The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-04-18
A Good Use Of a Flask.


Many years ago, when was a young
man. Ind occasion 10 move my Office
belongings ana hired negro called
Bin FOR the purpose, After the NOV
ing missed a new sixty dollar over
coat was sure Bill had taken 1t and
had him arrested but since there was
no evidence against him he was dis.
charged.
NY new Office was on the second
floor. apart from other otiices. One
afternoon when + was sitting there
alone at work on my books Bill open.
ed the door and came In. He had not
been paid for his services and asked
for the money. gave 1t to him and
said:
"Bill, perhaps you know who stole
my overcoat. Try to find it and bring
1t to me. II you do. III pay you well
for your trouble. II not, I'll send the
man who stele II to state prison yet
TN try" lie said as he pocketed the
money paid him and went away.
/ had advertised my loss, and the
next day woman and a little girl
came into my Office with the missing
coat. The woman said that negro
had sold it to her for SO and that she
would know him ii she should see him
ngain. / had Bill rearrested. She
identified him, and he was tried and
sent to state prison for two years.
After 1t was all over learned that
Bill was q very bad man. He had been
a slave, and his former master had
said that he was the only negro be
had owned that he was afraid Of.
That Bill had ever been criminal be-
fore stealing my coat I did not learn.
Upon getting this information re-
membered with some feeling his visit
to me when / was alone in my office.
am small man; he was a large and
powerful one. Indeed, had been
completely at his mercy. 1T occurred
to me that after he had served his
term he might make me another visit
for the purpose Of taking his revenge
for an enforced residence In prison.
was sufficiently impressed with
this to note the time Of expiration OF
Bilrs term, SO that when he was re-
leased might be prepared for him,
but / didn't count on time reduced for
good behavior. One evening just before
] was ready to shut up my Office and
go home the door opened and In
walked Bill. He assumed the same
cool, impudent manner as before. J.
sat looking at him from my desk.
'You don't remember me, do you,
bossy' he said.
Eyes; remember you very well.
You're the man who stole my over
coat"
"And the man you sent to state
prison"
Eyes. l remember that too"
He was looking about him, gIancing
out OF the window, taking In the situ-
ntion. | knew he had come to kill me
and was only considering the question
of my surroundings with view TO do
ing the job without its being known
who was the murderer Hearing step
in the hall without, he delayed. All this
] could read In his eyes as plainly as II
1t had been written ia capitals on the
desk before me. The step was lost in
the distance and Bills manner indi-
Gated that he considered an obstacle re-
moved. Still, he must have fully appre-
ciated the many possible dangers of
being tracked. III not caught in the act.
He kept his eyes and ears open for any
thing without. Therewas coal stove In
the center of the Office, near where he
stood, and heavy iron poker. ! saw
him take In the poker, and knew by
his expression that be had chosen Il
for weapon. 1t would make no noise.
] also inferred BY this that he was
probably unarmed. He doubtless had
no money with which TO buy q weapon.
"A door slammed on the floor above,
and there was a step on the stairs.
Some one was coming down. Bill's
eye changed in twlnkling.
I'm gwine to try nj do better, boss"
ne said
so would advise you
couldn't you help me leetlew
Here was d ray Of hope. Not from
the passing person--I dared not risk
calling. In the right hand drawer Of
my desk / remembered having placed
a brown glass flask shaped like a re-
goIver and commonly called a pocket
pistol. Bill had given me an excuse to
open the drawer.
Il might give you q few dollars" !
said, ito keep you TIL you can get q
Job. / keep stamps and petty cash IN
his drawer. You needn't come inside
lie rail. can hand 1t to you
The person coming downstairs had
.|pne out into the street, and all was
In. Watching Bills eye, saw that
an time had come. Grasping the
ker, he started FOR the gate in the
III opened the drawer. seized the
| ket pistol, brought It to bear on him
cried fiercely:
Hands upF'
S hands went over his head as II
bed by spring. Fearing that If
yed he would discover my trick, !
zee the doorr'
ain | gave the third order:
love forwardf'
marched Bill out and down the
hoping to meet a policeman, but
s were only about a dozen police
IL the town. and I was obliged to
ny prisoner to the police station,
80. ~ zoe loaI-od m