MY UNCLE'S CASHIER. (By A. Stewart Harrison, in Once a- Week)

Otago Witness, Issue 577, 19 December 1862, Page 5

MY UNCLE'S CASHIER. (By A. Stewart Harrison, in Once a- Week)

'• My dear Charles, it is a question for you, not for me — jou must decide yoursi If ; I can oiily state the fondilioMs upon which that d< cision must be founded If you go to college, \ou must go with a very small allowance indeed, and you must work hard for a fellowship of some kind, for I can lea\c you nothing:, &■? you know that beyond a provision for your mother and the unmarried girls, I shall leave nothing behind me when I go. If you do go to college, you will enter a circle, the entering of which will multiply tenfold your chances of success in after life ; it will give you a portion in society of which nothing but bad conduct on your part can deprive you, and will put jou in the Mr road to become what I should like to see you -a scholar and a gentleman. If, on the other Land, jou accept your uncle's offer, you will lnve a far larger allowance, as salary, than I can give j ou undiu- any circumstance, the chance of succeeding him in n, wry gjod bur-mess, and soon becoming a mm of some importance in the commercial world. I need say no moiv, you must choose for jourself ; I shall want your answer to-morrow, in time to po*t ; go and think it over. Don't say anything to jour bisters', or they'll persuade you to go to I'm is, for the chance of visiting you there," Such wa* my fathei 's address to me at the age of seventeen. It was a difficult question to decide — Oxford or Paris! Still I did decide, and next day announced that derision. " I should prefer going to college, father, at all event". 7 '

" Glal to hear it, my boy, though the other course would have been the cheaper for we ; still I am glad <o hear it. I can't do muph for you, but in sending you to college I can do more than I can in any other way If there's anything in you, it will come out tlieie ! if not, you w.ll not be spoilt for other things afterwards, so God speed you, my boy." To college, therefore, I went, with only one more word of advice from my father. As 1 left the gate in the hired chaise for the station, he said :

