Demoine courier., 1855-12-27
BRASS KETTLE STORY.

The father of the great American
Statesman was a very humorous and io-
cose parsonage, and innumerab'e are The
anecdotes related Of him. A. he ives
jourL.ying in Massachusetts, near
his native town; he stopped rather late
M night Al The inn in the village o.
In The bar were about twenty diff
fsrent Pessons, who, as he entered, CALI
ed out TO him 10 discover a thief. One
Of the company, it appeared, had. a few
moments before watch taken from his
pocket. and be knew the offender must
be in the DON with them.
Come. Mr.. Almanac maker. you know
the signs of the times, the hidden .hiugs
Of the season. tell who isihe thief"
"Fssten all the doors of The room. and
let NO one leave il; and here, landlord 20,
and bring your wife's e at brass kettle. .
"Wke-ew! want to know! my stars!
my wife's-whe-ew!" quo,h Bonifacc.
"Why, you wouldn't be more struck
up i'll .old you to G 10 pot"
Boniface did az commanded. The
greai brass kettle was placed in the mid.
die Of the floor, its bottom up-as black,
sooly, and smoky az a chimney-back.--
49,. = 4. IL -a ALH.
The landlord got 5ehind his bar. and
looked on, with eyes'as big As saucers.
"You don's wan! any. hot water MOI
no,hin' TO take of the bris,lss on q crit.
ter, do you squirrel" said the landlord,
the preparations looking a little like hog
killing; .'ihs old woman's. gone TO bed
and the wells dry.
"Now 60 into your barn, and bring
the biggest ccckerel you've got"
"Whew! you won'.bile him, will you!
he's a tough one. l can swsar, squire. he
didn't steal ,lc watch: the old rooster
knows when il is time TO crow, without
looking at a watch" !
go along, or ! won't defect the
shief."
Boniface went to the barn. and soon
rs'urned With 1 Tremendous fa. rooster,
cackIing all the way like mad.
''Now put him under the kettle, and
blow The ligh, out"
The old rooster was thrust under ,he
Inverted kettle, and The lamp blown out.
CHOW, gentlemen. Idon', suppose the
thief is intLe company, but if he 10, the
old rooster will crow when The offender
touches the bottom OF the kettle with
his hand. Walk round in a circle, and
the cock will make known the watch
stsaler. The innocen. need not be AFRAID
you know"
The company. 10 humor him, and to
carry out ths joke, walked round the KEEL.
tie in the dark for three or four minutes.
"An done, g~en.lemen!"
"All done," was The cry. "Whers's
your growing? We heard no cockadoo.
dlsdoo.'
"Brng Us alight!
A light was brought, a. ordered.
.'Now hold up your hands good
folks"
They were, Of course, black. from
coming in contact with the SCOT Of the
kettle.
"All upf"
All up" was the response.
.'All-don't know! here's one fellow
who hssn', held. up his hand.
"Ah, ha. my old boy, let's take q peep
=. your pave"
They were examined, and were not
black, like those Of the company.
"You'l ino your watch abou, him
search"
And 90 il proved. This fellow. not
being aware, any more than the rest, oil
the trap that was Sc, for the discovery Of
,le thief, had kept aloof from .he kettle,
les. when he touched il, the growing of
the rooster should proclaim him as the
thief. As the hands of all tho others
were blackened, the Wilderness Of his own
showed. Of course. that he dared not
touch the old brass kettle, and that be
vas the offender. He jumped DOT Of the
frying pan, into the ERE, and vas lodged
in as uncomfortable q place as either, to
vii. the jail, t1
VARIETIES.