Office, and carried it home in that
ottoman.
"You may be assured that did not
feel very comfortable that evening. /
thought of every nook and corner in the
house, and wondered where would be
the safest. At last ! determined upon
dividing 1t, leaving half here and the rest
in my room. did not mention the mat
ter at home, not even to my wife, but
plead headache when reminded Of my
preoccupied air.
81 came in here and placed twenty.
five thousand dollars in that ottoman at
your feet. See! the top is on hinges and
IL fastened by this hook on the side. This
ottoman pushed near Nap The bal.
ance Icarried to my own room and put
In the stove, thinking it to be the last
place where any one would look for it.
I went to bed, but it was nearly midnight
before fell to sleep.
81 was awakened by mans hand on
nv mouth, and to be informed that he
did not intend to harm me If kept quiet
My hands were then tied behind me, q
towel fastened in my mouth, and the
muzzxle of pistol placed against my
head. Another man WAS treating my
wife in similar manner. They had q
dark lantern, and wore masks.
"After securing us they began to search
the room. First m! Clothes then the bu'
reau drawers, under the bed-eyery.
where but where the money was. l be-
gan to think outwitted them, when one
said to the other, 'How's That stoyer
Another minute aud they were pulling
out the money.
"Imagine my feelings if you. can. Even
| IL they left with this amount. It was nc
small sum to lose. l could almost have
cried then and there. One ran over the
amount and said to the other, 'only hal
here! My heart grew colder than be
fore. They went to the easy chair and
cut open the stuffed seat; they picked
nm the ottoman. examined it. and wen,