Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-04-04
ALUCKY ADVENTURE.
An Old Architects Story, as Told
by Himself

venture. / was only fifteen years old,
and, like all boys, had great deal Of
curiosity. My parents lived in the
suburbs OF the city, and not far away,
not more than five good blocks, new
building had just been erected. 1t was
on the summit Of low hill, over which
the street now runs, but then it stood
alone.
The builder was q very stern and die
tatorial sort OF man, and did not like
boys, and though l once or twice tried
to enter the building for the innocent
purpose of admiring it, l was never
permitted to do so.
| used to look at the building with
envious eyes after it was locked and
boarded up, and one day, when | saw
worImen enter with q kettle Of roof
paint, l followed them, and, to my de-
light, was unnoticed. They went up
strirs, and out upon the roof, Of course,
and | examined all the rooms.
At last reached the upper floor, and
entered some little rooms with sky
lights. In one of these was an old
anu Alltbb OAu Nllall Voc ehi OANA
book. j picked it up and sat down. 1t
was a story Of adventure. l became
absorbed in it, and forgot all else. As
l finished the last sentence | was con-
scious of doing so only by means of
straining my eyes. l saw that it was
evening, and as / listened heard no
sound. The workmen had ceased their
operations on the roof.
Not yet anxious, felt the necessity
of leaving the house at once; but this,
TO my alarm, found much easier said
than done. The door at the head of
the stairs was locked or bolted on the
outside. The door at the foot of the
stairs that led to the roof was in the
passage without. The six rooms COM
municating with the one had entered
were lighted only by sllylights.
Here was n dilemma. At first /
tried to laugh over it, but as it grew
dark / felt much more like crying. l
beat upon the door and shouted, quite
uselessly.
II could have broken q slIylight
and climbed out upon the roof, / would
have done so, but even on the chair
was not half way to the ceiling.
All that could do was TO sit down
and wait, or to vary this pastime by
walking about, and waiting until some
one came to open the door.
As it grew darker l grew more dis
NAL. / grew hungry, too, being q
healthy youth, with good appetite.
knew my parents, though not ten min
utes' walk from the building, had no
idea of my whereabouts-tha they
would be terrified at my absence. And
then it came to me that perhaps 1
might even starve to death in that ele-
CANT building had admired so much,
and that my delivery from such fate
was quite in the hands OF chance.
This thought, coming as it did in the
darkness and silence of the night,
made me know for the first time in my
life an emotion OF real terror. How
ever, after some little time / grew
sleepy, and rolling my jacket under my
head for pillow. | fell into an uneasy
sleep, from which | was aroused by q
strange sound below. People were in
the house, and they were ascending the
stairs. Searching for me, was my first
joyful idea. But in a moment that
curious comprehension OF things not
yet made obvious TO the senses, which
we all share, caused me to understand
that something mysterious was afoot,
and that l had better wait before /
manifested my presence.
Happily there was a hiding place at
hand. In each of these rooms was an
ornamental corner cupboard, with a
glass upper half TO the door. This,
doubtless, was intended TO display brio
a-brac, or china, but below the half
was a space sufficient to conceal my
person, and guided by the light of the
moon, which had risen while | slept,
and which now made the ground glass
skylights yellow, | took my place there.
The next moment chain fell, q key
turned, the door in the little passage
opened, then another door opened, and
two men entered the room, bearing
with them another, who seemed sense
less.
The slip of glass through which l
could peep did not allow me to see this
third mans face as they laid him on
the floor; but | saw those of his bearers.
They were those of the roofers / had
seen enter the house.
Both were out of breath, and they
looked very dark and evil in the moon
light
HE seems safe" said one
"He is safe" said the other; $50 are
we. II they find him here in his own
building they'll think he came of his
own accord, and hurt himself, or had
apoplexy or something. But let's get
away. The pockct-book is in his over
coat"
Here it is said the other. OVEN
take the money and leave the book.
And then came the counting of what
seemed to me at that age an immense
sum of money-an amount which was
actually very large for man to carry
in his pockets-and an even division of
it between the thieves.
trembled in my hiding-place, for 1
knew that if | was discovered / also
should be murdered. Butt listened in
tently. One of the men called the
other Jim, and he in turn was address
ed as Sam. They resolved to leave the
watch on their victims person, lest its
possession might betray them, and TO
take care to be sent at work next morn
ing as If nothing had happened. There
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