Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-12-05
A New Way to Detect Thief.

was humorous and jocosc parsonage,
ana innumerable are .he anecdotes related of
him. As he was journeying in Massachusetts,;
not far from his native town, he stopped rath-
er late one night at inn in the village OF
-. In the bar-room were about twenty
different persons, who. as he entered, called
out for him TO discover thief. One OF the
company, it appeared, had few minutes be-
FORE had watch taken from his pocket, and
he knew the offender must be in the room
with them.
.sCome, Mr.. Almanac maker, you know the
signs of the times, the hidden things Of. the
season. tell US who is the thief"
s.Fasten all the doors of the room and let
no one leave it; and here landlord go and
bring your wife's great brass kettle.'
.sWhe-ew, want TO know! my starsl my
wife's whe-ew!'' quoth Boniface.
"Why, you couldn't be more struck if
told you TO go 20 potI''
Bonifsce did commanded; the great brass
its bottom up-as black, scoty and smokey as
chimney back. The landlord got into his bar
and looked on with eyes as big as saucers.
ssTou don't want any hot water nothin'
to take off the bristles on critter, do you.
Square2 ~ said the landlord the preparation
looking little too much like hog Killing
ssThe old woman's gene TO bed and the well
is dry
ssNow go to the barn and bring the biggest
cokeral you've got.''
s'Whewl you won't bile him, will you he's
a tough one. can swear, Square, he didn't
steal the watch. The old rooster knows when
it is time 10 crow without looking at a watch"
$50 along, or WON'T detect the thief
Boniiace went 10 the barn and soon returned
with tremendous fat rooster, cachling all the
way like mad.
.sNow put him under the kettle and blow
the light OUT
The old rooster was thrust under the invert-
ed kettle and the lamp blown out.
'Now gentlemen, don't 'spose the thief is
in the company; bat if he is, the old rooster
will crow when the offender touches the bot
tom of the kettle with his hands. Walk round
in circle, and the cock will make known the
watch stealer, The innocent need not be
afraid, you know"
The company then, to humor him, and car
ry out the joke, walked around the kettle in
the dark for three or four minutes.
CAN done, gentlemena''
'All DONE" was the cry, ''wherc's your
crowing7 We heard no cockadoodeldo.'
'Bring US light
A light was brought as ordered.
ssNow hold up your hands, good folks."-
They were OF course black, from coming in
contact with ;he SCOT Of the kettle.
s.All up"
''All up was the response.
call don't know. Here's one fellow
who hash held mp his hands,
s:Ah, ah. my old boy, let's take peep at
your paws"
They were examined, and they were not
black like those of the rest OF the company.
you'll find your watch about him-search.' -
And so it proved. The fellow not being
aware, any more than the rest, of the trap that
was set for the discovery Of the thief, had
kept aIoof from the kettle, lest when he touch
ed il the growing of the rooster should pro-
claim him as the thief AS the hands of all
the others were blackened, the whiteness of
his showed of course that he had not
dared TO touch the old brass kettle and that
he was the offender. He jumped ont of the
frying pan into the fire, and lodged in as
comfortable place as either-to wit--the
jail.