The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-08-22
Her
Presentlment
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

Reuben Kastner was night watch
nan at the Office of Jones Brothers,
dealers in railway supplies. One night
his wife gave him his supper, he went
to the little bed where his two children
lay, kissed them, then babe his wife
adieu, with a sigh.
What's the matter, Reuben?" she
asked
81 dunno" said Kastner. II got a
presentyment."
"A presentiment of what?" asked his
wife.
That somep'n's goin' to happen.
somep'n turrable; somep'n that'll leave
you and the children with nothin' to
Fat and no roof over your heads"
And I've got presentiment, too"
said Mrs. Kastner.
whats that?'
"That somepn is goin' to happen
that'll set us all up"
"oh. you're foolin'r' said the bus
band as he walked away. You never
take anything serious"
Kastner went to the office, where he
relieved the porter. who acted as day
Waterman, and began his dreary night
watch. He walked about from one
room TO another. occasionally going
into a room where stood the safe. To
do this he was obliged 10 take out
key and turn the bolt In the spring
lock In the door that connected this
room with the main office. After TAX
ing a look at the safe he would let
the door close and would sit down in
an office chair, and at the expiration
OF an hour would go through the proc
ess again.
He had opened the door to the safe
room and gone inside for look when
three men-where they came from he
could not surmise-seized him from be-
hind and threw him to the floor. Pro-
ducing a cord. they bound him hand
and foot and gagged him. Then, sit
ting him in a chair, they tied him to
1t, and one of them, knocking of the
knob of the safe door with a hammer,
put a charge of nitroglycerin in the
hole made and attached a fuse. Hav-
ing done this they placed gunny bags
over the safe to deaden the sound.
lighted the free end of the fuse and
all left the office Their idea was to
blow open the safe, killing the watch
man. on the principle that dead men
tell no tales, return and help them
selves to the contents.
When they left the room the door
was closed by the spring, and Kastner
was shut up in the safe room while n
suffering fire was running along the
fuse toward the explosive.
A great many things came to Kast-
ner while watching that running fire.
He saw himself blown into pulp by the
explosion; he saw his wife waking
from slumber to think about her lonely
husband watching through the long
night; he saw his little children sleep |
Ing in their bed with their arms around |
each others neck.
He would not die. He would make |
an effort for life. If he could get down |
on the floor he might possibly escape !
the worst He began a violent rock
ing. swaying from side to side. This |
he kept up till he upset the chair. His |
TALL broke the cord that bound him to
L. There was still foot of the fuse
railing on the floor not yet consumed.
Nastner, having his hands and feet
led, could not reach the fire or kick it,
out be could roll toward it. This he
lid and presently rolled on it.
Another danger confronted him.
Would the fire be smothered or would
t ignite his clothing and first burn him,
hen blow him to pieces? He lay fat
~ the fire and felt the heat beneath
lim
He heard a rafting at the door. The
burglars, anxious to see what was go
ne on within the safe room, were try
ng to open it, but, finding 1t locked,
ould not do so without breaking it
Iown, and this might attract attention
rom those without. Since nothing
eemed to be gained by effecting an
ntrance. they determined to await the
explosion.
Meanwhile Kastner lay on the fuse,
,raying that it would be smothered.
iradually the heat under him died
own. He watched to see If 1t were