Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1901-02-14
THURMONT Frederick County, Maryland Thursday February A. 1901.

door and pick up those wheels by run
ming wire through those holes, why,
you can open the door. I hope make
myself clear. I was boring that hole.
The door was chilled iron, about the
neatest stuff ever worked on. Invent
on steady enough. only stopped when
Jim-which, as I said, wasn't his real
whistled outside, and the watch
man toddled by. By and by, when Id
got pretty near through, heard jim
so to speak-whistle again. l stopped
and pretty soon heard footsteps out
side and I'm blowed if they didn't come
right up the bank steps and I heard a
key in the lock. was 80 dumbfound-
cred when heard that that you could
have slipped the bracelets right on me.
l picked up my lantern, and III be
hanged if l didn't let the slide slip down
and throw the light right onto the door
and there was the president. Instead
of calling for help as l supposed he
would, he took step inside the door
and shaded his eyes with his hand and
looked at me. l knowed | ought to
knock him down and cut out, but I'm
blest if I could, was that surprised.
who are your says he.
WHO are your says I. thinking that
was an innocent remark as he COM
menced it, and a-trying all the time to
collect myself.
T'm president of the bank says he
kinder short something the matter
with the lockT
BY George! the idea came to me then.
Yes sir says |, touching my cap;
Mr.. Jennings he telegraphed this morn,
ing as the lock was out of order and he
couldn't get in and I'm come Oh to
open it for him.
u told Jennings week ago. says he,
THAT he ought to get thst lock fixed.
Where is heT
He's been writing letters, and he 8
gone up to his house to get another let
ter he wanted for to answer
We'll, why don't you 60 right on,
saws he.
I've got almost through says |, and
| didn't want to finish up and open the
vault till there was somebody here
That's very creditsble to you,' says
he: "a very proper sentiment, my man.
You can't he goes on, coming round bv
the door, 'be too particular about avoid
ing the very suspicion of evil
No, sir, says kinder modest like.
What do you suppose is the mater
with the lockT says he.
v don't rightly know yet, says |; >but
| rather think it's little wore on ac-
count of not being oiled enough. These
ere locks ought to be oiled about once
year
'Well,' says he, you might as we'll go
right on, now I'm here; will stay till
Jennings comes Cant l help you-
hold your lantern, or something OF that
sortT
The thought came to me like flash,
and turned around and says:
How do | know you're the PRESIDENT
amt ever seen you afore, and you may
be a-tryng to crack this bank for all l
know
That's very proper inquiry. nv
man. says he, and shows most re-
markable degree of discretion. | con-
fess that should not haye thought of
the position in which l was placing you.
However, I can easily convince you
that it's all right. DO you know what
the presidents name isT
No, l don't says I, sorter surly.
Well, you'll find it on that bill said
he, tsking bill out of his pocket; and
you see the same name on these letters
and he took some letters frou his coat.
suppose I ought to have gone right
on then, but was beginning to feel in
terested in making him prove who he
was, SO Isays:
YOU might have got them letters to
put up a job on me-
You're a very honest man, says he
>one among thousand. Don't think
I'm at all offended at your persistence
No, my good fellow, I like it, like it,
and be laid his hand on my shoulder
Nov, here, says he, taking a bundle
out of his pouket, Us package of $40,
900 in bonds. A burglar wouldn't be
apt to carry those around with him
would he? I bought them in the city
yesterday, and 1 stopped here tonight
on my way home to place them in the
vault, and, I may add that your simple
and manly honesty has 80 touched me
that l would willingly leave them II