"fio.l bles; yon. my bjy; if yuu me in to be anything, do t'b heiir mi him lit *tiike too often." Time ieii-5 pa-5-.od, and I was " gjttinu; on,'' as my mothci used to tell lier friends, and in a fjw I months more I had hopes of jrettiii^boni"tl!i!ifj worth having in tie shape of my decree witli houor.s, and a fellowship Alas ! My hopes were vain. I had returned to college at the end of my third long vocation when I received a bHer announcing my father's illness, and le.iched home too late liai? In in again alive. My college dreams were over — I lud not a penny in the world— I must work tor all I was to hn\e. My undo now wrote to repeat his former ofter. I joyfully a"c»pt-'d it, aud a month aftar my father's death I w.w in Paris,. My UDcle's hou>e was in one of the small streets lying between the Rue Vhicnne and the Hue Montmartie,ju»t north of the IJjurse. It wa-, as may be suppose 1 from its situation, an old rambling place, with the bulking offices on one side of the courtyard, unil the les'ulenee on the other. The offices, the scene of my new duties, consisted of a suite of throe rooms, communicating by swing doors ; in the farthest sat my uncle, the next was the chief cashier's or cleik's, and the third the office proper. A counter stretched along the whole length of the room, and on top of the counter ran a high, strong, wire guard, with two or tin cc sm ill circular openiug-s, through which the money was passed and papers were taken. Behind tin- guard I was to sit as third cashier or clerk. My uncle's business was that of a banker, bill discounter, and money-lender; and to judge by the rate at which he lived, he must for some years have employed a very ljirtte amount of capital, or have lent his money, at a little more than five per cent interest. My uncle having shown me the offices, took me over to the hou^e. "My daughter, Mr Wardes— Yictorine, my dear, Mr W.irdes — a nephew of mine." I looked at my cousin once and again— she was worth looking at — a most singular mixture of races was visible in her face. She had a liij^h, broad, thoughtful, German forehead a man's rather than a prirl'a— a delicate chin aii'l mouth, with the same teeth so characteristic of the more highly organised French nature, and a nose and eyes unmistakcably English in the clear bright outline of the one, and the open, fearless guze of the others. She was a curiosity — a new thing— and I deterwinei to study Vietorine, my cousin. "You must dine with us, at six o'clock. Where did you sleep last night ]'' "At the Bed brd." " You'd bettar bring your trunks here ; your room is rea ly." " Really, I had no idea that I was to live here." "Wheie rise, boy? Where else? Paris is not a cheap place for young men ; you'll live here cheaper than anywhere else ; more comfortably, perhaps, if you and Victorino don't quarrel." This was more than i had hoped for, to find myself domiciled in my uncle's house. I thought he had done much in renewing his offer after my previous refusal, but this overcame me. " I'm really very grateful to you for all your kindness." " All right, my lad, a'l righ 1 . See and get your things here, or you'll be lat2 for dinner." At dinner I wos introduced to the chief clerk, or rather the nunagor of my uncle's business. Once or twice I noticed his eyes fix themselves on me iv a way that gave ua the idea of his maasuiing me. I felt annoyed at this ; and I showed it a little, perhaps, in the tone of my voice as I answered his inquiries as to the practices of English commeice. '' Oh !'' said my uncle. " he known nothing about the matter, Monger Vernay Abk him to recite to you a chorus from the ' Antigone,' and he'll repeat half the book ; but of commerce — of banking — he knows nothing." " We sha 1 he able to teach him our system in a few years, if he shall stay so long with us." " He'll stay longer than I shall, I dare say, M. Vernay," " Let me jhope not, M, Wardes, you are a young man yet ; quite a young man." " That may be, but I don't mean to spend all my Kfe in your dear Paris, M. Vernay. 0 no." ''Whatever comes, shall do our best with the young gentleman to make him useful." I felt angry aud vexed at this conversation : though the hints thrown out by my uncle were plain enough, I did not like this contemptuous treatment from his manager. Moreover, I noticed that M. Verray paid most assiduous and graceful attentions to Vietorine, who accepted them as a matter of course, and this made me still more inclined to dislike him. My work was easy enough- too easy. I copier 1 letters, paid away money, and dM the work that belonged to my department as junioi clerk. M. Vernay was careful to give me nothing to do that wa s not simplicity itself, and I was bo i- ed for want of something that might occupy my mind as well as my fingers. In the evenings I seldom went out ( and was very content to sp-Jnd my time with Vietorine, who, on her part, ssemed to think the evenings were pleasant enough 10 seem short ;so while papa dozed in his chair, Victoiiue and I talked and sang to our heart's content. M. Vcruav came about once a week to dinner, and contrived then, and indeed at all times, to give my uncle the idea that I was in need of much teaching as regarded business matters. *' How many years do you think, Charles" (we were cousins, reader), "it will take you to learn to conduct papa's business }" i " How many months you mean, Vietorine. These ' practical men, your father and M. Vernay, are greatly mistaken in thair estimate of me ; they fancy that because I nevei looked into a day-book, or journal, or ledger before I came lnre, I shall be years learning their use ; it's a mistake of theirs. I have ever since I was old enough to think X done little else but think, and discipline of this kind enables me to learn in a month what their undisciplined minds would rrquire twelve for. As for M. Vernay, and his ' Si/s f cme,' as he calls it, it is a good one, and a workable oae ; but thpre an fifty methods of applying the same principles. He boasts that by his system fraud is rendered impossible, because discovery i 3 certa'n ; he's wrong, and greatly wrong, and if I had access to hin books, I believe I could prove to demonstration that it is so." Vietorine somewhat incautiously detended me the next time I was attacked, and repeated my remark that if I had access to his books 1 could prove fraud to be possible. Mr Vernay started, turned pale, and turned on me a gl nice that ma 'e me sure of two things; first, that this chance bolt had hit the mark— that there was fraud ; and next, that if M. Vernay could put me out of his way he would not be very particular as w the means of dxiiiig it. This one idea of fraud kept forcing itself before me constantly ; M. Veruay's jealous care of particular books an I keys, his constant endeavours to make my uncle take "one gla>s more than 1 ' was good for him, and the strange, suspicious-looking people who came to him fi st, and then drew out money from the bank ; all compelled me to think of it. I wns more than confirmed in my suspicions by an incident which occurred some few months after this idea first entered my mi ad. I had lost mjself id one of the Faubourgs rather late one evening, and entered a small, meanlooking res'aui-ant to a^k my way. There were a number o men in the loom, and as I glanced in a looking-glass I saw a face there was no mistaking — that of M. Vernay, He was sitting at one of the little round marble-topped tnble«, with two companions, with his face to the will, anil his side-face reflected in the glass. I saw him clearly, but fiom his position he could not see me. Instead of asking my way, 1 took a seat near the paity, and took up the paper. They spoke in Trench, and rapidly, in an under tone. " I tell you," said Vernay, "it will not do ; yon always have to ask me bffore you draw, aud uule»s you c,\u do it in my way it cannot be done." " Bppeat, 1 ' said one, " repeat : what is your way ]" "This," sail Vernay. "I will gi\e you a cheque now tor 50,1.00 francs w ith the Marquis de 's signature. Lizette will bring it ; she must come in her carriage and cash it to-morrow — and-—" " That's it exactly" — and — '' what are we to do V "Give me note^ tor 45.0J0 fraiiM to-night." ♦' 45,000— that is only 5,000 francs, and a carriage an 1 horses and Lizette's dress — it is too little ; besides, we have not got the money ; I like the old way best ; I will come as usual.'' " You cannot do that without risk of discovers*. !"Thy prying English nephew is suspicious— he has the I eyes of an eagle— au owl I ought to say, for he sees in the dark." I "C.in't you quiet him? There is water under -all the bridges of the Seine, still." j '' He's too happy for that: happy men don't drown themselves." " Docj he go out at night 1 An appointment with a pretty gill mi^ht tempt him." " Not at all — lie's in love with Vietorine." " That is serious, Veruay -she was to be youra." "That may be, yet. Now, will you have it or shall I go to Hamburger, and make him the oifrr '"' ! The two consulted for a moment, and one of them left the room. In a few minutes he i-eturned (1 was deeply absorbed in the piper which completely hid my face) j he "-aid to his companions : — " I have it." " You are agreed, then ? " c< Yes. Where is the cheaue? " Vern.iv drew from Ilia pocket bock a blank cheque, filled it up for 50,000 francs, and dated it. " Now the notes. All good I* '• All good ! To be sure." > Vernay looked carefully at the notes, and then, signing the cheque, handed it over to his companions. "What time?" "Oh, at two; and tell her not to talk too much." He rose trod left the rooms with his companions. I hardly knew when I saw the wible vacant whether I had dreamt it or not, I looked at the table, and there was nothing that wqwld help me

