Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-07-25
WHO TOOK 1T I?

TIE STORY OF A TWENTY-POUND BANK
"Will you take charge of eco till to
morrow morning, Marian?"
Take charge of EGO, Harold" echoed
my wife, i'll amazement. "What do you
meanP"
settled myself down to an explana-
ton. Explanations are things | hate :;
nevertheless, they are necessary some
times. One was due on this occasion.
ou know, my dear Marian" be-
gan, with business-like air. that the
failure of Hardinge Brothers threw
scores of men and children in the neigh
borhood out Of work, in the very hard
est part of very bad year. This even
ing a meeting was held with q view to
enlisting the sympathy of the public. A
subscription-list was got up, and col
lee ton made there and then to the tune
of $50. AS nothing else could be done
with the money tonight, was, as treas
urer, Obliged to bring it home; ard very
nervous | felt, | can assure you, at COM
ing along those lonely roads with such
asum. However, lave reached home
safely, in spite of my fears, and now l
shall deliver it over to you until l can
get rid oft"
And so free your mind from all re-
sponsibility." added my wife, with a
smile.
She knows that one of my chief weak
nesses is a dread of responsibility.
g AS far as possible" replied.
We Immediately went into a consul
tation as to where the money should be
put. I.suggested the meat-safe, as a
place to which thieves would never
dream of going for money. but my wife
pooh-poohed the idea, as several other
suggestions of mine, which | thought
were not so bad.
At last an idea struck her in the shape
of the winc-drawer of the cupboard OF
the sideboard. By this means the
money would be doubly safe, she argued,
for the drawer mi ght first be locked, in
addition to locking the door. | looked
rather contemptuously on the plan, for,
if the truth be told, l felt it was only
due to myself to do so, since my wife
treated every suggestion of mine in 8
similar manner.
Both of us failing to hit upon any
thing better, the wine-bin was agreed
upon; and as l looked over my evening
paper, ] watched her place the black
iapanned box in the drawer, lock it
lock the sideboard and place the key in
her own purse.
"rhere!" she exclaimed, triumph.
antly, Il shouldn't think any one
would get at that before tomorrow
morning, for this purse goes into tht
well of my dressing case tonight, anC
that will be locked and the keys pu
away in my dressing table drawer, Sc
we are doubly and trebly secure"
In spite of these precautions there
was load on my mind that / felt would
only be removed when the money wa
safe in the bank. Ienvied my wife he
happy insensibility, for in less than hal
an hour she was quietly sleeping, Will
tossed restlessly to and fro, thinkin!
about the money and wondering whethe
any one could possibly get at it.
At last grand idea struck me, whicl
was to put it inside the piano. VIII,
would dream of searching for treasur
in such placer whereas, what robbie
,, coming into a house would not go to
: sideboardP and the very fact of findin
| 1T doubly locked would make him sus
pect tlrat something was hidden there
Plainly enough, Mistress Marian, wit
all her cleverness, had chosen the yer
worst place possible. Should go dow
and remove itP / knew where the key
were to be found had half mind t
do so, if only for the sake of quietin
my mind and getting little sleep. N
doubt should have done so, had not Gil
cumstances intervened-I fell asleep.
1t seemed scarcely an hour afterwar
that | awoke and heard sounds of life j
the street below. Well, so far all wi
safe enough; no robbers had moleste
us. and I ielt so comfortable and eas,
' now that all danger was over, that b.
gan to laugh at my nervous fear. Ho
stupid it would have been to have gof
down stairs in the middle Of such bi
ter night! Thank goodness, | had bee
too strong-minded for that.
| fell off into another doze, and as
natural consequence, was late for brea
fast That meal was II hurried one, al
when it was over and had my hat NJ
A coat on ready to start off on an il
. portant case, reminded Marian of t