Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1851-12-03

citement of Mr.. and Mrs. Smith on that
memorable occasion. The latter took it
upon herself to load the old musket,
while her husband went for the neigh
bors.
Mr.. Smith. exchanged his slippers for
his boots, and ran first to deacon Naffle's
house, where he expected to find the
younger Smith, who was eourtihg Nafhe's S
daughter. He was surprised to see the
house all dark-as if the Nafles had re-
tired to rest and blew out the. candle
He knocked, however, fusiously as the
occasion required. After some dely, Dea-
con Nafies came down in his night clothes,
stared at Smith in astonishnent, and de-
mandedl his business at that time OF
night.
" Caught the thief--loGked up--in the
granary-Ykere's Increase ?"
'Hal caught a theft cried Deacon
Naffles, who having lost some property,
as we'll as his neighbor, was interested in
the intelligence.
Good enOug h keep him till morn
ing.'
excited manner. .He's desperate fel-
low--break out must rouse the neigh
bors-whcrc's my son Increase p
'Ok. Sally is sick tn night-so Increase
courtcd her, only about an hour. and went
home
went llomcl'.
Yes said the Deacon, half an hour
ago.
:The elder iths'clapped his. hand to
bis forehead, as if he had been struck
Gather by an idea, or some other weighty
substance.
Gracious = he exclaimed.
What o asked the Deacon.
Il believe, stammered the elder Smith,
'I-have shut him up
'Who?
Increase
e / believe you have = cried the deacon
j heard him say he had got to carry the
buggy cushions into the granary: before
he went to bed
Look here,s whispered the elder
Smith; Il beg of you never to mention
this-I-I-if it should get out
90, I'll kcer the secret, interrupted
she deacon, trying to preserve becoming
gravity. ''The joke,is safe-and I advise
you to hurry home and let out Increase.
The elder Smith turned on his heel and
vanished-feeling very weak-probable
the effect of the excitement he had un-
dergone.
Let us now look upon the younger
Smith, who was actually shut.up in the
granary. 1t is impossible to describe his
rage on finding himself thus entrap-
ped. After shouting. he was hoarse,
and nearly deaf he closed his. teeth an
grily. and sat down on a bag of meal to
await the result.
Increase had not long been in this dark
dungeon, before he heard noise in the
! barn. Supposing it was the old man
! who, having discovered his error was CO.
ming to 1iberate him, his anger evapora-
ted and he could not help laughing at the
ludicrous mistake.
But. there was mystery about the
sound he heard, which caused the youn-
ger Smith to doubt whether they were
made by his father after all He listened
The key turned cautiouslyin the lock-
Slowly, stealthily the door opened, while
Increase scarcely hreathed Somebody
entered noiselessly, toucheGyoung Smith S
! shoulder as he passed and began to ex-
plore the further part of the dungeon
Increase dropped on his hands and knees,
and taking the advantage of the noise
made by the robber, crept out Then to
shut the door and lock it was the work of
a moment. Somebody was locked up
Listening a moment, and hearing no
sound, Increase became fairly convinced
that he had committed no error, but
caught a real thief, and went immediate
ly for assistance.
Shortly after, very much ashamed of
his mistake, the elder Smith sneaked into
the barn, and approached the granary.
1t is. necessary in misplace to observe that
the. elder Smith had locked up his son
with the key belonging to the .granary,
and which he had carried away with him,
and that Increase lockedup the thief with
false key; which the latter had: brought
with him and carelessly left in the lock
on entering the granary, ead which the
younger Smith had carried away
And now the elder Smith made haste
to open the door
Increase ! he called, putting his head
into the granary.,
Nosound replied.
Are you asleep Come-don't go to
playing any tricks on met was all mis-
take-for l. really took you to be. a
rob
Mr.. Smiths voice was stopped. by vi
olent blow on the mouth Mr.. Smith, in
an instant was tumbled down amidst a
wilderness of barrels, bags, rakes and
shovels. Mr., Smith was considerably
stunned by the blow and fall; and when
Mr. Smith got on his legs again, the door
was closed and locked. Mr.. Smith was
prisoner,
Meanwhile, Increase was raising forces
to assist in taking the thiefout of the gra,
nary in safety Having first told his Sto.