to lv.hi- Ihc truth; but under tho ta'ilj liy a p ccc o;' piper. I pmncel noon it, aid tojud tl>;it it vr.ia ;i |i ; cje < if ' h ot'ing piper simil.ir t) fiat I lull us.*! ii ill 1 (i.iK'c, iuiJ oa it »b tli; tliL'ko.iC] iii'im'.^ion o. ilii si.matirc of the c'.ie j.ik. I reached ho-ne in a state of a ixiety tliat m-ty c wly be ima^ineJ, and found my uncle rather worse than usual. He was always a little " comfortable," a^ kind vtiws say, towards evening; to-niahf he was asleep in his arm chair, and snoring violently. Vietorinecame down, hearing 1 hi'l come in. '* Uh ir rs, .vhit is the matter with you — you look sj ill aad paV\ What hus happene I.' Do, pray, tell 1112 ; bo cold. tuo. C'oiuj up btair.s, theie's a fia 1 in the draw Ing room '" She made me go with her — made me take some brandy, an 1 then again nske I me what was th'» matter. I told her. We had reached Ihit deli cious stage of auction, when though nothing has been said, it is felt by both, that there is bnt on" in— tere->fc between them. She was almost incLvdubus at my mrrat^on of the aceilent, as I was myself, of having witnessed the scene. I showed her the blotting papa, and it convinced her. " It's no u«e tolling my father to nigM, he has such confidence in M. \ ernay tint he will not believe it ; you mu-t tell him in the morning. 1 told him in the morning what I hai heard and see;i. " My dear nephew, you must have baen very drunk, or el=e — no, that is not possible ; your father's child could not gj t drunk. I do, myself, sometimes ; but he could not deliberately lie. No, my dear Charles, .M.Vcrnay is an old ami tried servant of mine, and I will not believe you. I will not insult him by it. You were drunk, sir, very drunk. Don't let me hear or" it again." I went to mv desk an hour aft;rwaads. M. Vernay ciine in with my uncle. '• Chaibs, di I you balance your ca-h last night ?" " Yes, fair. I always do." " It was right !" '•' Quite right." " There's a mistake somewhere," said M. Vernay. " Tlitc is missimr a sum of 1,000 francs." "^" It can't be in my accumt-i, une'.e; for here is the book, and here is the balance to correspond." " True." " Let me C3«t it,'' sii.l Vernay. He did,— s2o. 3iu\ " Try that, M. Wardes. Ido not make it correct ; I make it more." I ca*t it a_;iiu, and it was more by just 1,000 francs. I cast it again — 521, it was. My uncle cast it- 521, it was. "How ij tlii?, Charles' you s'li.l yiu made the balance right. Did you look at your cam last night '" " I did. I can assert that the balance last night in the book and the cash-box was the same 1 can prove it. I pjsfrvl i f ,, ascordias to M. Veruay's svbtem, in the daily balance-book." ""Itis.V2olicie, M. Wnrles." Pie handed the book to my uncle. The door opened. " Wtll, Fra icois, what h it 1 " " Only that I shall tiive this to Monsieur Wardes, I have founi it. in his chamber.'' He held out a paper to me ; it was a note for I.OOC francs. " Charles, my boy, you should let me know who: you want money. M. Vfrtiav, sec- tho&e books an corrected." And my ut.ele ualk"d away. How the day went Ido not know. I noticed, how ever, that M* Vernay once or twice went down t the s r >ngroom, an 1 brought up some books, and tha no woman came for money. About five o'clock M. Vernay came torn?, after tin other clerk and my uncle had gone, and said : " M. Wardes, we have been looking at tin account of Madame la Mai\|uise ; will jou help m to carry down these books ? the porter has gone ; am rather late.'' I took the books, and followed him down into th basement. He unlocked the outer [rate of the oute safe, where tin general books were kept, and passe through to the inner safe in which were kept the m deeds and valuable securities on which my uncle lent or money ; this was separated from the outer safe by an tli iron gate in the day time, and at night by a solid fire- in proof door. ai He put his hooks oa the shelf, and requested me ri to put mine on the same shelf in the proper order, w The numbers on the backs werj almost illegible, and I was some time, evcu in the strong gas-light, trying pi to lead t!. em. , ir " Can I help you, M. Wardes V bl " Wo thank you, I've just done." m I put up the last book, and turned to go. The tc heavy door swung lapidly on its hinges — I heard the oi spring catch, and the key turn, and I was in black n\ darknes«. f. "M, Vernay ! M. Vernay ! The door is shut." ft " I know it," sai 1 his voice, muffle Iby its thick- s; ness ; '" you have access to all my bookj now." b I heard tin heavy clash of the door of the outer f, tafe, and then silence, as ckep a-s tieath, was arounl me. I did not swoon or faint. I felt I was the vie- tl tim of a unit horrible trick ;it was nothing more - a I should be released in the morning, and I would t! make him repent it. I heard, presently, a hissing $■ sound— it continue! ; presently 1 suclt gas. I should g never see the morning. I should be stilled with tho |, gas — the plan was e'ear before me now. An acci lent v — no one knew I helped him with the booss — he did v not know I was in tha safe, an 1 he shut the dor. t It was purely one of those accidents that will hap- <] pen. 1 Htill the gas hi-sed like a serpent before its fatal fl spiing. I mu->t stop that. 1 felt round the will Is Tor the burner, and soon found it. There was no ( tap ! I reineiubaie 1 now, tlu tip was iv the outer sate, and the gas was lighte I iv the inner one by a | long stick between the !m-3 of the gate. My tin- < cers stopped it iv a moment, but I could not , keep my ling r there always. I tried, j and the arm be-vune so tired of thy contracted position | above my head, that I could not keep my finger over it to save my life. I thought of some other plan. ] To light it — alas ! I did not smoke, I had no means i to do it ; and if I bid it would only have consumed j the air, every inch of which was precious as life ; itself. At last I thought of something that would do ; I tore some corners oli" the leaves of a book, , chewed them into a pulp, and put it over the holes in the tube, pressing it in bard — the hissing ceased. I c.imbed the shelves, and smelt round the burner — I had one toe the le«s. I then began to think seriously as to the chances of the air lasting me till released in the morning In the morning] this was—oh Gr>l ! Saturday ! S Uurday ! Sunday, Monday — two nights a-ul a whole day ! There was no hope ! I inicht have lived till thj morning, but on Sunday there was no business done, and my absence would be easily accounted for by that hoirible mi-iiake in my borks. Two niahts and a day — how many hours ? To Sunday night at five, twenty-four. To Monday morning at ten, seventeen. Forty-one long hours ! Forty-ne bouts' There was not air enough t) last me ten ! I felt round the door ; it was all but air proof. If I could make them hear ! It was impossible ; the house was the other side of a noisy courtyard—l must die ! And Vietorine ! No, no, — ten thousand times no ! I must live — I will liveI bethought me of my old store of knowledge. How long could I live without fresh air '! How many hours had I iv which to reach it { I paced the leniith and breadth of the room— l measured its height, and found that by breathing only twenty times a minute, 1 might live for thirteen hours ; that would be till six o'clock on Sunday morning; and after that I must hive air— air was life. I must bore through the walls, the lock was impregnable. The walla of brick would yield tj tools. Tools ! mocke ry ! I hud but n penknife— a toy — and I had thirteen homy to pet through a wall at least two fret thick. It was a work of year-, not lioui'o. Tools ! A long pointed bar and a hammer. I lemembered 111 1 have seen a ma^on boring , through a wall at my father's with such tools. My penknife was two incliea long. The gis-burner! I tried it ; it was sott brass, my knife cut it rapidly. It. mignt woik through be&ide the pas-pipe, The man s.irely bored a larger dole than the pipe would fill. I felt the pipe wheie it went round the wall, and then piicked the wall with my knife : the cement with which the hole had been filled round the pipe was harder than the wall itself. In tracing my way round the room my hand touched the I was paved ! I never felt such a sernatkm as when my bund touche 1 that gate. It was rapture ! bliss ! I had despaired — 1 was now full of hope. I passed my hand carefully over the gate ; I felt one of th" bars, they were ot round iron, about three quarters of an inch in thickness, and after running through the framework of the gate weie pointed at an end. But to get them out of that framework! I pulled one. It yielded a little, an I then mocked at my efforts. I must have a hammer. I felt caivfully round the walls again. The shelves were all let into the walls — there was iiothing ! I felt again, and close to the ga'e the shelf had been cut away to allow the gate to 101 l back, and the shelves were supported on brackets. If those bracki ts were wrought-iron I was helpless — cast-iron might save me yet. I felt tboiii carefully and compared them ; if they were wrought, they wculd be unlike iv some points — if cast, alike in all. I knew now what the touch of tlie blind must be, so full of instruction to the mind. They were cast-iron, not a trace of difference could be found. One more sign and I was certain ; if cast, they would be ca^t in a mould, and there would bo a slight roughness in the casting where the halves of the mould had been joined. I felt again. There was the roughness— the same in both. And now to break hem off. A blow, a heavy blow, alone could do it. I remembered to have noticed, when putting away the books a small cheat of apparently solid iron on one of the shelves. I sought for it and found it ; it was heavy, nearly the fourth of an hundredweight I thought. I poised it carefully, and felt I had strenkth enough to throw it with an aim. I cleared away the books from the slate shelf which rested on one of these brackets, and then measuring carefully the distance, threw the chest on to it. It fell sliortj and crashed on the floor. Once more I tried, and this time successfully, The missile smashed the shelf into pieces. I kicked mid beat a^ay the smaller fragraqau till the bracket

