The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-07-08
STORY OF A
BRICKLAYER
By LOUISE 3. CUMMINGS

was before there were labor unions, |
and JOHN did not get very good pay for |
bis work and not much work, either.
His wife was delicate, and there was |
q plentiful crop OF children.
One day while John was laying brick |
q man. stopped beside him and said:
MY good man, would you like a lit :
tie work to be done In the evening when
you have nothing else to do?'
Il would II I got well paid for It."
said John
Where do you liver"
John gave his home address, and
when It was dark the man appeared.
He told John that he must be blind
folded John didn't like this, but the
man laid i've dollar bill on the table
and said that when the work was done
he would give him double the amount
Seeing that there was nothing In the
house to eat. John permitted the man
20 de a handkerchief about his eyes,
and, taking the others arm, he was
LED forth on to the street. which at that
hour was well nigh deserted
While the visitor was In the house
John Bounce's wife was In the adjoin-
ing room. where the children were
asleep. When she saw her husband
go blindfolded with the visitor, either
fearing for Johns safety or through
curiosity, she followed the two. They
went into the business part of the city
and stopped before a building bearing
a sign, 'Hirkimer & Co" Johns con.
ductor opened a door, guided John
through It and shut the door behind
them.
Mrs. Bounce was In a quandary as to
what she should do. Had she best de-
mand admittance Tor herself or call the
police or wait till John came out? A
few minutes reflection assured her
that Johns employer needed some ma
sonry done and there was no occasion
TO be alarmed. If she interfered he
might lose the promised additional pay.
She concluded to take no action In the
matter. and. not caring to leave her
children alone, she went home.
John was absent for two hours when
Mary was gladdened by the sight of
him and a ten dollar gold piece that
ne had brought with him. His en-
ployer had left him short distance
from his home. This is the story he
told Mary:
basement Of the building. where he
had removed the bandage. Pointing
to a recess in the wall, which John
knew to be the base of chimney, and
some brick and mortar. ready for use,
he told the mason to build q wall
across the face Of the recess. John
went to work Before he had put the
last few bricks In the opening the man
put In a box.
whatever the object of concealment
In this matter, all would possibly have
been buried In oblivion till the crack of
doom or for one or two centuries, when
the building would be torn down, had
It not been that Mary Bounce followed
the two men, It was about a month
after Johns job was done that one
evening after coming in from work he
was reading a newspaper. Suddenly
be looked up at his wife and asked
what did you say was the name on
the building was taken to for work.
@Hirkimer & Co."
John looked serious. Mary asked
him why he asked the question.
He read aloud an article stating that
the old established firm of Hirkimer &
Co. had made an assignment. They
were prosperous till one morning on
opening the safe the chief clerk had
found that a large amount of negotia-
bic securities and some $4,000 In cash
had disappeared The safe had not
trace OF where the securities had gone
or who had taken them Several en-
ployees had the combination Of the
safe lock, and others might have got
ft from some of them. Detectives had
been at work on the case, but had been
bafied. None OF the employees had
absconded.
It did not take John Bounce long to
arrive at the conclusion that he had
walled ND the missing securities. The
next morning. guided by his wife, he
went to the once of Hirkimer & Co.
end asked to see one OF the firm Both
were conducted to the private office Of
Mr.. Hirkimer. and John. having care
fully closed the door. told his story.
Mr.. Hirkimer at once took him down
into the basement. but there was no
artificial light there. and 1t was so
dark that he was obliged to wait till
lamp could be procured The place
was vacant except for some lumber
piled up against the chimney founda.
ton, which had been closed up. John
removed the lumber. assisted by the
impatient Hirkimer, and the newly
laid brick stood out in contrast with
the old.
John Bounce got a Job at removing
what he had 80 lately put in and soon
took out the box, IN. which was discov-
cred the missing property. No one ex-
cept John and Mary Bounce and Mr..
Hirkimer knew of Johns revelation
ana the fndlng of the missing proper
~. But the head financial clerk saw
John when he entered the office and
Immediately disappeared
Hirkimer & Co. at once resumed, and
John Bounce became janitor Of the
building, with several watchmen under
him. Not only did he receive a good
salary. but was presented with home.
When the firm was incorporated he
was given some shares OF the stock
me clerk who had hired John to lay
the brick doubtless Intended at some
future time to take-away the securities.