Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1851-12-03
THE SMITHS OF SMITTVILLE /:
Their Adventures with n Robbct.

The Smiths of Smithville had for long
time been very much annoyed by the
'dcprcdations of some unknown individu-
al. whose confused ideas concerning the
rights of property, led to frequent alb
straction of divers goods and chattlcS
from the premises of said. Smiths, in Il
furtiye and mysterious manner. Bags of
wheat and oats vanished from the grana-
ry; pork ftom the cellar, and corn from
the crib one night sheep that had just
been slaughtered coolly trotted away,
and on another occasion, several gallons
of maple syrup cyaporated in one nights
time. Milking stools went off on their three
legs, and one morning Mf. Smiths best
axe was found gut stick Log chains
Looonlo rOttlo -snal-os, and eropt .ntf- iron
wedges made splits in tie Smith proper
ty, boots walked away, and the jack rode
off on the saw horse.
Vain were all the. efforts of the elder
and younger Smith to discover the mysts.
ry of these disappcardnces. and to cntlap
the offender. pespairirg of bringing him
to justice, the Smiths found they could
do nothing more than take. rneasu res to
insure the safety of their property. Ac-
cordingly they built q now granary. with
strong walls, narrow grated window,
and heavy oak door, to which was at
tached a large paddock. This prison,
like a portion of the barn was sufficiently
large to allow the Smiths TO lock up with the
grain, great deal Of portable property
such as was most likely to tempt the Gu
pidity of thieves.
After the granary was finished, a month
passed, during which time the deprada-
tionS of the robber or robbers were con-
fined to the orchard and hen roost. when
late one Sunday evening, the elder Smith,
as he was sitting tipped against the Eitch:
en- wall, smoking his pipe preparatory to
retiring, bethought him that he had for
got to lock the the graRary before leaving
the barn. This was by no means SIN
gular circumstance, considering chat the
granary was locked by the younger
Smith, who had that night gone cour-
ting.
1t was a moonlight evening, and Mr.
Smith, on approaching the barn, was con-
siderably startled at seeing the door ajar
Certain of having shut the door an hour
previously, Mr.. Smith thought of robbers
His suspicious were confirmed, when on
nearer approach, he plainly heard a
movement in the barn. Too cautious to
endanger his life by boldly attacking the
robber, Mr.. Smith with considerable trepi-
dation. resolved to watch his movements
and discover who he was.
Looking through crack on the east
side of the barn, he saw dim ghost like
figure glide across the floor wards the
granary. A happy thought entered Mr.,
Smiths brain. Stealing into the barn, he
crept silently along by the NOW, until
near the granary, when-clap! he shut
the door, adjusted the paddock. turned the
key, and Twas off as if for life
1t is impossible to say, what made Mr..
Smith tremble so. 1t might have been the
smothered cry of alarm which issued from
the granary walls, and rang fully on his
ears--a cry we'll calculated to awaken
superstitious fear. But Mr.. Smith never
owned that he was frightened, although
on reaching the kitchen, he was as white
as ghost, or as ghosts are supposed to
be. .-1.
What is the matter . cried Mrs.
Smith.
I've caught the robber, calculated Mr..
S. in a breath. He's locked up in tho
granary. Give me by boots p
'Why-what-what are you going to
Get help He's desperate fellow.