stood oaL f;o;n the w sv'.l Iw ii.-elf. And i. >\v came tho t -st Ki'my --ki I. I f I t'n\. ,v O'icj a 1 - i!u i'l-i-k^t ill i Jut hhc'v d.irknr's-, I thr.w Iwe.ry tine-? oi more: if liit, one i'.'it uii.tteiv i 1 ii ectcvl b ox, vi 1 I hid Lie joy of iicaiiiiji; i* linj^ <»i the i):ne»i!eut ot Lne io)in.

I had now a hammer— awiuv.ud it, h tiue: s>til! a tool tli.it woul 1 giv.} n s low with a cot tain furoe.

I struck again at the bars of the gate, they yielded as the othei hid done and then were fast I sank down exhau&ted with my useless effort*. Why did they not yield 1 ? Icoullgive no more foice to the blow — t) tlnow the chest a L them win Id bj um.-!''s= ; the sue v.ould spread the blo.v ovir two o" tiut.3 of tho bus, and t lie force would Ij-3 Jo b. I mu->fc cut tluou^'i one of the bar* in the middle an'l thu> wieiieh out the ha'f I needed. HjW had I bee"i men cut thiou^ii iron ! With tiles — 1 could not hope for these. 1 i-euieinboivd t > have heard of prisoners who cut through iron bars with p. watch -nnny by wluic hot'iiblo fatality wa-. my waich at that moruont in the case on my dressing' table. A w.itch-spiiug— a thin piece of steel. Would iion do! It might. In almost le.ss time tlnu it takes to toll, I ha l broken up one of the sheetiion deed boxes, aud b/ care-fully ben ling a piece of it backwards and forwards on the sharp edge of the chest I had used a-! a missile, I obtained a strip about the length of my hind, ami two fiige-s broad, and with this f commenced swing one of the ban. Half an hour's bird wo k produced no impression on the bar, and had turned up the edge of the soft sheetiron on both sides, If it ha I been a que-stion of saw-3, I could have turned ten deed b)xes into a hundred saws to cut through that one bar. Alas ! it was no such thing, the saw would net cut ; and then sprung up before me the vision of a lar^e yard, vith blocks of stone, and the motion to and fro of the suspended saw of the htoiie siwyer, and his little trickling' waler ban-el an I heap of sand, Onco rnorj I went to work. I broke off a c >rner of one of the htono shelves (the lower ones were of stone the upper of slate), p mwled it fine with my hamnrur, and then witling the edge of the saw with saliva, I strewol the pniiided stone upon it. I felt the s<\w become steadier a id steadier, aud at last I coul 1 feel with my nail a little nick in th. bar. I worked for nearly threo hours at this oae bar, changing my siw when it w.is worn hollow lbi." anothtr and a lotiisr, till I hpcl worn out six of them. I w.is nearly through— mother half hour, and I should be quite throug i ; yet it might break oft' now with a blow — it might --and it mi\sht leave a ragtfed end to my chisi I that would destroy ha'f the force of my blows when 1 came to bore through tho wall ; I woul I not str.ke, but kept ou patiently, an I at last the saw went thiough. I sei/^1 tho en!, aud in a few minute I held in my haa.l the instrument of my deliverance.

