The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1882-06-29

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GOOD many others However. thSss
nothing 10 DO with my story. some years
ago. me aud the gentleman who wSs a.
I ,hat time connected with mc 10 business
he's met with rcyerscs since thea, and At
that time rather hard up as you might say
We struck small country town. j amt
going 10 give il away ty telling where ~
was or what the name Of IL was There
was one bank there. The President was a
rich old duifer; owned the mills,
owned the bank, owned most oi
the town. There wasn't no other oiheer
but the cashier. and they bad boy who
used 10 sweep ont and run their errands.
The bank was on the main street, pretty
well up one end OF it--nice, snug place
on one corner Of eross-strest, with moth
ing very near II, We took our observations,
and found there wasn't no trouble at all
about IT, The was an old watchman that
walked np aud down the street nights.
when he didn't fall asleep and forget 1t
| The vault had two doors; the outside one
WAS chilled iron, and had three -combina-
tion lock; the inner door wasn't no door a.
all; you could kick il open. II didn't pre-
tend to lie nothing bat iire-proof. and 1t
wasn't even that. The first thing We done,
of course, was 10 ft a key TO the outside
door, AN old-fashioned Bacon lock, any
gentleman OF my profession who chances
To read this article. will know just how we
done 1t. may say here that the gentle.
men in my line OF business, having at
times Il great deal OF leasure on their
hands, do considerable reading, and are
particular fond OF neat bit OF writing. In
fact, in the way OF literature, / have found
among 'em-however, this being digres-
sion, drop it, and 80 on with the main
job again.
This was our plan; After the key was
fitted, | was to go into the bank, and jim
that wasn't his name, Of course, but let
! it pass-w,s to keep watch on the outside
When any one passed he was to tip me
whistle, and then | doused the glim and
Law low; after they had got by, goes on
again. Simple and easy. you see. Well,
the night as we selected, the President
happened TO be out Of town gone to the
city, as be often did. Igot inside all right,
with A slide lantern, breast.drill, a steel
Jimmy. A bunch OF skeleton keys, and
green baize bag. to stow away the swsg. l
fixed my light and rigged my breast drill,
and got to work on the door just over the
lock.
Probably great many of you readers
are no. so well posted about bank.locks,
and may say for them that three-wheel-
combination lock has three wheels IN 1t,
and slot in each wheel. In order to un-
lock the door, you have to get the three
slots opposite to each other at the top of
the lock. OF course, il you know the
number the lock is set on, you can do this;
but if YOU don't, You have 70 depend on
| your ingenuity. There is In each OF these
wheels small hole, through which you
put wire through the back OF the lCck
when you chang the combination Now
il you can bore hole through the door,
and pick up those wheels 10y runnin' wire
through those holes, why you can open the
door. hope make myself clear l was
boring that hole. The door was chilled,
about the neatest stuff / ever worked on.
went on steady enough; only stopped when
Jim-which, as said, wasn't his real name
--whistled outside, and the watchman tod
died by BY and by, when I'd got pretty
near through, heard jim, so TO speak,
whistle again stopped, and pretty soon
heard footsteps outside, and IN biowed
If they didn't come right up the bank steps,
heard a key ia the lock. was so dumb
founded when heard that that you could
have slipped the bracelets right on me.
picked up my lantern, and Ill be hanged
liz didn't let the slide slide down aud
there was the President. Instead OF calling
for help, as | thought he would, he took
step inside the door, and shaded his eyes
with his hand aud looked at me. know
ed ought to knock him down and cut
ont, but I'm blest il could, ] was that
surprised.
Who are you? said he.
Who are youg says thinking that was
an innocent remark as he commenced 1t.
and a-trying all the time to collect myself
| I'm the President OF the bank, says he,
kinder short; something's the matter with
the lockg By George! The idea came 70
me then.
Yes sir, says |, touching my cap; Mr..
Jennings, he telegraphed to me this morn
ing as the lock was ont Of order and be
couldn't get in, and so I'm come on to
open IT for him.
| told Jennings week ago, says he
that he ought to get the lock fixed. Where
!. is he? He's been a-writing letters, and
he's gone up to his house to get another
letter he wanted for to answer
Well, why don't you go right ons say
he Say
, I've got almost through, says ]; and did
|. not want 10 finish up aud open the saai'
till there was somebody here.
That's very creditabie TO you, says he;
very proper sentiment. my man. fot
. can't, he goes on, coming round by th'
door, be too particular abou. avoiding thu
very suspicion Of evil
No, sir. says kinder modest like.
VI What do you suppose Is the matter will
the lockY says he.
don't rightly know, yet. says !, but
rather think It's little wore on account 0
90, being oiled enough These ere lock-
ought to be oiled about once year.
Well, be says, you might as well 90