The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-02-12
THE iron KEY

On the tWdiLLOK an old curiosity
shop" hangs key a foot In lenet6 h
and the wards rustedd 4 up. This Is Is
the rtory attached 10 it: 3 'SiI5 S.iIE
In an old brick house on the
bank of the river lived Martin Bentz
with his wife and daughter. He was
Mr.. Grayley's anaging, .man-kept
his books, paid the hands and sold
the timber. The Office was in a cor
ner room in the house, and in the
wall was built the safe. It didn't
pretend to be freproof, but both
old Grayley and his clerk believed
that all the burglars in the state
could not get into it, and eyery
night he locked the door with seri-
Gus nien and much deliberation
and then handed the key to Martin,
who kept it till next morning.
To one Of our mo2ern artists it
would be pleasant nour's work to
open the old strong box with key
hole that you could put your three
fingers in, but these were primitive
days, and old Martin felt safe as
long as the key was in his posses
sion. Bentz was German by birth,
but his wife American, bred and
born in Fishtown. Although the
couple were not always accordant in
opinion, on the subject theyFagreed,
and that was about the beauty and
excellence Of their daughter Mabel,
and parental Judgments are often
falli6le, but there could be no ques-
ton as to Mabel Bentz1e merits. She
was not only good daughter, but a
very beautiful girl. No race in
America produces moye lovely. wo-
men than the German Americans,
and there could be no better illus
tration Of this than Martin Bentz's
daughter. I
She was not much liked by the
neighboring girls, as they were rath-
er a rough lot in those days, much
given to promiscuous dances that
generally ended in free fight
among their admirers, SO Mabel BY
avoiding them got the credit of be-
ing proud. She was assistant III a
millinery store on Second streettand
was never without an escort home,
but very few were permitted to come
to the house, and the girl herself
was circunspect and as yet indiffer-
ent to the advances of any of her
male acquaintance.
She had two persistent suitors,
both young men. One, George Ora
ham, was boatbuilder, fail, ,ssass9slfi- ,sasaIlii
ly fellow and an excellent mechanic,
but he was not handsome, and, while
a favorite with the old man, Mrs.
Bentz had q very pronounced dis
like for him.
The other, Peter Daily, was a
very snowy young man, ostensibly a
plumber, but he was seldom known.
to work, and yet he wore good
clothes and always seemed to have
plenty Of money. He was rather.
good looking, but there was shifty
expression in his hard gray eyes that
was not prepossessing. But ne was
Mrs. BentZs favorite.
It was Martins custom to hane
the safe key over, the mantelpiece,
and it seemed to give him much
pleasure to sit and watch it. He
was given to moderate potations
and at times was boastful and indis-
Greet in speech. One Friday night
the family were assembled in their,
one sitting room, and both Graham
and Daily were present. Martin was.
telling Of a big sale of timber he.
had made for Mr.. Grayley and how
the price, some $4,000, had been
paid in that day. Daily eyes look
ed more furtiye than ever, and Ma
Del, glancing over her sewing,
thought how mean his expression
was at times, but the talk became
general, and Daily sooD left.
Next evening he was again a vis-
itor, bringing with him q friend, a.
tall, thin, showily dressed man. He
had also brought Martin bottle of
brandy. This was opened, and the
old man became quite conyviiyial.
Suddenly a tremendous crash was
heard outside. The entire party
made q rush for the door, ali but
Dailys thin friend. He, quick as a
cat, mounted ID chair and, taking
down the safe key, substituted an
other, IN. looks much the same. The
others came back in a few moments.
1t was only o pile cf spars that had
fallen, no doubt the work of the bad
boys that infested the wharfs.
Daily and his friend went away,
and George Graham came In and
was scon deeply engaged in CONVEX
sation with Mabel. AS was the GUS
tom, the parents withdrew, and
George began to explain to Mabel
his improving prospects and his de-
sire that she should become his
n Frsf