The a v oi the room liiil by this time become close and stillhig, unit it was only by sjooping' tint I could breath : fie Iv. I h.i-l still, as fir I could judge, some five hems left— in tluteJ I mu-iG accomplish uiv deliverance 01 die. I now commence 1 sounding with my hammer for the leaiu solid part of the wall. In sinking: it on a part neirly opposite the shelves cut out for the gate, 1 thought I hea-'d it sound hollow, I SGVuclca^am mil ;;i>\tiu without success; it all seemed alike. Once more 1 determined to strike over the whole space I h.vl previously struck ; this I did, and found the °pot about the hue of a pjnny i)ie c from which the sou-id co-mo. I then eaivfully felt the wall in the neighborhood, and found a rough inden'ed line ir.jm this plaej rounl the angle of the wall a'ld on tlic wall in the s>ame line were tlnvo small holes in a circle. I decided at once that, this was the place of some burner fixed, and after war l-> removed ; the rough ii le was the: mark lefo by the pipe, and the hello ,v pla:3 must be the hole through which the old pips entered tli ; 1 own. I diove the chisel inio the pi ice and found ie li.ird veiy hard, nut still hollow. Aly lite now 11 1111 11 « j ii upon the elioue of a right place ; if ttits holo was filled up with the hard cemo'it, and the difference of so md arose merely iroui d. Iterance in density, then I hal better try the wall over for a brick softer tluui the res 1 ; : b-it if it was not full — if those who should have lilled it had put but a few inchts of cement at each end of the hole ; then in anoth -r hour I was as safe n-, if I were free. 1 would risk it. Tint hollow sound was so cheery, ihat I i would believe tint it mu-st be a true gui le. Blow after blow, and the ho!j <>re.v deep, and my progress less ni my control over the point of the instrument le&sjne I, when one sudden, sharp blow dio.e the chhel into the \\ all thu length of my arm. Tho p'a-e was holbw. I hid no>v but to drive it through tLo crust of cement on the outer wall, and 1 shou'd live. I drove it cautiously and carefully, and at last heard the echoof the pieces falling on the other -side, aud drawing out the chisel, felt the air msli in. How can words onvey the sensation I experienced a* I dicw in the God -given breath of lite. I could now defy Death ; thoivj was a fountain at which L nii^ht drink and live. Tor hour-. I sat clomj to the hole and breathed, and then fell asleep. 1 know not how long I slept, but [ awoke sore and tired, and with a horrible hunger and :hirst on me. 1 could not have many more hours to >tay, so I hope 1 on, and tightened my belt to ease the 'luwing pain at ray stniuuoli. And now began the liorror.-, of bolitu le ; while I had employment for the mind, I telt no pain of any kind ; now I was goingmad with anxiety and fear. I must fiud some employment. And what ! in this utter darkness. But if darkness, why not li_ht ' Yes, I wouH have light. For this f must enlarge the hole, and went to work again with blistered hands, and in two hours hai enlarged it to twice i»s original diameter, and had consequently fourtr.sips as much air fl nving in. My next step was to grate from the edgvs of a book a pipjr powder for tinder, and spreading this on the ground in a heap, I struck with the point of ray hammer the stone >h°lf above it. The sparks flew about at the contact, hue it was at least an hour before out; lodged in the heap and sot it smouldering I watched anxiously as the little rcl ring grew larger and brighter in the heap, and then applying a piece of thin paper rolled to a fine point to the centre of the ring, I gently blew the redue^s into flame— jvs, flame ! keal flama, that blinded me by its brightness, thnt seemed to pierce my brain with a sword, so long and deep had been the darkness. I took my paper stop from off the gas and heard the serpent hiss once more— tins time without fear. I lit the issuing gas, and then sat looking at it as Bartimcus miglit have done in tlu joy of his new found sight. I had done— l had light aud air ; but still I must have employment or I should rave. Employment. The thought came to me of that unfortunate sentence that ha I caused me to run this risk:— "lf I had access to Ms books I would prove that fraud was possible." There they were — everyone ; not one missing. Could 1 prove it > Could — I must -my good name depended on pro "ing it. If he were true, I was false. I set to work, and with my pencil, which I happily had with me, 1 wont through account after account from beginning to end, and well was I rewarded ; for I lrarnt thnt my uncle, supp >sed to be rich, had been systematically robbed for years by this scoundrel, and was now almost ruined ; and that his daughter's portion invested in English-securities had been sold out, and the interest paid by M. Vernay hiinielf, so that father aud daughter were at the mercy of this man. These facts 1 learned from a small locked book that was in a box marked with 11. Vornay's name. So confident haj the servant been of his master's trust in him, thnt he had left in his master's safe the whole of the securities of his nef irious investments,aud there they were, with a systematic account of them in this looked book ; so th.it while the master, who was supposed to be worth hh hundreds of thousands, was almost a bankrupt. His clerk was a man of immense wealth. When I broke the lock of that book, and read down its columns, I felt a joy and a pleasure that would have enabled me again to endure what I had suffered, if it would have led to the sune result. I made notes of the whole affair, aud took the securities into my possession, and then cal inly waited long, long hours ; I could not tell how long, for I was waked up from a kind of stupor by the sound of door opening, and then I heard the voice I know so well — that of M. Vernay. "You need not stay; I can bring up all I need Give mo a luci^er." Ho was speaking to the porter. I hoard the mulHed-soundintc footsteps; I heard the key turn in the lock ; and then, as the door opened, I stood lace to face with my foe, and where he expected to fiud darkness and death he found light and life. He saw mo— taw, in my hand, his book that cmtained tho secrets of a lifetime, with the lock forced — saw hi, schemes defeated, and himseli an outcast. It was too much ior his mind. Ho shrieked a cry of mingled liorror and fear, aud fell forward in the doorway as if he were dead. I went up-stairs to the office, said to the porter, •' M, Vernay is below in tic strong room ; go down and see to him," and went over to the house. 1 suffered a long illneJs, during the whole of which Victorine was my nurse, and thanks to that, and a good constitution, I lecovered, and got up such a clear case against M. Vernay, that the whole of the property I hud rescued was restored to my uncle. To M. Vernay this was a matter of indifference, for his mind never recovered the shock, and he spent the short remainder of hi 3 life in a criminal lunatic asylum. The mistake of the thousand francs was easily explained by the application of a magnifying glass to the figures. He had cleverly altered the one to a nought, and bribed Francois to put the missing note into my room. Need I add that I am now in possession of my uncle's business, and blessed by my Victorine's constant presence ; and further, that my present strongroom can be opened from the inside with perfect ease 1

