Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-10-24
my BURGLaR.

I've always had my theories as regards
ones action in an emergency. There are
some scenes have thought over, sor1
/ do not believe my well-trained wit:
could desert me, whatever the opinion OF
brother Jack may be.
Pm not young woman. l passed the
boundary line of old maidenhood seven
years ago. l made a 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
to the funeral Of my youth. served a
lunch of ice and lady-hngers on maiden
hair ferns and we drank iced tea Owe al
ways hated tea) as a proper preparation
for old maidism. / read them poem, q
parody on the burial of Sir John Moore
In which l 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
self-reliant and brave. Quite determined
TO make career of my own, persuaded
Jack to teach me bookkeeping, and after
that it was not very hard to persuade him
TO let me cease play and keep his books
in earnest.
So for seven years had work enjoyed
and six hours of every day | spent in the
little Office behind the great one where re-
ports from the great warehouse of Gale 81
Co. had come in ever since my Grand
father Gales own day. People called me
eccentric and odd at first, but my world
- 10, o,,I
cepted me on my own terms.
When August of last year came around
had taken my usual July vacation, and
my 32d birthday found me at home ready
to assume part of Jacks duties in addi-
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. Il hate to think of you and Maggie
all alone nights in this great house"
Maggie was our faithful domestic.
Nonsense, Annie" answered.
Haven't we stayed alone for six years
every August with private Waterman,
too, for this block? Pm 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, think, liked quiet
corner toward morning. This is young
fellow who is out of work. he is as bright
as dollar"
l quite laughed to myself at Anne's
fears the next evening as | stood mo-
ment at 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. l meet the new
man-Joe, by name-each night as l
came from the Office. He came to watch
at 9 O'clock. He had a bright face and n
pleasing way, found when | stopped to
speak to him. He seemed to feel a great
sense of responsibility as regards the care
of our house, which always gave me a
comfortable feeling.
Jack had been away two weeks when
the cashier was taken sick. / offered to
take his duties in connection with my own
to save recalling Jack. Mr.. Gaskell
(Jack's new partner and really carried
the weight of the business on our shoul.
utIS TIC ntAb Wtch. WI. uuu
only been partner for six months. He
was an Englshman whom Jack had meet
the year before in New York. He had
managed TO sink "a fair supply of English
yold i'm American ventures before Jack
met him, and he had gained thereby an
experience that made him. now in middle
life, fair TO put some of our American
metal in place Of that lost.
From his first coming among us, strong
in his English prejudice, there had been "a
tactic war between him and me. | think
this week he laid down his arms for the
first time. "Pm not going to say / APP
prove of your being here, Miss Lawrence, "
he said one afternoon. Though I'll ac-
knowledge no man could think quicker
or be of more help than you are, but all
the chivalry in me protests against the
drudgery you endure"
Zone must work if one is to have q
career" i answered laughingly. But all
the same there was a pleasant feeling in
my heart to think he cared to save me
labor or trouble.
One afternoon, the last of the week, he
brought me $3,0 that some western
customer had paid. .'We'll have to put
1t in the safe, Miss Lawrence" he said
''the bank closed two hours ago" Tba
night, when / closed the safe, | deliber
ated several moments with the door in my
hands, whether to leave the money or take
II home with me. We have always fel
the warehouses made our Office danger
Gus place, and the air was so hot and dry
that day that the very walls seemed full
OF heat as If they might light from spon
taneous combustion; neither have eve
felt perfect confidence in our safe as fire
proof. | have tried many time TO hav,
Jack change 1t for more modern one
thought of my Waterman and almost de
termined to take the money home, bu
finally considered it would only give me
wakeful night to have the care of it an'
shut the safe.
had my wakeful night, though, jus
the same--for / had hardly fallen asleel
when heard the. gong of the fire alarm
Ordinarily / should not have risen nnles
called, but the weight Of the cuisines
seemed on me, and / slipped on m.
wrapper and slippers and watched tn
bright light in the west. Finally pu
the alarm whistle 10 my lips and calle
Joe. Find out where it Is, joe" / said
"for it's in the direction Of the shippin
quarter"
Ten minutes later and Joe was breath
less below my window. ''It's fearfu
fire, miss, with everything as dry a
finder. It's the elevator at the foot Q
Fifth street." Only two blocks from Oh
warehouse, with this hot wind BLOWN
directly toward them. l thought of IN
books. No one knew the safe combins
,;oyx ~xcort Mr. Gaekell and mvaelf An