Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-02-09
From Blackwood's Magazine.
TIE MASTER THIEF
\ MORSE POPULAR TALE.


CO ttager who had three sons. He had
nothing to leave them when he died. and
no money with which TO pa. them to
any trade, So that ne did not know what
70 make of them. At last he said he
would give them leave TO take anything
each liked best. AMI go whishersoever they
pleased and he would go with them a bit
of the way; and go he did. He went
with them till they came to place where
,hree roads met, AMI there each of them
chose a road, and their father hade them
good bye. aud went back home. have
never heard tell what became OF the two
elder; bu, as for the youngest. he went
5oth far and long. as you shall hear.
81 it fell OF, one night as he was go
ins through great wood that such bad
weather overlook him. |, blew and driz-
zlsi 50 that he could scarce keep his eyes
open; al in trice. before h knew how
il was. he got 6ewiliered. and could no;
find either road or path. But as he went
no and on. a, last he saw a glimnering
liyht far far off in the woods. Sd he
ahoush, he would try anil gel to the light;
aui after a time he dill reach ii. There
ii was in large house. and tbs fire was
blazing so brightly inside that he could
tell the folks had not ye, gone to bed; SO
he went in and saw all old dame bus:ling
ab,ut AMI min ling the house.
Good evening" sail the youth.
Good rvenins." sail The old ian,.
-.Hu,,eiu! its such foul weaihe: out
of doors to night" said he.
IS, il u.s." said she.
"CinI get leave TO have a bed and
shelter here to-nighl7" asked the youth.
You'll get no good by sleeping here. .
said the Old dame; for if tne folks come
home and find you hsre, they'll kill both
me and you"
What sor, Of folks. then. are they
who live here," asked the youth.
"Oi. robbers. And such bad lot OF the m
too" said the cid dame. They stole me
away when was little. AMI have kept
me as their house -keepet ever since.
well. for all that. think I'll Just go
10 bed" said the youth. Come what
nay. I'll no, stir outs at night i'll such
weather"
Wy well. said the OLE dame; "bui If
yo1 stay it will be the worse for you"
W,n shat the youth got into bed
watch stood there, but he dared not go to
si.sp. and very soon after III came the
,obbsrs: 20 the old dame told them how
stranger fellow had come in whom she
ha! no, been able 10 get out of the house
sgain."
did YOU see # he had any money!
said the robbers.
"Sucb a one as he have money!" said
the dame, "the tfamper Why. II he had
clothes to his back. it was as much as he
had"
Then the robbers b-gan to talk among
themselves what they should do with
him; if they should xii. him outright. or
what else they should do. Meantime the
youth got up and began to talk to them.
and to ask them is they did not want a
servant, for il might be that he would be
glad 10 enter into their service.
"Oh said they. 'if you have mind
to follow the trade that We follow. you
can very well get place here"
Its all one to me what trade follow"
said the youth: .'for when | left home,
father gave me leave 10 take TO any trade
I choose"
"Well. have you a mind TO steal?'
asked the robbsrs.
II don't care" said the youth. for he
thought it would not take long to learn
that trade.
Now there lived a man a little way off
who had three oxen. One of these he was
to take 10 the town to sell. and the rob
bers had heard what he was going TO do,
So they sail TO the youth. that If he were
good 10 steal the OK from the man by the
way without his knowing it. and with
OUT doing him any harm. they would give
h!m leave to be their serving man.
Well the youth set of, and took with