Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-12-22

ner, she's desperate fellow-break out
must rouse the neigbors-where's my son, In
crease % a ssa '
sOh, Sally is sick tonight, so Increase court
ed her only about half an hour, and then went
home pa
"Went home "a eae 4s5s5 s
ssYes, said the Deacon, s.half an hour ago.
The elder Smith clapped his hand to his FORE
head as if he had been struck with an idea or some
weighty substance.
"What 20 asked the Deacon
81 believe,'' stammered the elder Smith, 81
| I-have locked up a s'ss r7 49,
ssWho ?'' .-s7 .+*e~
aInerease," ," ~ 5 g.z ~
81 bet you have," cried the Deacon, 81 heard
him say he'd got to carry the buggy cushions into
the granary before he went to bed" S='sS
"Look here.'' whispered the elder Smith, 81
beg you never to mention this-I-if it should
get out"
"oh, I'll keep it r' interrupted the dea-
con, trying to preserve a becoming gravity. "The
joke is safe, and I'd advise you to hurry home and
let out Increase
The elder Smith turned on his heel and van
shed, feeling very weak, probably from the effects
of the excitement he had undergone.
Let us now look upon the younger Smith, who
was actually shut up in the granary. It's impos-
sible to describe his rage on finding himself thus
entrapped. And, after shouting until he was
hoarse, and nearly deaf, he closed his teeth an
grily and sat down on bag of meal to await the
result.
Increase had not long been in the dark dungeon,
before he heard noise in the barn. Supposing
it was the old man, who having discovered his err
ror, was coming to liberate him, his anger evap-
Grated, and he could not help laughing at the lu-
dicrous mistake.
But there was mystery about the sounds he
heard, which caused the younger Smith to doubt
whether they were made by his father after all
He listened They turned the key cautiously in
the lock. Slowly, stealthily the door opened,
Increase scarcely breathed. Somebody entered
noiselessly, touching young Smiths shoulder as
he passed, and began to explore. the further part
of the dungeon. Increased dropped on his hands
and knees, and taking 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 moment and hearing no sound, In
crease became firmly convinced that he had COM
mitted no error, but had caughta real thief, and
went Immediately for assistance.
Shortly after very much ashamed of his mistake,
the elder Mr.. Smith sneaked into the barn and
approached the granary. 1t is necessary to OBJ
serve that the elder Smith locked up his son with
the key that belonged to the granary, and which
locked up the thief with a false key, which the
latter had brought with him, and carelessly left in
the lock, on entering the granary; and which the
Younger Smith had carried away. ..
.sIncrease!'' he called, putting his head in the
granary. eazs .s..z
No sound replied. -
care you asleep! Come, don't go to playing
any trick, it is all mistake, for really took you
to be rob" s .14-, ss. z.aa
Mr.. Smiths speech was stopped by violent
blow on the mouth. Mr.. Smith in an instant, was
-tumbled down amidst wilderness ofbarrels, bags,
rakes and shovels. Mr.. Smith was considerably
stunned by the blow and fell, and when Mr.. Smith
gOt up0u lilS lCSo AGAIN, tiO oOoi W'9 SASSSN SA]
locked. Mr.. Smith was a prisoner.
Meanwhile Increase was raising forces to. assist
in taking the thief out of the granary in safety.
Having first told his story to Mrs. Smith, who was
exceedingly astonished, he fastened to alarm Joe
Ferris, a stout fellow who lived in the woods near
by, and who had complained of loosing quite as
much property as the Smiths. Mrs. Ferris put
/ <>f a. md hod to knou
what Increase wanted. The young man asked
for Joe After some hesitation, the woman re-
piled that her husband had the headache and could
not get up. -, s
aIts very important" said Increase, ''Ive caught
the thief and locked him up in the granary.''
so, have you!'' said Mrs. Ferris, in a trembling
voice. sHow fortunate. But as my husband has
the headache, think you had better keep-the-
man till morning"
Now, if the younger Smith thought he was re-
CALLING Mrs. Ferris with glad tidings he was great
ly in error. The truth is, in closing the window,
she was pale as death. The reader may guess
the cause of her agitation, when inform him that
there was no Joe Ferris sick with the headache in
the house.
But Mrs. Ferris was, woman of energy and
decision. She caughtu up hammer, threw shawl
over her head and left the house. She was soon
in Mr.. Smiths barn with her hand on the granary
door. zs: g--sss q sss.g4szs
"Joseph!" she whispered. ~. S.. ..= Fl
No reply. ....
s.Joseph-it is me-are you here!" she added.
81 Let me OUT said voice within.
Mrs. Ferris screamed, turned paler than the
moonlight, and dropped her hammer. Mr.. Smith
was scarcely less astonished, but recovering him
SELF he said, rather cooley, considering the ocea-