The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-07-09
"No, sir" saws I. modest like.

mo, SIR" says /. modest like.
"What do you suppose is the matter
with the lockP" says he.
Il don't rightly know yet," says /,
''but i rather think it's little worse
on account of not being oiled enough.
These locks ought to be oiled about
once a year"
WELL" says he. ''you might as well
go right on, now l am here; l will stay
till Jennings comes. Can help you
hold your lantern or something of that
sort?''
The thought came to me like flash,
and turned round and says:
''How do know you are the presi-
dent? l have never seen you before.
and you may be trying to crack this
bank for all l know"
That's a very proper inquiry, my
man." says he, land shows remark
able degree of discretion in you. / con-
fess that | should not have thought of
the position in which l was placing
you. However, l can easily convince
you it is all right. Do you know what
the presidents name is?"
No, l DON'T" said. rather surly.
''Well, you'll find it on that bill,
said he, taking bill out of his pocket;
land you'll see the same on these let
tiers, and he took some letters from
his coat pocket.
l suppose L ought to have gone on
then; but l was beginning to feel in
terested in making him prove who he
was. so | said:
You might have got these letters to
put up job on me-"
You are a very honest man." he
said; lone among thousand. Don't
think Pm at all offended at your per-
sistence. No, my good fellow, like it
I like itr' and he laid his hand on my
shoulder "Now, here" he said, tax
ing a bundle out of his pocket, sis
package of one thousand pounds in
bonds. A burglar wouldn't be apt to
carry those round with him, would he?
| bought them in the city yesterday,
and 1 stopped here tonight, ON my
way home, to place them in the vault;
and | may add that your simple and
manly honesty has so touched me that
l would willingly leave them in your
hands for safe keeping. You needn't
blush at my praise"
suppose | did turn rather red when
l saw those bonds.
''Are you satisfied now?" he said.
told him l was, thoroughly. And
so l was.
So picked up my drill again, and
gave him my lantern to hold, so that l
could see the door. heard Jim, as
call him, outside once or twice, and l
nearly burst out laughing, thinking
how he must be wondering what was
going on inside.
l worked away, and kept explaining
to the president what ] was trying to
do. He was very much interested in
mechanics, he said, and he knew that
l was man well up in my business by
the way | went to work. He asked me
about what wages l got. and how l
liked my business, and said he took
quite fancy to ME.
turned round once in a while and
looked ut him sitting there as solemn
as an owl, with my dark lantern in his
blessed hand; and Pm blamed if l
didn't think | should have to halloa
right out.
got through the lock pretty soon,
and put in my wire and opened it.
Then he took hold of the door and
opened the vault.
I'm put my bonds in," said he,
land 90 home. You can lock up and
wait till Mr.. Jennings comes. / don't
suppose you will try to fix the lock to-
night"
told him | shouldn't do anything
more with it now, as we could get in
before morning.
We'll, I'll bid you goodnight, my
man." says he as he swung the door to
again.
Just then heard Jim whistle, and
guessed the watchman was coming up
the street.
And" said to the president, you
might speak to the watchman, if you
see him, and tell him to keep an extra
lookout tonight
Il WILL" said he, and we both went
to the front-door.
There comes the watchman up the
street, said he. 'Watchman, this
man has been fixing the bank lock, and
/ want you to keep a sharp lookout to-
night. He wid stay here until Mr..
Jennings returns"
Goodnight again." said he, and he
went up the street.
saw Jim-so called-in the shadow
on the other side of the street, as
stood on the step with the watchman.
WELL" said / to the watchman,
I'm go and pick up my tools and get
ready to 60"
l went back into the bank, and it
didn't take long to throw the door
open and stuff the bonds into the bag.
There were some boxes lying around,
and safe l should have liked to have
tackled, but it seemed like tempting
Providence after the luck we had had.
[ looked at my watch, and saw 1t
was just a quarter past twelve. l put
my tools in the bag on the top of the
bonds, and walked out of the front
door. The watchman was on the steps.
Il don't think I'll wait for Mr.. Jen-
nings." l said. Il suppose it will be
all right if-I give you his key"
That's all right" said the watch
man.
II wouldn't go away very far from
the bank" said.
"No, will not" he said. "Tll stay
about here ali night"
Goodnight, | said, as l shook
hands with him, and Jim and Jim
was not his right name, you understand
took the. half-past twelve express,
and the best part of that job was, we
We never heard heard any more about
it.
1t never got into the papers. o.
A Melancholy Judoe.