A. Stewart Harrison.

The habit rf bombast may lead a clergyman into downright profanit3. The llev. Henry Ward Beecher calls Banyan' 8 Pilgrim Progress 'a book that I think I shall lead once qr twice after I get to heaven, 1

|li;ius of Ihe VTolc^h. (l-'UOM Till: I>\II.V 'i7ML^.)

It is announced tint the sixth of the course of L'cturcs to the Young Men'-* Christian Association will bo, delivered tomorrow eveni-iLC, in Knox Church, by Dr llocken, the subject being ''Botany."

We much regret to inform our readers that we have found it impossible to re-upen the contempt of court case. On consulting our legal adviseis they arrived at the conclusion that it was not competent to make an application for costs against the Court itself, and that the Judge having' decided the case in our favour could not be called upon by us to re-open it. Thus we are compelk-d to submit to the costs we have been put to, and to the unsatisfactory result which leaves the merits of the case entirely undisensscd. The drought stiil continues in Queensland We take the following from the Brisbane correspondent of the Argus: — "There are dreaofu complaints of the devastating effects of the drought from all parts of the colony. Vegetation is everywhere languishing, and the feed in the interior is all parched up. In the Burnett district many of the squatters will have to send down their wool in grease, owing to their inability to wash the sheep, on account of the drought. From Saroom, a correspondent of the Maryborough Chi on icle writes : — ' Sheepowners a-e beginning to be fearful that they will be unaLe to wean one-half of their lambing.' Cattle are dying in numbers on the roads. Fever and ague aye said to ba prevalent in the district about the Dawson. At Maranoa the lambing will in many cases he a loss instead of a gain, and in that district, it is said that the clip of wool this season is remarkably light. Tho-se* who have taken up new stations under our Pastoral Occupation Act, which renders the. stocking of the runs within six months compulsory, will suffer -from the present dry season, and in many cases, no doubt, will find it impossible to comply with the provisions of the act One or two complaints of this character are already being made."

