The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-02-13
FULTON COUNT Y NEWS.
THE IRON VAULT.
A Tale Of a San Francisco LOCkSmith.

agreeable pursuits. h"uJ WIZ
follow it see nothing but labor
think of nothing in it but its re-
turns of gold or silver. To me
it has other Charms than the mon
ey it produces. | am called up
on, almost daily, to open doors
and peer into long neglected
apartments, to spring stubborn
locks of safes, and gloat upon
treasures piled within, to quietly
enter the apartment OF ladies with
more beauty than discretion, and
pick the locks of drawers contain
ing peace-destroying missives
that the dangerous evidence of
wandering affection may not
reach the eye Of a husband, or
father, in possession of the miss
ing key: to force the fastening of
cash boxes, and repositories of
records, telling of men made rich
of corporations plundered, of or.
phans robbed, of families ruined.
Is there no charm in all this?-no
food for speculation-no scope
for the range of pleasant fancy?
Then who would not be lock-
smith, though his face is begrim-
ed with the SCOT of the forge, and
his hands are stained with rust.
But have story to tell-not
exactly a story either-for story
complies the completion as well
as the beginning of a narrative
and mine is scarcely the intro
duction to one. Let him who
deals in things of fancy do the
rest. In the spring of 1861
think it was in April opened a
little shop on Kearney street, and
soon worked myself into a fair
business. Late one evening, &
lady, closely yelled, entered my
shop, and pulled from beneath a
cloak a small japanned box, re
quested me to open it. The lock
was curiously constructed, and ]
was all of an hour fitting it. The
lady seemed nervous at the delay
and at length requested me t.
shut the door. | was a little sur,
prised at the suggestion, but OF
course complied. Shutting the
door and returning to my work,
thelady withdrew her veil, and dis
closed was as sweet face as Cal
be imagined. There was a rest.
lessness in her eye and a pallol
in the cheek which told a heart i'll
at ease, and in a moment every
emotion for her had given place
to that of pity.
'sPerhaps you are not well
madam, and the night air is toe
chilly?" said |, rather iuquisitive
ly.
/ felt a rebuke in her reply
SIN requesting you to close the
door, had no other object thar
escape the attention of the pass
ers."
l did not reply, but thought
fully continued my work. Sht
resumed
s"That little box contains valu
able papers, and l have lost th'
key, or it has been stolen.
should not wish to have you Il
remember that | ever came her,
on such an, errand," she contin
ued, with some hesitation, and Civ
ing me a look which was no diff
cult matter to understand.
Certainly madame, if you de
sire it. If cannot forget you
face, l will at least attempt t.
lose the recollection of ever see
ing it here"
The lady bowed rather coldl.
at what | considered fine com
pliment, and l proceeded witt
my work, satisfied that sudden
ly discovered partiality for m
had nothing to do with the visit
Having succeeded, after much fl
ing and fitting, in turning til
lock, was seized with a curios
ity to geta glimpse at the prec
ious contents of the box, an
suddenly raising the lid, disco,
cred a bundle of letters and
daguerreotype, as | slowly passe
the casket to it's owner. Sh
seized it hurriedly, and placin