The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-04-03
THE IRON KEY ;

shop" hangs key foot in length
and the wards rusted up. This is
the story attached to it:
In an old brick house on the
bank of the river lived Martin Bentz
with his wife and daughter. He was
Mr.. Grayley's managing man-kept
his books, paid the hands and sold
the timber. The Office was in cor
ner room in the house, and iii 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 every
night he locked the door with seri-
Gus mien and much elaboration
and then handed the key to Martin,
who kept it till next morning.
To one of our modern artists it
would be pleasant hours 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 a German by birth,
but his wife American, bred and
born in Fishtown. Although the
couple were not always accordant in
opinion, Oh the subject they agreed,
and that was about the beauty and
excellence of their daughter Mabel,
and parental judgments are often
fallible, but there could be no ques-
ton as to Mabel Bentz's merits. She
was not only good daughter, but a
very beautiful girl. No race in
America produces more lovely wo-
men than the German Americans,
and there could be no better illus
tration Of this than Martin Bentz's
daughter.
She was not much liked by the
neighborlng girls, as they were rath-
er a rough lot in those days, much
given to promiscuous dances that
generally ended in a free fight
among their admirers, so Mabel by
avoiding them got the credit of be-
ing proud. She was assistant in a
millinery store on Second street and
was never without an escort home,
but very few were permitted to come
to the house, and the girl herself
was circumspect and as yet indiffer-
emf to the advances of anv of her
male acquaintance.
She had two persistent stitors,
both young men. One, George Ora
ham, was boatbuilder, fair, man
ly fellow and an excellent mechanic,
but he was not handsome, and, while
a favorite with the old man, Mrs.
Bentz had very pronounced dis
like for him.
The other, Peter Daily, was
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 a shifty
expression in his hard gray eyes that
was not prepossessing. But he was
Mrs. Bentz's fayorite.
It was Martins custom to hang
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 we're 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's eyes look
ed more furtive than ever, and Ma
bel, glancing over her sewing,
thought how mean his expression
was at times, but the talk became
general, and Daily soon left.
Next evening he was again a Wis
itor, bringing with him a friend, a
tall, thin, SLOWLY dressed man. He
had also brought Martin bottle Of
brandy. This was opened, and the
old man became quite convivial.
Suddenly tremendous crash was
heard outside The entire party
made rush for the door, all but
Daily's thin friend. He, quick as a
cat, mounted a chair and, taking
down the safe key, substituted an
other, in looks much the same. The
others came back in a few moments.
It was only pile Of 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 soon deeply engaged in CONVEX
sation with Mabel. As was the Gus
tom, the parents withdrew, and
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