The Lj/ltclton limes pays the following tribute of respect to the character' of the new Judge of the Supreme Court, Mr. Justice Richmond, who has held his first Sitting hi Canterbury. — " It is with much pleasure that we welcome Judge Richmond on his fir-st appeirance on the judicial bench. No appointment coXild have given greater satisfaction to t\\3 colony at large, and we are convince:! tiiat tiic judge will command as much confidence and respect ai did the political leader and administrator. The fact that Mr. Richmond's services are secured to the colony, in the conduct of such important duties as devolve on a Judge of, the Supreme Court, reconciles us to the loss of his counsels in the government and legislature of the colony. We may be permitted to express a hope that the power of appointing judges, conceded to the colonial Government, maybe always as wisely exercised, and that the New Zealand bar may always offer attractions to men who are calculated to adorn the bench." We take the following " queer yarn" from the Li/tteltoiiTimes of December G. We confess 'vc can neither make head nor tail of it ; perhaps some of our readers may be more successful : — " Axotuer Cuuioijs Fact roit Naturalists. — As the minerj .vere going to their woik at midnight on Thursday last they were astonished to find a monstrous fish nrar the face of tiie Lyttelton end of the tunnel, which seemed to be an enormous shark about eight feet long. They at once attacked the monster with their picks and boring tools, but without success, as from the position it occupied there was no possibility of getting a fair blow without en countering certain death from its fearful jaws. After some time one of the men contrived to get along the roof of the tunnel, and succeeded in boring a hole in the creature's head, in which he rammed a charge of powder, and having applied a fuse speedily settled the difficulty. It is still a matter of extreme surprise how this monster of the deep found his way into the tunnel. The Provincial Engineer, who happened to bo on the spot, is of opinion that there must be a subterraneous communication with the West Coast, aud feels sanguine that before long he will be able to turn this discovery to such account that^ Lyttelton will be supplied in less than a year with coal direct from the Grey River. If this should prove to be the case, the future of the port is assured and Lyttelton must become the central coaling depit for all the mail steameis. A fact has since been discovered which bears out the inference that there is a passage from the West Coast. In the belly of the shark "ware found some surveying instruments belonging to Mr Rochfort, known to have been lost while taking soundings at the mouth of the Grey. We have since heard some details which give further interest to this curious story. The skeleton of the shark has been forwarded to the Philosophical Institute. On examination it turns out to belong to a hitherto unknown species. We believe the learned chairman entertains the idea, owing to the peculiar formation of the lower fins— the bones of which are like those of fingers and toes— that it may prove to be a specimen of the long-talked of ' Land Shark' (saurian genus.) Further light will no doubt be thrown on this interesting discovery before long." According to the Canterbury papers the. want of rain lias been seriously felt in that Province. In Lyttelton all the wells are said to be dry. The Geclong Advertiser says :—": — " A memorial has been forwarded to his Excellency from a large number of the stockholders in the Western District, praying that the district described within the following litiiits may ha proclaimed a " District free from Pleuro-pneumonia," with the view of preventing cattle coming into the district, and thereby introducing disease ; and further, that leave may be obtained from the New Zealand and Tasmanian Governments to land cattle there from this district. The following is a description of the district referred to: — 'Commencing at Cape Otway, thence in a north-westerly direction to the south-west shore of Like Corangamite, thence along the western shore of said lake to its northern extremity, thence in a straight line by Carramut to Hamilton, thence to the junction of the Glenelg and Wando llivers, theuce along the Glenelg River to the sea coast, thence along the sea coast to the starting poiut.' The memorialists are not aware of a single case of that fatal disease having appeared within or near the limits of the district described, and as the principal cattle stations of the Western District are comprised in that area, they hope that the prayer of the petition will be complied with." A melancholy case of sudden death occurred on Saturday. A man named Thomas A. Greig, who had been staying for a few days at the Royal George Hotel, George-street, had a "brandy spicier" about a quarter before eight on Saturday morning, and then started, in apparently excellent health, for a short walk before breakfast. He reached the Octagon, and there staggered and fell. Mr M'Larno and Mr Curie, who wore passing, conveyed him to the Hospital, and Dr Yates, the resident surgeon, declared that the attack was apoplectic. The sutForer continued to get worse, and at three o'clock he expired. The deceased was a native of Scotland ; he was 31 years old, and unmarried. A singular business transaction in land is thus chronicled in the Li/ttleton Times, as reported by Messrs Luck and Clarke :—": — " 260 acres of Government land, purchased for £320, and then sold on the following terms for £780, viz. :— by a cash deposit of £260, and the balance of £520 to remain on mortgage for live years, at 8 per cent." A Grand Ball is announced to be held in the Odd Fellows' Hall, on the 26th instant. By the Gce'ong we have Canterbury papers to December 11th. Thcjjuewsis unimportant. The usual weekly meeting of the Dunedin Debating Society was held on Monday evening, in Grey's Assemble Rooms, Rattray-st, Mr Halli well in the chair. The following was the subject of the evening's debate -.—". — " Ought the Governments of the North and South Islands be independent of each other ?" Mr Cunningham, the opener, dwelt at some length on the negative side, adopting for his motto the proverb, " Unity is strength." Another member supported the same views. Messrs Ferris, Jago, and Clayton took the affirmative view, and pointed out the benefits which had accrued to the Australian colonies, as well as other countries, from local self-govern-ment, and compared the same with what they considered the natural effects of too centralised governments. Mr Greenlaw rose and said that the lateness of the evening would scarcely justify him in delaying the meeting to state his views. He considered that there were still inrther arguments, stronger even than what had been adduced, and lie would move au adjournment till Monday evening next. Mr Stewart seconded the motion, which was unanimously carried. The debate wa3 animated and well sustained

We notice that the Committee of the Dunedin. Total Abstinence Society invite the friends of temperance throughout the Province to a confcreucu to he lie-Id in Dr Buins's ciuivcli, on the evening of Christmas Day. Anotieeof some importance to settlors appeal's elsewhere. It is from the Chief Commissioner of Waste Lands, and announces that all persons requiring depasturing licenses for the ensuing year should make application to the Waste Land Board, on or before Ist January, 18f>3. By an order in Council published in the Gazette of 29th May rules are established for the proceeuure and practice of Wardens' Courts in the Provincc*of Otago. The following appointments are notified in the General Government Gazette : — Sirs Oliver to be Postmistress tit East Taieri ; John Simpson to be postmaster at Waiholn, ; James Siott to be postmaster at Waimera ; and Robert Andrew Greenslade to be postmaster at Dunstan. In the JVc«» Zealand Gazette of November 29 appears a proclamation for the naturalization of Carlos C. C. Cole, of Dunediu, Otago. A notice appears elsewhere signed by the Registrar of the Supreme Court, requesting common jurors who were in attendance more than fourteen days to send in their names with a statement of the number of days they attended, the Provincial Government having p'acod at tho disposal of the Court a sum of money for the purpose of compensating jurors. We understand that Mr Hislop has intimated to the Chairman of tlie Education Board his intention to resign the offices of Secretary to the Bird and Inspector of Schools, on the ground that the salary voted to him is not at all commensurate with "the importance, responsibility and diiiiculties of the duties devolved upon him as head of the Education Department; and is not in proportion 'to what is paid to all the other heada of departments; and that, consequently, a feeling of respect for himself and for the canse of education compels him to adopt this course. It appears he has twice applied to the Executive for an increase of his present salary, but that on both occasions his request was refused, A case of considerable importance to shipowners nnd captains was brought before the Itesident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday. The master of a schooner was fined in the almost nominal sum of 20s and costs for not having a suitable light displayed while hi 3 vessel was lying in mid channel, between Dunedin and Port Chalmers. The offence was not denied, but justified on the ground of common practice To this Mr Dickie replied that such was the case, bin it was now the intention of "the authorities to put an end to it, and defendant was brought up more for example than anj thing else. His Worship pointed out the serious nature of the offincc, and in the circumstances merely imposed a fine of 20s, hut gave 3 warning that in any future case he would inflict } the full amount of 10s and costs. .

