The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-08-30
A CLEVER CATCH.

One bright morning, few years ago,
great excitement prevailed in the Lon
don office of the City and Provincial
bank (limited). Yet the bank had Just
declared a fat dividend of Is per cent.
for the half year. Shareholders were
contented, and god Mammon seemed to
cast a favorable eye on the old and thirty
ing corporation. However, a mutinous
feeling of discomfort was plainly visible
upon the faces of the 80 odd employees,
who swarmed like bees into the hive
every week day morning, for the purpose
OF manufacturing the golden produce
that delighteth the souls of distributing
directors and radiant prOprietors. The
shoe pinched somewhere. Where was it ?
The following notice, circulated for
the perusal of each clerk, contained the
secret of unwonted gloom:
Every gentleman will be required to re-
main at the clearinghouse two Sundays in
the year, to assist in guarding the premises.
By Order. j. SPOFFORTH, Sec"
Here was a revoIution-a coup d'eta
indeed! Six days we should labor, but
the seventh certainly did not belong to
the City and Provincial bank. The
gliding of a little extra pay might have
made the pill easier to swallow; but on
this point the notice was discreetly reti-
cent. In the end, after few days of
conjecture and excitement, every one
quietly resigned 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
received a salary which, though not mag
nifcient, was sufficient to support a
young wife; and very happy we were in
our snug retreat at Wood Green. Of
course we both thought it extremely
hard to be separated even for two Sun
days in year; still, we soon saw there
was nothing for it but submission.
Now, though /, in common with
others, rebelled against the forcible
seizure of Sundays rest, yet it must be
owned there was some reason for the ex-
traordinary innovation. The strong
rooms of two neighbOring establishments
had been attempted within fortnight,
and boy carrying bonds in Broad street
had been decoyed away and the securi-
ties stolen. But, worst of all, some pill
tering had been going 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. Trapshad been carefully
laid and detective spoken with; but as
i yet the rogue was not discovered, and
Il an uneasy feeling was rife among us sill.
The bank boosted of four porters or
messengers, one of whom-the chief
Hyed rent free in premises that nearly
adJolned the building. He was a long,
lean man named Bennett, with parch-
ment face and goatee beard. Some peo-
pie said ne was civil, others survile: at
sill events he was quiet, well up to his
work, and high in favor with the author
tiles. OF the remaining three, one had
been grocer's boy, and the other was
country lout put into green coat and
brass buttons, both honest creatures, but
OF no Importance in this narrative
The fourth was an ex-policeman named
Lance, blunt, pleasant man, much
gwen to relating queer stories of his
former life, and not averse to a pct of
beer for his trouble
After eight weeks had passed since the
official notification, it came round to
my turn to keep guard. During the
week preceding, the mystery had become
still more intensified by the unaccount-
sble disappearance of $50 note, and
matters began to assume very grave
aspect
On arriving at the bank, the door was
opened by the night Waterman, an old
pensioned soldier, who, for FL week
remained in the building all night, and
vanished with the early morning, ON the
arrival OF the porters to open the doors.
a lew minutes afterward Bennett walked
IN, accompanied, to my JOY, by honest
old Lance, whose wonderful stories
1ondiy hoped would help to relieve the
tedlum OF long, dull day; then, with
out more ado, proceeded to make my
first round.
Preceded by Bennett, with lighted
taper, | marched up stairs, through
every room and Office, across perilous
pianGs and up dangerous ladders, till we
gained the trap door which opened on to
the roof, then down again to the lowest
abyzses of coaI-cellar and strong-room,
locking in vain for some concealed Guy