Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-02-01

night like this. Faint often such as
l have chance at this kind of com :
fort and luxury.
"What do l know about the bank
mystery? Land sakes, Judge, time
they opened the bank that day ten
years ago and found the bank vault
broke into and the safe blowed up and
not dollar gone, could have told it
all. The people of Tiverton amt
done talking and wondering bout it
yet, and there amt never been no one
livin' as could tell what it all meant
but me.
81 bought some papers-here they
are, Judge-where it's all written
down and | can swear to it if you like
| don't want them never used, though,
unless | die and something comes up
as would make it best for my family to
know, though there's things In it I'd
ruther die than have 'em know. If
it's all the same to you, Judge, I'd
like to tell it to you. Seems I'd get
rid of a load and would be happier
and die easier feelin' I'd spoken it all
out to one livin' human.
"You'll be glad to listen? That's
good of you. l knowed you was n
kind man and a just one; that's why 1
come to you. No, thank you, don't
smoke; l put all that money away for
me wife and children.
DO you hear that storm? Outside
seems like all the evil powers was let
loose. You can't judge bout it here.
1t comes kind of muflled like through
those thick curtains and it don't shake
this great house as it does some.
"It's this kind of night as makes
men huddle together, Judge, and plan
how to get rich and have file things
such as the likes of you. I've been
through it all; l know. I've felt as if
l had as good n right to 'em as any
one and l was bound to have 'em, too.
| warn't brought up to no trade nor
nothin', and fair means seemin' to
fail, 1 took to the other.
eyes, Judge, | started ont in life
thief and robber. / prospered
fairly in a small way, and no one
didn't catch up with me for some
time. Then l joined gang in for
anything. Lord, but it was fascinat-
ingl 1t was like drink; l couldn't
give it up and I couldn't get enough
of it. [ was in prison and out then,
the old story, till I married and be.
gun to have little ones.
"Then, Lord knows what helped
me--something did-and for the sake
of my wife and children, 1 broke
loose from everything and came here,
where no one didn't know me, to
start oyer again. had some money
and opened the restaurant Just oppo-
site the bank.
'Long as 1 didn't read the papers I
got on well but let me see them and
I'd hunt through 'em for the robberes
and I'd be crazy for while, aching
to be in it all again. Seein' bout my
old pals gettin' in trouble didn't make
no difference.
"Time came, though, when begun
to enjoy life differently, and to feel
myself more respectable, The love
for the old life begun ter go till 1
could read about 1t without gittin' all
fired up. l thought then / was all
right.
"lhen they came here, part of the
gang I'd belonged TO. First knowed
of it was seein' 'em in the restaurant.
l 'spicioned they weren't here for no
good and it most took my breath
away. They knowed.me quick enough,
too, and nothin' wouldn't do but l
must join 'em. was the very man
they wanted, L could help EN- and |
was boune to 'em. Twas the biggest
thing they'd undertaken yet; the
bank. They'd come on to examine the