The Russellville Democrat., 1891-04-09
THE CLERKS STORY.

Ctcfh HI t ScucIdl stolc al a CIoSS Iutun in southern Indiana. The store, church and blacksmith shop, with two resi- dences, made up the buildings, and the | families of the merchant and the black smith were the only residents. The country about was thickly settled, how ever, and trade was always good Be- fore the merchant engaged me he an- nounced that would have to sleep in the store O nights, and that unless had 1 pluck enough to defend the place against marauders he did not want me at any | price.
 l He showed me a shotgun, a revolver and spring gun, which were used, or on hand to be used, to defend the place, I and the windows were protected with ] stout blinds and the doors by double locks. The close of the war had drifted bad population into Indiana. The highways were full of tramps, and there were hundreds of men who had deter l mined to make q living by some other means than labor. Several attempts had been made to rob the store, and it had come to that pass that no clerk l wanted to sleep there alone.
 The merchant seemed satisfied with answers I gave him, and on certain Monday morning went to work. The 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 neighborhood At the end of . 1 week farmer who was on his way home from our store was robbed on the highway.
 If l had not been light sleeper from habit these occurrences would have | tended to prevent too lengthy dreams as lay in my little bedroom at the front of the second story. The revolver was always placed nnder my pillow, and the l shotgun stood within reach The spring l gun was set about midway of the lower floor. It was double barreled shotgun, each barrel containing a big charge of buckshot, and the man who kicked the string and discharged the weapon would never know what hurt him.
 l It did not seem possible that any one l could break into the store without arous- ing me. There was no door to my room, and after the people in the neighborhood had gone to bed I could hear the slight l est noise in the store. I had looked the place over for weak spot and had failed to find it, but my own confidence l came near proving my destruction. should have told you in describing the store that just over the spot where we I set the spring gun was an opening through which we hoisted and lowered such goods as were stored for time on the second floor. When not in use this | opening was covered by trap door.
 Toward evening on the tenth day of my clerkship hoisted up a lot of pails and tubs, and had just finished when trade became so brisk that was called to wait upon customers. Later on saw that had left the trap door open, and I said to myself that would let it go un- only burglar proof safe for miles around, and it was customary for the farmer who had hundred dollars or so I to leave it with us. He received an en- velope in which to enclose it, and he could take out or put in as he liked. On this evening four or five farmers came l in to deposit, and as afterward figured up we had about $1 300 in the safe.
 There were two strange faces ill the crowd that evening. One belonged to a roughly dressed, evil eyed man, who an nounced himself as drover, and the other as professional tramp. I gave the latter piece of tobacco and some crackers and cheese, and he soon went away, and we were so busy up to o'clock that I did not give the drover 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. and it was about 10 o'clock when the mer- chant left 1 was tired, and l took a candle and made the circuit of the store, set the spring gun and went to bed. had to pass within six feet of the trap door as l went to my room, but did not see it. It was rather chilly night in October, and we had no fires yet, and as l got under the blankets the warmth was so grateful that l soon fell asleep.
 It was the first night l had gone to bed without thinking of robbers and won dering how I should act in case they came in. l did not know when fell asleep. 1 suddenly found myself half upright in bed, and there was an echo in the store, as if the fall of something had aroused me. It was o'clock, and had been asleep almost three hours. Leaning on my elbow l strained my ears to catch the slightest sound, and after minute beard movement down stairs. While could not say what it was, 8 sort of in- stinct told me that it was made by some human being
 1 Everything on the street was as silent as the grave My window curtain was up, and I could see that the sky had thickened and was very black. did not wait for the noise to be repeated. l was just as sure that some one was in the store as if had already seen him, and l 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 stair. Intended to go there and listen down the stairway.
 As 1 was moving across the room, which was then pretty clear of goods as far as the trap door, suddenly recol' lected this opening and changed my course to reach it. It was terribly dark in the room and one unfamiliar with the place would not have dared to move foot. Half way to the trap got down on hands and knees. and as Preached the opening settled down on my stomach, There was dim light down stairs That settled the fact that some one wa: in the store After minute heard whispers, then the movement of feet then q certain sonnd which located the intruders to foot They were at the