St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-07-05

SHOuc uuu6I tu0 uOOf.
While | listened, some one said:
"There's a confOunded draught here.
Did you shut the door, Smith ?"
eyes, but the wind may have blown
it Open"
l had just time to dart under the
staircase and crouch down, when the
door of the vault opened, and man
came out. He crossed the entry, drew
the two heavy, noisy bolts, fastening
the door by which l had entered, and
returned without closing the vault door.
could look in by the dim light to
see two men working at the safe locks
by the stream of light thrown from a
dark lantern.
There was the outline of man bound
and gagged upon the floor, but l could
only conjecture it was Tom, for could
not see distinctly.
There l was nicely Gagged, for it would
be impossible for me to draw those
heavy bolts without attracting notice.
And the bank was being robbed that
was evident. How could prevent it
l could not get out, L could not reach
Tom. Suddenly 1 remembered the tele-
graph Office on the second floor. If
could summon help from c.. 1t was
only five miles, and there was long
job for the burglars before they could
open the safe.
Could | creep around the staircase
If one of those busy men turned his head
l was lost. L softly crept out on all
fours, slowly, watchfully, and gained
the stairs. Up 1 darted, blessing my
India rubber shoes, till l gained the
door of the telegraph Office. All dark
there, and l dared not strike a match.
l listened, and then leaving the door
open, grOped my way to the well known
desk, and gave the signal at c.. l
could hear my own heart throbs as
waited for the answer. 1t came! Still
working in the dark, l sent this mes
sage:
"Burglars in the Baysville Bank
vault Watchman gagged and bound |!
Can you send help9"
Again the agony of suspense in
listening, but at last the sound reached
me:
"Will send help Immediately !"
| crept to the head of the staircase,
afraid the clear ring of the instrument
had been heard in the vault but no
one came up stairs. The window of
the telegraph office faced the street, so
| returned, bolted myself in safely, and
sat down to watch.
The town clock gave one resonant
stroke, breaking the deep silence, and
no signs of life were visible on the long
stretch of road leading to c.. was
numb with cold, wishing heartily that
1 had not left Toms basket under the
staircase, thinking regretfully of my
own cOzy bed, when heard afar off the
sound of horses feet.
No sister Anne, in Blue Boards tower,
was ever more watchfnl than l was
then. Would the burglars take the
alarm
The building made a corner of two
streets, and | saw eight mounted men
dash up the road, separate, and while
four dismounted in front, four went to
the rear.
The burglars were unprepared fol
this flank movement, for while the
police in front were laundering at the
main entrance, the robbers rushed to
the rear basement door, right into the
arms of the police stationed there.
i could hear the hubbub, pistol shots
fired, the scuffle of feet, cries, oaths and
general confusion, and slipped down
stairs, out of the now deserted main
entrance and home.
Everybody was abed, and went to
my own room, had good crying spell,
and comforted my half frozen body in
double blankets where | soon fell asleep
All this was on Friday night and |
had no teaching to do until Monday, so
l slept late but coming down, found
all the family prepared to make hero
inc of me.
81 Ennry n,
this morning." said Tom, "that it wasn't
grandpa who sent the telegram to c..
By Jove, Olive, you're spunky if you
are little"
81 gave up when four of them pounced
on me from one of the upper rooms.
They must have got in through the day
and hid there"
tried to make the Knights promise
not to tell of my adventure, but could
not. Before night all Baysville knew
how Olive Hudson caught the burglars
l was in the office with grandpa, when
over the wires came this message:
''What does Olive Hudson look like ?
Everybody in Dryden is talking about
her great exploit"
| flashed back:
''What do you suppose such a woman
"Ouiu ioOh OHe is utdTlN SIX
feet, broad shouldered and loud voiced,
a perfect Elephant"
"Was it really yourself, Elephant ?"
"Dear Lion, it really was ~
'Do you know, want to see you. l
am going to New York to-day, but I'll
be back next spring."
If he came to Baysville he did not
see me. l ran away in fit of shyness.
In March wonderful thing happen
ed. My mothers brother, who had been
seventeen years, nearly all my life
time, in Cuba, came home to New York,
found me out, and took me into,a life
of ease and luxury, making me his pet
IN his splendid house. He was bache-
lor, over fifty years of age, handsome
and well informed, and with large
wealth.
He introduced me to old friends of
his own, and my circle of acquaintance
wldened every day. l was entirely
} happy, for we loved each other well.
One day Uncle George brought home
to dine, stranger whom he introduced
to me as:
''The son of an old friend, Olive, Mr..
, Roberts,
made myself agreeable, as in duty
bound, to Mr.. Roberts, man of thirty
or thereabouts, with a face that was
downright ugly, but pleasant from the
expression of frank good humor and in
telligence upon it. We talked of every
thing, and l was surprised at the con
geniality of taste we soon discovered
In an animated discussion of heroines
Mr.. Roberts, turning to Uncle George
| said:
"Yon were kindly inquiring this morn