Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-11-21
RESCUED By LUCK.

In the fail OF 1866 | was employed as a
clerk III general store at n cross :oads In
southern Indiana. The store, a 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 coun.
try about was thiekly settled up. how
ever, and trade was always good. Before
the merchant engaged me he announced
that would have 10 sleep in the store o.
nights, and that unless | had pluck
enough to defend the place against ma
rauders he did not want me at any price.
lie showed me "A shotgun, revolver, and
spring gun, which were used. or on
hand to be used. 10 defend the place, and
the windows were protected with stout
blinds, and the doors by double locks The
close OF the war had drifted bad popula-
tion into Indiana The highways were
full of tramps, and there were hundreds of
men who had determined to make a living
by some other means than labor Sew
eral attempts had been made TO rob the
store, and il had come to that pass that no
clerk wanted TO sleep there alone.
The merchant seemed satisfied with the
answers ! gave him, and ON certain
Monday morning | went to work That
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 wHs on his way home from our store
was robbed on the highway. If had not
been light sleeper from habit these oc-
currenees 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 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 bnekshot, and the
man who kicked the string and discharged
the weapon would never know what hurt
him.
Ii did not seem possible that any one
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 eonlf hear the slightest
noise in the store. had looked the place
over for weak spot, and had failed TO
find IL, but my own confidence came near
proving my destruction. | should have
told you, in describing the store, that just
over the spot where we set the spring gun
wns an opening through which we hoisted
and lowered such goods as were stored for
a time ON the second floor When not In
use this opening was covered by trap
door, Toward evening, on the tenth day
of my clerksnip, hosted up lot of pals
and Tnbs, and had just finished when trude
became so brisk that | was called to wait
upon customers. Later on | saw that |
had left the trap door open, and said to
myself that | would let it 20 until / went
to bed. The store had the only burglar
proof safe for miles around, and it was
customary for the farmer who had 800
or so To leave it with u.s. He received an
envelope in which To inclose 1t, ami he
could take out and put In as he liked. On
this evening four or five farmers came In
TO deposit, and. as I afterward figured up,
we had about ", 600 In the safe.
There were two strange faces in the
crowd that evening. One belonged TO u
roughly dressed, evil eyed man, who an
nounced himself as droyer, and the
other 10 professional tramp. gave the
latter piece of tobacco and some crackers
and cheese and he soon went away, and
we were so busy up To 0 o'clock that did
not give the droyer much attention.
When we came To shut up the store he
had gone from my mind altogether. We
counted up the cash, nude some charges
in the day book, and it was about 10
O'Clock when the merchant left. / was
tired out, and | took IA candle and made
the circuit of the store, set the spring gun
and went TO bed. / had 10 pass within
six feet of the trap door rs | went TO my
room, but did not see it. IL was a rather
chilly night in October, and we had no
fires yet, aud as got nnder the blankets
the warmth was 50 grateful that soon
fell asleep. 1t was the first night / had
gone to bed without thinking of robbers
and Wondering how | should act in case
they came la. did not know when fell
asleep | suddenly found myself half up
right in besl, and there was an echo in the
store, aa II the fall of something had
aroused me. Ii was | o'clock, and had
been asleep almost three hours. Leaning
on my elbow, / strained my ears TO
catch the slightest sound. and after q
minute heard movement down stairs.
While could not say what IL was, n sort
OF instinct told me that it was made by
some human being.
Everything ON the street was as silent
as the grave Ny window curtain was
up, and | could see that the sky had
thickened mp and was very black. | did
not walt for the noise 10 be repeated.
was Just as sure that some one was in the
store as II / 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 20 there and Listen
down the stairway. As was moving ncross
the room, which was then pretty clear OF
goods rs far as the trap door, suddenly
recoliected this opening and changed my
course 10 reach 1t. IL was terribly dark
in the room, and one unfamiliar with the
place would not have dared to move q
foot. Half way 10 the trap got down on
my hands and knees. and as reached the
opening. / settled down on my stomach.
There was dim light down stairs. THAI
settled the fact that some one was in the
store. After a minute heard whispers,