The Worthington advance., 1878-11-28
4 CLEVER CATCH.
Or How Our Bank Was Robbed.

One bright morning, a few years ago, great
excitement prevailed in the London Office Of
the City and Provincial Bank Iimited). Yet
the bank had just declared a fat dividend Of
fifteen per cent. for the half year. Sharehold.
ers were contentcd, and god Niammon seemed
to ca2t favorable eye on the welfare OF the
cid and thriving Corporation. However, a
mutinous feeling OF. discomfort w:s rl~in,v
visible upon the faces Of the thirty old en-
ployes. who swsrmed like bees isito the hive
every weekday morning, for the purpose OF
manufacturing the golden produce that dc
lighteth the souls Of Distributing directors and
radiant proprietors. The shoe pinched soins.
where. Where was IL: '''''
The following notice, circulated for, the
perusal of each clerk, contained the secret OF
the unwonted gloom:
"kyery gentleman will be required to remain
!, IT the clearinghouse two Sundays in the year,
TO assist in guarding the premises.
by order, J. SPorFoRrn, Secretary"
Here was revolution-a coup d etat indeed
Six days we should labor, but the seventh Ger
might have made the pill easier to swallow !;
| but on this point the notice was discrcetly
reticcnt. In the end, after few days Of cpn.
lecture and excitement, every one quietly re-
| signed himself to his fate, as black and white
slaves are bound to do all the world over.
! had been ten years in the bank, and re
ceiyed salary which, though not. magni6-
I cent, was sufficient to support in comfort a
young wife; and very happy We were in our
snug retreat at Wood Green. OF. course we
both thoughtit extremely hard to be sepa-
! rated even for two Sundays in q year; still,
We soon saw there was nothing for it but sub.
mission.
Now, though l, in common with Others re-
belied against the forciblc seizure of Sundays
| rest, yet it must be owned there was 'somc
reason for the extraordinaryinnoya The
strong-rooms Of two neighboriug establish
mcnts had been attempted within fortnight,
and boy carrying bonds in Broad Street had
beon decoycd away and the securities stolen,
But worst Of all some plfering had been go.
ing on for months in our :own bank.
Stamps had disappeared to an alarming extent,
| Clerks had missed money from their coats, and
now and then the garments themselves were
| spirited away. Trap. had been carefully laid,
and q detective spoken with; hut as vet the
rogue was not discovered; and the uneasy
! feeling was rife among us all.
The bank boasted of four porters or mes
| sengers, one of:Whom-the chicf-liyed rent
free in premises that nearly adjoincd the
! building. He was long, lean man named
Bennett, with parchment face and goatae
beard: Some people said he was civil, others
his work, and high in favor with the authori.
| ties. OF the the remaining three, one had
| been a grocer's boy, and the other was, a
country lout put into green coat and brass
buttons, both honest creatures. but Of no i'm
| portance In this narrative The fourth was
an cx-po(iceman named Lance, blunt, pleas.
antman, much given to relating queer stories
OF his former life, and not averse tc q Dot OF
! beer Tor his trouble, =, ..'';
After eight weeks are passed since the Of
hcal notification, il came round to my turn 10
keep guard: -
During the week preceding the rnys.es ' had
become stll moro Intensified by the unacl.
sbuntable disappearance of a eco note, and
i matters began to assume . worry grave aspect
On arriving at the bank, the door was
opened by the night watchmaD, an old pension:
ed soldier. who, for 81 a week. remained Ia
early morning, on the arrival Of the porters
| Bennett walked in, accompanied, to my Joy
! BY honest old Lance, whose wonderful stories
| iondly hoped would help to relieve the te.
ditim Of long, dull day; then. without more
ado, LpEuceed to make my first round. III:
| Preceded by Bennett, with lighted taper
l marched up stairs, through every room
and Office; across perilous planks and up
dangerous ladders, till We gained the trap:
door which opened on to the roof, then down
again to the lowest abysscs Of coal-celler and
strong room, looking in vain fori some cou-
cealed Guy Fawkee, who, however, was con.
! eptcnnuB Tor his absente. .,~. 'A''
Worry minutcly did examine and try the
ora fsr, IHhieh had ;a!readyi been tauipered
| with, as knew 1t contained. besides stamps;
| large sum in gold and notes. Not seem
cd tirn and safe, and would take "a deal O.
work" IS Bennett remarked, holding his ia.