Passaic City record., 1893-08-05

if that can't be hit it can be drilled or
blown open. I think I'll make
things little safer for you"
The bank had no cellar, but es stone
was plenty and cost only the labor of
quarrying, the walls were built two
feet thick. To get below the frost
line they had to be sunk nearly five
feet. The space enclosed by the walls
was finty soil, SO hard that pick
could scarcely disturb it. The floor
of the bank was little more than
four feet above the earth. Tom was
about week, working at odd times,
to get things in shape. He cut out q
trap door in front of the safe, brought
down wires and battery, and when we
had finished we had q contrivance
which he alone had power over from
Grand Crossing. By means of switch
up there he could spring the bolt of
the trap door, and the door worked on
a spring TO close the opening again. A
staple in the door and another In the
frame permitted the use of peg, SO
there might be no fear of accident dur
ing business hours. The understand
ing we had was that Tom should drop
that door every hour between 8 O'Clock
at night and the next morning and
the scheme worked as easy as rolling
off log. For the first few nights the
click of the bolt woke me up as the
door fell, but after time it failed to
penetrate my drowsy senses.
I had to run my bank to suit. the
convenience of the public, and it was
never closed before 6 o'clock in the
evening, and was often open until z.
As rule, all persons who wished to
use the safe over night came in be-
tween and 7. gave each one re-
ceipt for whatever he deposited, but
made no charge whatever. Many and
many night that safe held S25, 900
outside of bank money, and on such
occasions I felt a bit proud at the con-
fdence reposed in me.
Toms trap had been working for
month or more when l received
strange caller one evening at $50. A
woman was by'no means rare sight
in town, though they were none too
numerous, but this visitor of mine was
a young woman, stylishly dressed, and
as pretty as peach. I'll admit right
here that had jumping of the heart
at sight of her, and that when she
smiled on me was as badly fustered
as boy caught stealing eggs. She
was from ST. Louis, she explained, and
had come out in search of brother
who was interested in q silver mine,
but had mysteriousiy disappeared. She
would be at the hotel for week or
two and wished me to safe deposit
5000 in greenbacks. She gave me the
name of Miss Nellie Haines to insert in
the receipt, and you will of course
smile in contempt when I admit that
had to count that money three differ
ent times to make it come out straight.
[ of course offered my assistance in
the search for information, and of
course she sweetly thanked me and
said she'd come in again. She did
come, and when I saw her by day
light I was clean gone. Regular case
Of love at first sight on my part, and I
have no more excuses to offer. wrote
several letters for her, and the search
for the missing brother was well be-
gun.
For week Miss Haines dropped
into the bank daily in search of news,
and one evening during the interval 1
paid her call at the hotel. Saturday
afternoon she sent me a note saying
she had news of her brother, and that
he would be down from the mountains
about 8 o'clock in the evening. He
should be very anxious to go East by
the 10 o'clock train, and would mind
if the two came to the bank at 8.15.
While she had to draw out her money
it was more than likely that he would
have a large deposit to make. If she
hadn't mentioned this latter circum-
stance should have taken her money
to the hotel, and perhaps declared my
love. Saturday evening was always
big evening with the bank, as score
or more of outsiders wanted the use of
the safe over Sunday. This Saturday
evening I had fully 100000 to take
care of. Igot rid of the last customer