Squatter sovereign., 1856-02-05
A New Way to Detect a Thief

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! The. father of great American states.
man was very humorous and jocose per-
sonage, and innurnerable aresle anecdotes
that are related of him. AS he was once
jourRing In Massachusetts,, not faF from his
native town. he stopped rather late one
night at an inn in the village of -----.
In the bar-roosn were about twenty differ
emf persons, who. as be entered. called out
for him TO discover thief. One of the
il appeared, had few minutes
before had watch taken from his pocket.
and he knew the offender must be IN the
room with them.
'.Come. Mr.. Almanac.maker, you know
the signs of the times, the hidden things
of The seasons, tell US who is the thief"
"Fasten all the doors of the room. and
let no one leave 1t; and, here, landlord,
go and bring your wife's great brass ket-
tle."
sWhe--ew want TO know, my
stars my wife fe's---whe-ew J" quoth
Boniface.
Why. you wouldn't be more struck up
If told you TO go to pot
Boniface did as he was commanded );
the great brass kettle was placed in tie
middle of the floor, its bottom up-as black,
sooty and smoky as chimney back. The
landlord got into his bar, and looked on
with eyes as big as saucers.
You don't want any hot water nor
no,hin', to take off the bristles off a crit,er
do you, Squire 2" said the landlord. the
preparation looking little too much like
hog killing. The old woman's gone to
bed and the wells dry
''Now so into your barn and bring the
biggest cockerel you've got"
Whews you won't bile him viii you
he's a tough one. can swear, Squire, he
didn't steal the watch. The old rooster
knows when it is time to crow, without
looking at watch"
Go along, or won't detect the thief"
Bonilaee went to the barn, and soon re-
turned with tremdous fat rooster, cacklig
all the way Ike mad.
Now, gentlemen, don't suppose the
thief is in the company. but If he is, the
old rooster viii crow when the offender
touchss the bottom of the kettle with his
hands. Walk round in circle and the
cock will make known the watch slealer
The innocent need not be. afraid You
know"
The company. then, TO humor him, and
carry out the joke, walked round the kettle
in the dark for three or four minutes.
AL done, gentlemen
AL done!" was the cry" where.
your crowingl We heard no cockadoo-
dledoo."
Bring us a light7"
A light was brought as ordered.
''Now hold up your hands. good folks.
They were of course black, from coming
in contac, with the SCOT of the kettle.
"AlI up"
AH w was TIC fcsPOnSe
s.A-ll -- don't know, here's one
fellow what hasn't held up bis hand.'
" Al. ah. my old boy, lets take look
at your paws
They were examined, and were not
black like those Of tie rest OF the company.
- You will find your watch about him !;
search
And so it proved. This fellow. not be-
ing aware. any more than the rest, of the
trap that was set for the discovery of the
thief, had kept aloof from the kettle, lest
when he touched ii. ihe growing of TIE
rooster should proclaim him as the thief.
As the hands Of all the others were black
ened, the whiteness Of his own showed OF
course that he had not dared touch the old
brass kettle, and that he was the offender.
He jumped oat of the frying pan into the
ere, and was lodged in as uncomfortable .
place as ei;her to wit: the Jail.
E- In a store ia Boston is q clock
from which the works have been removed
--on its face is painted, :. No tick here
Very OIDinatlst