Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-10-21
aF-.n said he 70 me one dsy. {. va

had ! any, fancy for what l was to do, al
though entirely ignorant Of its nature; tut
with me to hear was TO obey. had been
asleep some hours, when was aroused by
being shaken, and my father stood over me.
He bade me dress myself, did so and
we went down stairs together. I observed
he waited till the watchman had passed,
and the sound of s Twelve O'Clock" struck
on my ear. We walked many streets, and
at length came 10 garden wall, under the
shade of which stood two men, friends of
my father. One said, 4" Have you brought
the boy" aae I'd
eyes," said my father; {" is the. cart
ready"
He was answered in the affirmative, and
We proceeded few steps; at last one Of the
men took rope out of his pocket, and tied
it around my waist they instructed me
how unite it, when I should be in the gar
den on the other side, and go to the garden
| door and undo the bolts; il could not,
was to come back, and tie myself up again,
| and be drawn back, If was found, was
TO saw had got over the wall, and not
being able to get. bach, had hidden myself
till night, hoping to get out then. was
very much frightened; but the fear of my
father was above all Sc they lifted me on
to The top of the wall, and let me down on
the other side. They gave me two or three
tugs to remind me to unite the rope, which
did, and saw it run up over the wall. /
felt inclined 10 sit down to cry: l could
not have been more than nine wears old
however the fear of my father was para
mount, so set off on my walk. had to
cross the garden, pass round the glass-house
as they described it to me, get into another
garden, and then go under the gardeners
window, where was to be sure and make
no noise. You may be certain / was like
a cat after cream. At last found out the
door, and contrived to undoit: at the other
side found my father and the other two
men with the horse and cart. They left
meat the door, soon returning with an i'm
mense quantity of grapes, so as to load the
cart, in which one of them drove off, the
other with my father shutting the door very
gently. ot!ar
We walked home gently; it was half
past three as we came to our street. Again
we waited till the watchman had passed,
and I was soon in bed. 1t was great time
before / could 90 to sleep; when did, I
dreamt that great dog held me by the leg,
and l awoke crying out.
The next morning at breakfast the other
two men came in; they laughed heartily at
old George the gardener, who they said
was half mad; told me was the finest lit
tie fellow in England, gave me few half
pence, and congratulated my father on
having so clever son.
1t is not my intention TO detail all nv
adventures; how ! was dropped into cellars
by day, and at night opened the doors for
those abroad; or how was at last so ac-
customed to this sort IF life, and so success
ful, that / could stand behind door with
out quaking while the master of the house
or servanl passed up to bed. One thing
must Eiertion: to steal was no part of
my business; to open the doors and make
the oesi Of my way home, was all I had to
10.
remember being concealed in room
belonging to jeweller in the neighbor-
hood, and opening the window at midnight
as directed, Ia matter of constant occur
renee J and that after had been home and
asleep, heard hustle in my fathers room,
and that my mother got mp, and my father
groaned very mnch but ] fell asleep again,
and should have forgotten it all in the morn
ing, had not my father kept his bed, and
looked very i'll asI passed through his room.
However, he said nothing to me, and /
walked out alter breakfast as usual soon
met boy, son of one my fathers friends,
who, like me, was often employed in these
matters. He made a sign to me to follow
him, and we walked together into the fields
We sat down under hedge, and he asked
me if ] had heard the news, said, "No
what newsw "Why," said he, sold mi.
ser Goldng, the silversmith, is murdered"
had lost all qualms of conscience as to
robbery, for although knew it was wrong
still the frequency of the event, my never
having been found out, and my fears of my
father, which always concluded would bt
nv excuse, had deadened nv feelings. But
mur Ter it struck me as if had been shot
| had, however, presence Of mind not tC
commit myself, and only answered by in.
quiring the particulars. Robert, my com
panion, was very anxious to find out If
had been there. The old man had beer
found murdered, in a pool of blood, upon
the threshold of his own counting-housr-
the very room the window Of which hat
. opened to admit my father. ! however
denied it to my companion, and we returned
together. The bill-stickers were at work
2O0l. reward!
My heart was sick when went home
was told to say my father had gone t
NJ for fortnight, journey he ofteI
, took on pretence of business; for he wa
, what they call a weaver's agent, and dit
something in that way.
After dinner ! again ventured out, an,
! stroled into the crowd at the silversmith'
door. The first words heard were, /" Muir
? der will OUT" Them as had any hand il
this is sure to bp hanged !" &c. &c. pas
l sed on in a cold sweat, and sat me dow
A on the low wall Of the churoh-yard.
u looked up at the sun-dial and read thes
words, .The wicked shall be turned int
d hell, and the people that forget God" Tn
IA was the first moment of my life that fe