Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-11-02
my BUReLgB.

I've always had my theories % regards
ones action In an emergency, There are
come scenes ! have thought over, sort
Of mental rehearsal, again and again, and
! do not believe my well.trained wits
could desert me, whatever the opinion Of
brother Jack may be.
I'm not a young woman. passed the
boundary line Of old maidenhood seven
years ago. l made celebration on my
25th birthday. II comes In August and
! invited several Of the old school girls
from st. Mary's to come In their cool
muslin wrappers EAST India mourning)
70 the funeral Of my youth. I served
lunch Of ice and LADY. FINGERS on maiden.
hair ferns and we drank iced tea Give al.
ways hated tea) % q proper preparation
for old maidism. read them poem, o
parody on the burial Of Sir John Moore
In which became spinster and laid
youth to rest-''with her twenty five years
behind her." All that was seven years
ago, and each day ! have grown more
seli.reliant and brave. Quite determined
Jack TO teach me bookkeeping, and after
that Il was not very hard 10 persuade him
10 let me cease play and keep his books
In earnest.
So for seven years had work enjoyed
and six hours Of every day I spent 10 the
little Office behind the great one where re-.
ports from the great warehouse Of Gallo &
Co. had come In ever since my Grand.
father Gales own day. People called ms
eccentric and odd at first, but my world
grew used TO the fact In time, and &C.
cepted me on my own terms.
When August Of last year came around
had taken my usual July vacation, and
my 82d birthday found me at home, ready
TO assume part Of Jacks duties In add.
ton to my own, that he and Annie might
have their months outing also.
II wish you would shut up the house
and board while we are away" Annie
said. II hate to think Of you and Maggie
al alone nights IN this great house"
Maggie was our faithful domestic.
Nonsense, ANNIE" I answered.
Haven't we stayed alone for six years
every August with private watchman,
too, for this block? I'm never one mite
afraid"
..You are perfectly SAFE" Jack said.
"We've got new Waterman now, who
will look after things sharp. Jerry was
growing old, and, I think, liked q quiet
corner toward morning. This 10 Q young
fellow who Ii out OF work; ~ b 40 bright
as dollar"
l quite laughed to myself at Armies
fears the next evening ~ I stood q mo.
ment ut the window, after extinguishing
the gas, and saw the burly, thick.set figure
Of the new Waterman lighting his pipe by
the gaslight. lie looked able to tackle a
whole gang Of house robbers unassisted.
All went peacefully. ! meet the new
man-J0e, by name-each night as ]
came from the office. lie came 10 watch
at Q o'clock. lie had u bright face and a
pleasing way, ! found when stopped to
speak to him. He seemed TO feel great
sense Of responsibility rs regards the care
Of our house, which always gave me q
comfortable feeling.
the cashier was taken sick. offered "a
take his duties In connection with my own
to save recalling Jack. Mr.. Gaskcl
(Jack's new partner and really carried
the weight OF the business on our shoul
ders the next week. Mr. Gaskell had
only been partner for six months. liz
was an Engllsliman whom Jack had meet
the year before In New York. He had
managed TO sink FUR supply Of English
gold In American ventures before Jack
met him, and lie had gained thereby al
experience that made him. now In midtll,
life, fair to put some OF our American
netal In DlnCe Of TINT lost
From his first coming among US, strong
In bis English prejudice, there had been !,
tactic war between him and me. ] think
first time. "pm not going TO say l up
prove Of your being here, Miss Lawrence
he said one afternoon. Though I'll &c
knowledge no man could think quicker
or be Of more help than you are, but III
the chivalry In me protests against thu
drudgery you endure"
Zone must work II one Il to have ,
career" answered laugldngly. But al
the same there was u pleasant feeling II
my heart to think lie cared TO save m,
labor or trouble.
One afternoon, the last OF the week. III
brought me $4,000 that some western
customer had paid. "Wc'll have to p,l
II In tho safe, Miss Lawrence" he said
1.-THE bank closed two hours ago." Tia
night, when closed the safe, ! deliber
atcd several moments with the door In m!
hands, whether to leave the money or taxi
1t home with me. We have always Eel
the warehouses made our Office danger
Gus place, and the air was 30 hot and dr.,
that day that the very walls seemed full
OF heat as II they might light from spou
taneous combustion; neither have eve
felt perfect confidence In our safe Is fire
proof. have tried many time TO hav
Jack change It for q more modern one
thought OF my Waterman and almost dc
termined TO take the money home, bu
finally considered 1t would only give me
wakeful night TO have the care OF tan
] shut the safe.
! had my wakeful night, though, ju.
the same-for had hardly fallen aslee
when heard the gong of the fire alarm
Ordinarily ] should not have risen nnles
called, but the weight Of the bushes
seemed on me, and ! slipped on m
wrapper and clippers and watched til
bright light In the west. Finally pu
the alarm whistle TO my lips and Gale
Joe. Find out where II Is, joe" sait
"for It's In the direction Of the shippin
quarter"
Ten minutes later and Joe was breatl
less below my window. 'Irs fearf,
FIRE, miss, with everything a. dry {
finder. It's the elevator vt the foot {
Fifth street." Gully two blocks from III
warehouse, with this hot wind BLOWN
I n u. -