The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1857-09-01
Wonderful story.

An Enghshman, who was travelling on the
Mississippi River told some rather tough sto-
ries about the London thieves. A Cincin-
natl chap, named Case, heard these narratives
with silent but expressive humph and then
remarked that he thought the western thieves
beat the London operatives all hollow.
How soa' inquired the Englishman with
surprise. pray, sir, have you lived much
in the westp
Not great deal. l undertook to set up
business at the Des Moines. Rapids while
ego, but the rascaly people stole nearly eve-
rything I had, and finally Welch miner ran
off with my wife,
Gracious 7 said the Englishman, 'and you
have never found herr
'Never to this day; but that was not the
worst of it,
Worst! Why what could be worse than
stealing a mans wife g'zsS
Stealing his children 1 should say re-
piled the implacable Case.
'Chldrenr
Yes; a negro woman, who hadn't any of
her own, abducted my youngest daughter,
and sloped, and jined the Injuns.'
Did you sec herg
See herr Yes; and she hadn't ten rods
the start Of me; but she plunged into the
lake and swan off like duck, and there
wasn't canoe to follow her with
The Englshman leaned back in his chair
and called for another mug of 'alfand-'alf,
while Case smoked his cigar and credulous
friend at the same time, most remorsely.
IL shan't 90 any further west-I think
at length observed the excited John Bull.
i should moi advise any one to CO. said
Case, quietly. my brother once lived there,
but he had to leave, although his business
was the best in that part of the country
What business was he ing enquired the
stranger.
LAUNDERING; he had saw.mil,' said Case.
'And did they steal his lumber?
'Yes, and saw-logs too
'Saw-logsp
yes; whole dozens of the black walnut
logs were carried away in a single night
is it possibler
True, upon my honor, sir He tried eve
ry way to prevent it; hired men to watch the
logs, but it was no use. They would whip
them away as easv as if there was nobody
there. They would steal them out of the
cove and out Of tho railway
Good graciousr
Just to give YOU an idea how they can
steal out there said Case, sending a sly
wink n. the listening company, Just to give
you an Idca--did you ever work in saw
mill 2
Never
'Wcii; one day my brother bought an all
fred fine walnut log--four feet three at the
but, and not knot in it. He was determ-
inc! to keep that log, anyhow, and hired
two Scotchmcn to watch it all night. They
took demijohn of whisky witty them, snaked
the log up the side of the hill above the mill,
kndlcd a fire, and then sat down on the log
to play kcerds just to keep awake you see.-
1t was p monstrous big log-bark two inches
thick. Well, as l was saying they played
keerds and drank whisky all night, and as it
began to grow light, went to sleep astradlc
of the log About minute after daylight,
George went over to the mill to see how they
werc getting on. and the log uas gone!
What were the Scochmen doingT
Sitting on the bark! The thieves had
drove an iron wedge into the butt end of the
log, which pointed down hill, and hitched a
yoke of oxen to it, and pulled it right out,
leaving the shell and Scotchers sitting astrad
die OF it, fast asleepp>
The Englishman here rose, dropped his ci
gar stump into the spittoon, and looking at
his watch, said he thought he would go on
deck, and see how far we'd be down the riv
er by morning.