Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-05-21
; How He Escaped. :

said grocer to q customer, 81 can
recommend, for I've sold them for
years"
what so interests you In that
brand? You're always trying to sell
them to me, when you know l prefer
another kind. Do you make more on
themW
mo. There is a very different ex-
PLANTATION. Come in here and I'll tell
you"
And, leading the way to his private
office, he told the following story:
zone day some years ago a young
woman came in here to buy some
canned goods. waited on her myself.
These tomatoes were new in the mar
ket then, and l had been offered in
ducements to push them. The girl
didn't appear to know what she want
ed and was a bit flustered, but there
seemed to be something about the
label on the tomatoes that attracted
her attention. 1t covered the can from
top to bottom, and on it was d colored
picture of several ripe tomatoes-in-
deed, the same label that Is used to-
day. l sold her q can and can of
peas, both of which she seemed to
select under the influence of the labels.
She took them away with her.
1.-THE next day she brought them
back, telling me that she wished me to
ship them with some other articles
she intended to purchase. She then
selected q lot of canned goods-mar-
malade, peaches, jelly and the like
directing me to pack all in one box.
They were to be sent to her invalid
brother, in care Of a certain person at
a town near the center of the state.
She paid all charges and left me to
ship the box when liked.
II took an especial interest In the
girl from the first. She was SO pref
ty, SO sad, and before she went away
gave me an appealing look which l in
terpreted to mean that she wanted me
to be sure that her brother received
the delicacies in good order l super
intended the packing myself, and no
ticing that the can of peas indicated
fermentation, l put it aside and got
another. The rest of the goods seemed
to be all right, and shipped them.
81 left the can of peas in the pack
ing room till the next day. when l took
it up to put it away. 1t had stood all
night near q sink, and some one had
spilled some water over it. l felt the
label slip away and noticed that some
thing had been wrapped tightly under
it. Setting it down on shelf, l saw
that lot of small thin saws had been
soldered around the can.
you may imagine my establishment.
My first impulse was to call some one
to see my find; but, suddenly realizing
that the position in which was placed
required thought before action, l took
the can up to the top floor where
could examine 1T alone. The saws
were highly tempered and would cut
right through iron. Upon reflection
surmised that the girl had taken this
and the can of tomatoes home with
her that the files might be fixed be-
meath the labels. The tomatoes had
been shipped and would doubtless go
to some prisoner who would use the
saws about them to cut himself out
The girl had surreptitiously used our
firm, believing that any goods coming
from us would not be suspected.
Here was a situation. Suppose the
saws were discovered by the authori
ties. l had a fine prospect of taking
the place of the prisoner. l resolved
to telegraph at once to the prison Off
Gals warning that would protect
me from intentional completely. l hid
the can with the saws still on it and,
going to the office, was writing the
telegram, when, feeling that some one
was looking over my shoulder, turned
and saw the girl who had trapped me.
1 had written enough of the telegram
for her to see that her game was up.
'There was no one else in the office
/ stepped to the door, closed and
locked it. For an hour 1 listened to a
story with infinite complications which
portrayed the landing of an innocent
young man, the girls brother, in jail
for a crime of embezzlement into
which he had been trapped by the real
criminals.
THE girl, overanXious as to the ship.
ment Of the goods, had called ostensi.
bly, for the purchase Of some articles
for herself, but really to ask If the box
had been sent. Seeing me in the office
writing, she had slipped in and, look.
ing over my shoulder, learned the stu.
alton. Having told her story, she con.
cluded:
81 know 1t has been very wrong OF
me to use you In this fashion, but
"'Do you realize l asked, that II
the saws are discovered / run the risk
of going to prison MYSELF
81 did not think Of that l will con
fess to have done 1t all myself
81 shook my head.
"'What are you going to dor
81 sat for some minutes celebrating
Neither of US spoke. There was the
usual going on of business outside thai
could be seen through glass parti
ton, but within the little Enclosure al
was silent as the tomb. Presently
| reached for box of matches. scratch