The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-05-17
| A Box That
Moved Of Itself
BY GROVER ], GRIFFIN
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation. 1911.

There's no telling what young PEG.
pie between childhood and man or wo-
man hood viii do. There is case on
record Of girl of thirteen shopping
with her mother who disappeared In
a throng. The police hunted for her
Tor long while without getting any
trace of her The case was given up
ms one OF those mysterious disappear
ances that are never solved. But the
girl turned up finally, and what do
you suppose was the cause Of her dis
appearance She had gone off volun-
tarily through within. or, rather, a
romantic desire to try the world on
her own account
But stranger case than this came
under my observation. am freight
agent on a railroad. and II happened
In the freight house In which am
employed. One afternoon | received
box about six feet long by two feet
broad and deep. 1t weighed, | should
think, about hundred pounds II
was marked: Glass. Handle With
Care. This Side Up" Near one end
was also written. "If Stood on End
This End Up"
received the Uox on the platform,
and, since | didn't care to be saddled
with broken property. laid il care
fully on truck. wheeled II into the
freight house and, being crowded for
room, stood II on end. being particular
to put the end up as directed. | no.
ticed that the top was neither nailed
nor screwed on. and wondered how
1t had been fixed as firmly MS it was.
But this was merely a passing thought,
for | didn't take the interest and had
not the time 10 investigate the way
lids were fastened. provided they were
secure
/ received the box about 8 in the
evening and after disposing OF Il and
other freight locked up and went home
to supper Having some statements
to make up in the evening. | returned
to the freight house. lighted up and
went TO work In the little space fenced
Off for an office was figuring when
| heard a cough outside.
The idea occurred to rae that somo
one was in the freight house. The
door being right beside my Office. no
one could have entered without my
knowing It. consequently some one
had come in surreptitiously. No one
would be likely TO do that except
for the purpose OF robbery All tbs
passed through my brain In one-tenth
the time II has taken TO tell 1t. The
first thing ! did was to open a drawer
IN my desk and take out a revolver.
Thus armed. went out In among the
freight and looked about ! admit ]
dreaded being shot from dark cor
ner, but for that matter | could have
been shot while sitting at my desk.
saw nothing. heard nothing. and after
walking about for awhile ! made up
my mind Lad been mistaken. start
ed to 20 hack to the office and had
reached the door when heard a gig
gle
All idea of fear left me at once.
Tossing my revolver on to my desk. |
turned and went back for another
hunt Passing the box that had been
marked to be carefully handled | no
ticed that instead Of the top one Of
the sides faced me. / knew very well
that the box could not have moved
itself and suspected that here was the
solution of the matter. Going up to 1t.
began to pull it about. when the top
came of and out stepped girl about
fifteen years old. The most astonish-
ing thing about her was that her face
was on broad grin.
''Well, I'll be hangedp exclaimed.
Her response was giggle the same
as | had heard shortly before.
'tWho are your | asked
"a runaway"
"From whereT
"From home"
''What did you run away for?"
"Oh. it's an elopement.'
rats. You're nothing but child.
Where's the young Teller in the caseY'
Hiding behind the boxes. ! let him
in at the window while you were
gone
hastily examined the Id of the box
and found IL had been held in place
by clamps on the inside that could be
easily turned. Then ] called to the
young fellow to come out of hiding.
| heard him climbing over the boxes
from the back part of the house and
he came down into the dim