American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-11-22
A New way to Deleet q Tkier.

4, The father Of the great American states
man was very humorous end jocose per
sonsge. and inhumerable arc lieaFeedotes
chat are related Of him. . AS no Was once
journeying in Massachusetts not far from
his native town. be stopped rather late one
night atan, inn in the village In the
barroom where about twenty different per-
sons, who as he entered, called cut to him
TO discover a thief One Of the company.
itappeared. it had a.few minutes before a
watch taken from his pocket and all knew
the offender must bs in the room with them.
Come. Mr.. Almanac maker. You know
the signs Of the times, the hidden things
Of the seasons, tell who is the thief"
"Fasten all the doors in the room and
let no one leave it, and here landlord, 90
and bring your wife's great brass kettle"
Boniface did as commanded; the great
brass kettle was placed in the foor-i.s
bottom uP--aS black, sooty and smoky AS
a chimney back. The landlord got into his
bar. and looked OF, with eyes as big as ssu-
GERS.
"You don't want any hot water Or moth
ing to take off the bristles on critter, do
YOU Squire?" said the landlord, the prepa-
ration looking little to much like hog EiI
ling.-"The old woman's gon to bed and
the wells dry" -7atia.
"New go into your barn and bring the
big-best cockerae you've got"
"Whcw! you won't bile him, will YOU!
he's tough one. l can swear. Squire,
he didn't steal the watch. The old rooster
knows when it is time to crow, without
locking at a watch" ..-......
"..Go along or l won't detect the thief
e" Boniface went TO the barn and soon re-
turned with tremendous fat rooster csck-
ling all the way like mad.
Now, pu; him under the kettle and
blow the light OUT .'- p. @
The old rooster wSs thrust under the
inveterate kettle and the lamp blown out
Nov, gentlemen, 1 dent 'spose the
thief is in The company. but IL he is, the
old rooster will crow when the offender
touches The bottom Of the kettle with his
hands. Walk round in a circle and the
cock viii make known the watch s,ealer
The innocent need not he afraid .yot
know" ''" '''
Ths company. then. TO humor him. and
carry out the joke walked around The kettl,
in tho dark for three or four minutes.
"All done. geHtlemen?.' ..st' "'.
"All donep' was tho cry; where is yo,n
crowiAg? We heard no cockadoodlsdoo.'
Bring US light. ''2"' Ha.'3 ".'@' %
| s.-. A, l;Frl,l n, A.r,,.xl,t o.tla,Sot 4-I
Now hold up your hands. good folks
They were of course black, from ctmin.
in contact with the SCOT of tho kettle.
"All up.'' g,,orc, -. -71e- ANA. g..
"All up!' was the response. tn -.
"A-ll-dou'tk know! here's ons fol
low who hassn't held up his hand"
"Ah. All. my old boy, let's take a p0eI
at your paws" g.. t..d in s,g.7.
They were examined, and were not blacl
Ike those of the rest of the company.
"You'll fud your watch about him
Search" r.., az, n., g.
| And 90 ii proved. This fellow. not be
iEg aware, any more than the rest, Of tn
trap that was set for the discovery Of tn
thief. had KEEP. aloof from tho kettlc, les
%heH he teuched it, tie growing Of tn
rooster should proclaim him as the thief
As the hands Of all the others were black
ened the whiteness Of his showed of oour
that he had not dared to t6uch the old bras
kettle, and that he was the offedsr. II
JUMPED out OF the frying pan into the fire
was lodged in as uncomfortable place a
either--to Wit-the ia:l. a;.s.