, 1878-08-08
cover the Wires"
HOW THE BURGLARS WERE CAUGHT.

HOW THE BURGLARS WERE eACohi'
First, must tell you who am, and
how came to be in the Baysville Bank
in the "wee sma' hours" one dreary De-
cember night, some three years ago. =,
NV name was then Olive Hudson, and
was seventeen years old that same De-
cember night, and so small that Mrs.
Knights Dolly, who was not twelve years
old, was half head taller than myself.
We were rich folks once, but father
died and left US very poor. Mother
struggled along in weary hand-to-hand
with poverty till was sixteen, and then
died. She had rented two rooms of Mrs
Knight, widow, also, with two stalwart
sons, an aged father, and two daughters.
After mother died was adopted by the
Knights, and although I was earning a
support AS music teacher in the Baysville
Academy, was like one of the family
when l was in my good landlady's home.
They were all in good positions, but
by no means an aristocratic family.
John, the eldest son, was in New York in
a wholesale sugar house; Tom was the
night watchman of the Baysvile Bank
building, and grsndpa-we all call him
grandpa--was telegraph operator of the
town, while Mary was milliner, and
Dolly stayed at the office, sending and re-
Ceiying messages.
Baysville Bank building was large
granite structure, containing the post
office and bank on the first floor, the tele-
graph office and number of private law
offices On the second floor, and other pri-
yate offices on the third floor. In the
basement we're postoffice rooms for sort
ing the mail, and also the large bank
vault.
knew the building well, for l was
fond of telegraphing, and spent half my
leisure time perched up beside grandpa,
while be slept peacefully or read the
newspapers.
And that was the beginning of my
amusement at Dryden, the next station.
The operator at Dryden was wit, and
flashed nonsense to our Office when busi-
ness was dull. 1t fell fiat when grandpa
was ir the office, but if l were there
sent back jest for jest, and sometimes an
hour slipped by like minute as we
talked over the wires of every topic
under the sun. He called himself
"Lion," and I, for nonsense, signed my
self Elephant" laughing as l did so at
the reflection Of my tiny fingers in the
Office mirror.
Beyond Dryden, and only five miles
from Baysville, wac c., large COM
mercial town, the nearest railway station,
and where an office was always open for
the accommodation of travellers.
AS l have said, Tom knight was the
night watchman of Baysville Bank build
ing, and lonely time he had of il. The
last mail came by stage at four o'clock in
the afternoon, and the postoffice was va
Gated at six. The bank closed at three,
and by six o'clock every Office was de-
serted for the night.
At seven Tom was on duty, and grand
pa, who was restless at night, was in the
habit of taking down some coffee and
luncheon, as the building was only
stones throw from the house.
On the December night / have already
mentioned, it had stormed heavily all
day, and had taken new class at the
Academy, coming home later in the day
than usual, and excited over my increase
in salary.
Everybody else had gone to bed, and |
was lingering over the kitchen fire with
Mrs. knight, dreading the plunge into
my cold room, where | had allowed the
fire to 60 out
The clock struck twelve, and Mrs.
Knight, lifting her face from over the
fire, said:
"Do call grandpa, Olive; he's asleep
on the sofa 10 the sitting-room. I'll have
Toms basket ready by the time grandpa
has his hat and coat on. hate to call
him, for he was complaining of rheuma-
tsm all day, and the ground is very wet,
although the storm is over."s
"Let him sleep" saidi "l'll run over
with the basket 1t is but step"
"But it is SO dark; are you not afraidlr
Not bit; I'll slip on my waterproof
and rubbers and draw the hood Of my
cloak over my head"
swell, if you will, though l am afraid
Tom will scold at my letting you CO."
"Ill put the basket and run, and he
will never know who left it,"
"Go into the rear basement door; he
leaves that open for grandpa"
II know"
grasped the handle of the basket, and
hurried across the space between the
building and the house, and stole softly
in at the basement door, in pursuance Of
my plan to drop the basket AMI run,