The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1900-10-18
GENTLEMAN JIMs LAST JOB.

rogue, living hy the sxefcite oi ny WV
vhsnsvsF uv al opportunity 70 irsn
Ter tie property oi sons nnsuspeeiips J
divldusl 10 my ovn possession.
Ny pals know ns - ''Gsnllmsn jim,
because have always dressed In issbion
bic ssrb sb5 tried TO sppesr, 10 sesion
sbd speech . eallared sentlensn.
II Is roi necessary Tor The purpose Q
my rsrfsiive tat should name The e
scl locality where my Last sdveGtafs tool
place. II you kDow, you don't Deed 10 b
told, IL you dopt know, the Information
wonld do you no good; and therefore !
will be sufficient for ne 10 say that IL 80
in . tbrivins town 10 Hampshire County
Massachusetts,.
In travelling sbout the county, on
prospective tour, came TO the busy tosI
10 question. md found, among oibti
things, tbst IL contained iionrisbins
bank. built OF stone, stsry and halt IL
height, standing an . smsil plot o.
ground. entirely detached hon any othel
structure.
Some CO usl remarks aud inquiries, u
diciously made revealed the fact that II
contained 9 burglar proof ssie IN stont
vault, aud ,bs, 1t usually contained depos
is ranging in the peighborbood Of qasi
ter OF million OF dollrss,
II Was regarded ss . place 10 livery, way
so secure against intruders rs not even 10
need the services OF the night wstcbman;
aud this belief IN iis impreenabiliiy pleas
ID me very nuch. becsnse Of the inoress
ed safety We should have in "workips the
plsnt"
Well, / ssid TO myself. / am going TO
tnd my way into that sale, and II sue
sssd 10 getting tfi clear shsll have mon
sy enough TO msintsin me in life Of
lux urious ease ior long time.
The first thing, after having settlsd in
my mind that tbs. tressnre-vsnlt WAS to
be penetrated, was to devise the means
to accomplish this purpose.
In the fret place. it was absolutely nee
esssry that we should work under cover
and under cover for it was no slight M
dertskipg to penetrate a hard cemented
stone wall OF several feet in thickness.
with immense castings OF iron aud steel to
be cut ont and removed, before we could
reach the treasure: and this ell TO be done
by men unseen and unknown In the com
munity, 10 the dead hours OF night, while
honest sitixsns we're peacefully resting
from the tolls Of the day.
Fortunately, or unfortunately. accord
ing TO the light in which the matter is
viewed, the nearest building to the bank
was dry goods store Kept by man who
bad not been over prosperous 10 his busi
ness. and who was willing TO sell ont the
ssme vt reasonable figure.
But l did not 60 to him and ofier 10
purchase. | had 4 better scheme than
that, for did not wish to be further
known in that community; and so put on
the airs OF . rich gentlmsD, having more
money than | could reasonably spend,
aud after y week or two OF this kind OF
psstime settled my hotel bill With great
flourish and went away. deeply regretted
by oil who had been so fortunate ss to
make my distinguished acquaintance. and
more especially by tboss who had profited
BY my lavish expenditure
had . very faithful. sbrewd and indus
trial psi. and Immediately sought him
and gave him full instructions.
In the course Of the next two weeks the
dry goods store l speak Of bsd chsnged
owners. and Robert Carpenter, 9 quiet,
honest, thrifty looking individual had put
ont his sign, and became . stsid, sober,
church. going citizen OF the thriving town.
ready and anxious to sell any thing. from
silk dress down 10 yard Of tape or Q ps
per OF pins,
You may possibly think that dry goods
store, open oil the week days to sll kinds
Of customers. from early in the morning
ill nine o'clock st night. wss not exactly
Ihs place for working burglars to visit
md msin 10 for weeks together; bat it
was Just because nobody, not even the
|ynx-eyed police, had the least suspicion
,f any ,hing Of the kind being concealed
here that this particular establishment be
,sne one Of the most perfect "blinds" We
,ould have chosen.
Where 60 many came and vent, . strsDg
~, even ii'seen. was not liable 10 attract
snd set eossips to whispering Of
Of unduly strange.
But great care WAS tsken thst strangers
'hould not be seen there.
Oar confederstef, disguised Is farmers.
mechanics. train hands or ordinary labor
,rs. my worthy self among the number,
iropped 10 sinsly, st different timer. and
vere then cared Tor inside, and kept con
,esled 10 apartments arranged especislly
or onr nse. K
All our tools we're brought 10 the place
% cases Of merchandise. and, therefore, st
rscted no suspicious notice. 1
The distance from our starting point,
be cellar OF cur store, TO the outside Of
he bank WAS only little over sixty feet, ,
,ut to tunnel this out 10 the night. entire /
, underground, srch 1t. and wall II With /
,osrd.. and mske it secure-to smusgle {
q the things We needed and get rid Of {
be ditt and ratbish was slow snd die
oursging undertaking, which required /
,ood deal OF pstience. nerve snd pluck, 4
na ths inceutiye of fortune to be a