Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

the light on the staircase landing just1867 TO 1901 81outside the door.Going to the door, which closed with a spring, he opened itand reached out, holding back the door with one hand, toturn off the gas. Leaning a little too far, he heard the latchclick and found himself shut out on the stone staircase in hisnight clothes and bare feet. It was late on a winter's night,so almost every one in that country town had gone home.After thinking the situation over for a moment, he went downto the street door, determined to ask some passer-by to call apoliceman. Standing in the recess of the doorway, herealized that the streets were almost empty, but after a timea man approached. Behind the door the story was toldbriefly and the stranger asked to call a policeman. Heseemed to hesitate at first, rather taken aback by the apparitionwhich had greeted him, but soon consented to do so.In a few minutes the policeman arrived, and after hearing thestory, consented to go to the house of another officer for a key.He returned about three-quarters of an hour later, accompaniedby the bank officer to whom he had been sent, and released theunfortunate junior.In those days the town constable, who usually constitutedthe whole of the protective force, was often more conspicuousby his absence than by his presence, especially at night.of theIndeed, the arrangements for police protection in manyas may besmaller Ontario towns were extremely primitive,gathered from a minute of the Board of Directors in November,1882, authorizing one of the managers to subscribe fifty centsa week towards police protection for the town at night.The necessity for vigilance was demonstrated by anepisode which occurred at the Goderich branch in June, 1874.As the train which conveyed outgoing express parcels leftbefore 10 a.m., itwas customary at that branch to make upparcels for shipment on the preceding day and to deliver themto the express agent early the following morning, as thatofficial had no proper safe and would not accept responsibilityfor the money overnight. On this occasion a parcel