The following arc proclaimed as public Gaok in tlic Province of Otago": — The Government ITulk in the Port of Dunedin ; Cell No 2 in the Watchhouse at Tokomairiio ; Cell No 2, in tlio Watchhouse at the Duristan ; Cell No 2 iv the Lock-up at Port Chalmers, * The next sitting of the Supreme Court will take place on the 15th January. A notice on the subject appears elsewhere. • By a notice in the General Government Gazette, of November 29, we learn that the Governor has assented to the Dunedin Municipal Loan Ordinance, 18G2. In ihe General Government Gazette, of November 29, is published an Order in Council fixing a sitting of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand to be held iv Christchurch, on the 10th February, 1863. We woul.l direct the attention of our readers to a letter which appears in another column from Mr. Mansford, the Resident Magistrate at Port Chalmers, in relation to the great bush fire at Sawyers' Bay. The case of those who have lost their all by this fire is undoubtedly a hard one, and we cordially approve the proposition that a public subscription be raised for the purpose of affording them some measure of relief. It will be seen that Mr Mansford undertakes to collect subscriptions at Port Chalmers, and wo shall be very happy, as suggested by him, to receive any contributions from residents in Dunedin. towards the same praiseworthy object. A extensive bush fire was raging on Saturday and Sunday in the finely wooded district of Sawyers' Bay, in the vicinity of Port Chalmers, and it still continues to burn without any sign of abatement. The district over which the fire extends is one of the most heavily wooded parts of the country in this neighborhood, and in. connection with the saw -mills and other works there is a small population scattered over it who have been placed in imminent peril of losing theic property, and in some cases this loss has been realised by some unfortunate sufferers who are ill able to bear the calamity. At least two houses have already been burnt down, while others have been partially destroyed by the fire, and in addition to their houses, the inmates have lost considerable quantities of sawn timber — in one case 27,000 feet, and in another 800. Sawyers' tools and other property have also been destroyed, and several persons living in tents have lost their little property, or had a very narrow escape of saving it before the fire coursed over ground where they had pitched their temporary habitations. At one time considerable fears were entertained as to the safety of the Port Chalmers Manse, but, by the presence of the crews of the harbor boats who, by the directions of Captain Thomson, wera in attendance in case of accident, this was averted, water having to be thrown for some time on the heated roof and walls of the building, so as to prevent * ignition. Some of the police force and othex's wor« also on the ground dining greater part of the day and a number of people were attracted from Port Chalmers to witness the scene, but it was impossible to venture nearthe place where the fire was raging in consequence of tho heavy body of smoke which covered the whole face of the country and prevented all traffic for several miles along the Dunedin and Port Chalmers road. At night the spectacle was especially grand, a large columns of smoke rising high up in the air, and becoming, by the light bolow, as so many pillars of fire. In a few cases only were tho telegraph posts affected by the fire, but, by the falling of some large trees across the line the wire has been levelled with the ground for a considerable distance, and so intense was the heat that the, wive was in many parts completely fused and rendered valueless for communication. Of course, through this, the telegraph is temporarily interrupted, but steps have already been taken to repair the damage so soon, as> the fire ceases in the neighborhood of the line of wires. The exact amount of damage, through loss of standing wood, houses, and other property, is not yet thoroughly ascertained, but there is little doubt that it will bo of considerable amount. A special meeting of the Education Board was held on Monday, his Honor the Superintendent in the chair. A deputation from the Caversham, School Committee succeeded in inducing the Board to withdraw their plans and specifications of a school-house at that place ; on the ground thau the one recommended by the Committee was cheaper and would give more accommodation. An application fiom 20 heads of families for tha establishment of a school at Tuapeka was remitted to the. Commissioner there. A request from the East Taieri School Committee to appoint a second teacher at a salary of LIOO per annum, the Board to supply LSO, was acceded to. Certain furnishings for tho Oamaru school were ordered to be supplied. In accordanco with a request from the Dunedin District Committee, ib was desired that his Honor the Superintendent reserve from sale sections 30 B aud 30 C, Block I, and sections 21, 22, and from 33 to 38 inclusive, Block xni., for the site of a middle district school to ba selected from these sections. An. application from the Wakari district for additional accommodation, it was deemed inexpedient to> deal with at present. A list of school-books and stationery which tho secretary had prepared waa ordered to be forwarded to his Honor the Superintendent, with a request that he would authorise the same to be procured from Britain. The meeting then adjourned. We learn from the Argus that a letter, dated! Cape Town, November 9, was received in Melbourne by the Alhambra, from one of the " Christy Minstrels," stating that these celebrated vocalists, after a highly successful campaign at tho Cnpe, were to sail in a few days for Melbourne. There can be little doubt that the success that; awaits them here will not be eclipsed by the" warm reception they have had at the Cape, Thfc papers, also received by the Alhambra, conflrnx, the statement as to the entire success of the mm* strels at Cape Town, * v '