Mohave County miner., 1888-03-24
RESCUED BY LUCK.

hbSSS LII III ACS IA
In the fall Of 1860 was employed as
clerk In q general store NJ q cross loads in
southern Indiana The store, a church
and a blacksmith shop, with two resi-
deiiccs, made up the buildings, and the
families OF the merchant and the biack.
smith were the only residents. The coun.
try aboTt Was ihicEjy settled up, how.
ever, aud trade Wns riwnys good. Before
the merchant ENGAGED me he announced
that I would hare 10 sleep In the store o.
nights. and that unicss had pluck
enough to defend the place against ma.
rauders he did not want me at my price
lie showed me shnfGnn, u revolver, and
n spring gun, which wcrc used, or on
hand 10 bc used. 10 C"i"rd tic place, and
the windows were Protected with stout
blinds, and the doors by double locks. The
close u the war had driftcd bad pOpula-
ton into Indiana Th" riIhways were
fnIi ~ trn'utTs, aud t!IcFc were hundreds of
inen who had determined 20 make living
by some other means han ,aLOr S"v-
craI attempts had been made to rob tie
store, and IL had come 70 that pass that no
clerk wanted 10 sleep there alone.
The merchant seemed satisfied with the
answers I gave him, and On q certain
Monday morning l went to work. That
same night store about four miles away
was broken into and robbed and the clerk
seriously wounded. Two nights later
three horses were stolen In our neighbor-
hood. At the end Of the week farmer
who was on his way home from our store
was robbed On the highway. II had not
been light sleeper from habit these Oc.
currcnces would have tended 10 prevent
too lengthy dreams as lay In my little
bedroom at the front Of the second story.
The revolver was always placed under
my pillow and the shotgun stood within
reach. The spring gun was set about
midway OF The lower floor. II was
double barreled shotgun, each barrel con.
tanning big charge Of buckshot, and the
man who kicked the string and discharged
the weapon would never know what hurt
him.
IL did not seem possible that any one
could break into the store without arous.
ing me. There was no door TO my room,
aud after the people In the neighborhood
had gone to bed could hear the slightest
noise In the store. had looked the place
over for weak spot, and bad failed TO
find it, but my own confidence came near
proving my destruction. should have
told you, In describing the store, that jnsi
over the spot where VIC set the spring gun
W., IN opening through which We hoistcd
AMI lp"cred such g.rnis rs were stored for
! Tine on tGc ecnni floor. When not In
usc this opening va, covered by q trap
door. Toward evening. on the tenth day
Of my clerkah'p, hoistel up lot Of pals
and tubs, and lad i'm. finished when trade
became 50 brisk that was called 10 wait
upon customers. Later on eaw that ]
had left the trap door open, and said 10
myself that would let II go until went
TO bed. The store he'd the only burglar
proof safe for miles around, and 1t was
customary for the farmer who had 800
or 50 to leave It with US. He received an
envelope in which 70 inciosc It, and he
could take out and put in ms he liked. On
this evening four or five farmers came In
TO deposit, and, as afterward figured up,
we had about 81, 800 IN the safe
There were two strange faces In the
crowd that evening. One belonged TO a
roughly dressed. evil eyed man, who an
bounced himself a. q drover, aud tho
other TO professional tramp. gave the
latter O piece OF tobacco and some crackers
we were 50 busy up 20 Q O'Clock that l did
not give the drovcr much attention.
When we came to shut up the store he
had gone from my mind altogether. We
counted up the cash, made some charges
In the day book, aud 1t was about 10
o'clock when the merchant left. / was
tired out, and took candle and made
The circuit Of the store, set the spring gun
afy1 fN hnl t.,1 o. .,t. t.
six feet OF the trap door as I went to my
room, but did not see Il. II was rather
chilly night in October, and VIC had no
fires yet, and as got under the blankets
The warmth was so grateful that coon
fell asleep. 1t was the first night had
gone 10 bed without thinking Of robbers
and wondering how / should act In case
they came In. / did not know when ! fell
asleep. suddenly found myself half up
right in bed, aud there was an echo In the
store, as II The fan Of something had
aroused me. II was o'clock, and had
been asleep almost three hours Leaning
On my elbow, strained my ears 10
catch the slightest sound. and after
minute heard movement down stairs
While I could not say what IL was, n sort
Of instinct told me that IL was made by
some human being.
Everything on tho street was ss silent
as the grave. Ny window curtain was
up, and I could see that the sky had
thickened up and was very black. did
not wait for the noise 10 be repeated.
was Just as sure that some one was in the
store as IL | had already seen him, and
crept softly out Of bed, drew on my
trousers, and moved out into the big
room, having the revolver In my hand
There was no door at the head OF the
stairs intended TO 90 there and listen
down the stairway. As was moving across
the room. which was then pretty clear Of
goods as far as the trap door, I suddenly
recollected this opening and changed my
course TO reach IL. II was terribly dark
IN tho room. and one unfamiliar with the
Place would not have dared 10 move
f"ot. Half way 10 the trap got downt'-
n y hands and knees, ard a. / reached im
rrenin2. settled d'.wr on my stomach.
T',ere was dim light invu stairs. That
tied the fact that ~oIn: one was in the
stare. After minur' ssarI whispers,