Connecticut western news., 1911-05-04
A Box That
 Moved of Itself By GROVER J. GRIFFIN Copyright by American Press Asso- ',
 citation. 1911

ndu uoOu Will uo. 1ueEe IS case Ou record of a girl of thirteen shopping with her mother who disappeared in throng. The police hunted for her for long while without getting any trace of her. The case was given up as 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 a whim, or, rather, a romantic desire to try the world on her own account.
 But a stranger case than this came under my observation. am freight agent on a railroad, and it happened in the freight house in which I am employed. One afternoon I received box about six feet long by two feet broad and deep. It weighed, should think, about a hundred pounds. It was marked: Glass. Handle With Care. This Side Up" Near one end was also written, of Stood on End This End Up"
 received the box on the platform, and, since I didn't care to be saddled with broken property, I laid it care fully on a truck, wheeled it into the freight house and, being crowded for room, stood it on end, being particular to put the end up as directed. I no- ticed that the top was neither nailed nor screwed on, and I wondered how it had been fixed as firmly as 1t was. But this was merely a passing thought, | |, not the time to investigate the way lids were fastened, provided they were secure.
 I received the box about in the ] evening and after -disposing of it and other freight locked up and went home to supper. Having some statements to make up in the evening, l 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 me that some 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 this passed through my brain in one-tenth the time 1t has taken to tell it. The first thing did was to open drawer in my desk and take out a revolver.
 Thus armed, went out in among the freight and looked about. l admit dreaded being shot from a dark cor ner, but for that matter I could have been shot while sitting at my desk. l saw nothing, heard nothing, and, after walking about for awhile I made up my mind had been mistaken. start ed to go back to the office and had reached the door when I heard a gig gle.
 All idea of fear left me at once. Tossing my revolver on to my desk, l turned and went back for another huHt. Passing the box that had been marked to be carefully handled l mo- tic2d that instead of the top one of tka sides faced me. I 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, I began to pull it about, when the top came. off and out stepped a girl about fifteen years old. The most astonish- ing thing about her was that her face was on broad grin.
 "Well, I'll be hanged" I exclaimed.
 Her response was a giggle the same as I had heard shortly before. "Who are you?" I asked.
 "A runaway"
 "From whereT
 "From home."
 "What did you run away forF'
 ooh, it's an elopement."
 "Rats! You're nothing but a child. Where's the young feller in the caseF'
 "Hiding behind the boxes. let him in at the window while you were gone"
 I hastily examined the lid of the box and found it had been held in place by clamps on the inside that could be easily turned. Then l called to the young fellow to come out of hiding. I heard him climbing over the boxes from the back part of the house and presently he came down into the dim light. He wasn't much older than the girl.
 "Now, you children tell me all about this escapade at once," I said.
 The girl made the explanation. She told me that she loved willie" as she called him, and that she knew her par ents would not consent to a marriage since they were so young, so they thought that they would elope. Willie had proposed the plan they had adopt ed. He had made the box, put her in it and shipped her as freight to my station, where he proposed to join her. And now" she added, wont you just go like a dear, good man for clergyman? We love each other and would like to be married at once. Con- slider my reputation"
 "You little chit!' replied, astounded at her impotence. "Do you suppose I'm going to aid in the marriage of two children just out of the nursery. You come into my office and stay there till telegraph your parents"