Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-09-08

the passage, reached the door, and unlocked
it, just the governor aroused the second
time opened his door, and, seeing man es-
Gaping from the house by the back way, of
course cried ssThieyes thieyesi'' and made
rush after me. 1 was to quick for him
though; 1 opened the door, sprang out broke
for the door that opened into the room below
mine, and had just reached it, when crash
within foot of my head went brick, and
another voice that knew belonged to our
next door neighbor Tompkins joined the ssgov-
ernor" in the cry of ssThieves Thieves
Murder !! Thieves!" was safe though. Rush
ing up the stairs, ssshelled'' myself quicker
than ever did before or since, and was in
bed and sound asleep in less than half minute.
Wasn't there row thought | never heard
many dogs before the mocking-bird of
course was outdoing all previous efforts, the
chickens began to crow, and Tompkins next
door was ballooing ''Thieves!" and calling the
s:governor.'' l could hear screams and all
sorts of talking and noises among the neigh
bors, until at length the old gentleman's voice
was heard in the yard calling s.Tom! Tom 20
Tom was sound asleep-snoring
s:Tom 20 cried the old man, in voice that
would have reused a man from an epileptic fit.
Judged it prudent to wake then, and, jump
ing from my bed, raised the window, and rnb-
bing one eye, and looking particularly fright
ened (Which was,) asked:
ssWhy father what in the world is the mat
ter 20
"There's thieves in the house - was the re-
ply; 'sget your gun and come down, and be
quicki''
ssHe's in that room below you, Tom 20 hal
loed Tompkins, ssI'm certain of it. | saw
him as he ran down, and threw a fire brick at
him. | know he didn't pass that door Mr..
Jones. - -...-.--H--.-a-..
was directed to sslook out for myself,'' the
governor stood sentinel at the door, below
,l1, xr-IIl hal
minutes to collect aid from the neighbors and
in less than half the time so thoroughly was
every house alarmed, there was dozen or
more men in the yard, armed with guns, pis-
tolls and sticks.
The governor led the attack. Opening
the door, he called, ssCome out here, you
| house- breaking scoundrell If you attempt
to run or resist, I'll blow your brains out 20
Nobody came however.
ssWatch the door, was the order, sswhile
| / go 80 and | was to ''look sharp" and
ssshoot the rascal if he came up stairs" A
| momentary search was sufficient to satisfy
every body that thethief was not in that room.
ssHe's up stairs then," cried Thompkins
ssfor I'll take my Bible oath he didn't pass
| that door,"
So up stairs they trooped, but had lit a
| candle by that time, and there was no bugbear
| there. The strictest search even to looking
under a bootjack didn't show the faintest
trace OF him, the yard was next examined,
| then the house, and every body being at length
| tolerably well satisfied that he had escaped,
| the neighbors dispersed to their several homes;
but was appointed sentinel for the rest of the
night and ordered not to go TO sleep under a
penalty of fogging-
The articles missing on thorough investi-
| CATION next day, were two pies, and the old
lady's silver thimble. The thimble turned
| up in week or two, being discovered under
a corner of the carpet; but the pies have
never been accounted for to this day. On
oath l could have given very material testi-
mony as to the disposition of the stolen proper
| ty, but as the case didn'Gcome before any
| court remained qniet-
| Didn't the local editors loom though! One
! of them elongated himself through quarter
! of column, and headed the item, "a Dia-
| bolical and Atrocious Attempt at Burglary and
| Murder 20 describing with graphic particulars
the ssfiendish attempt to throttle Miss-and
! her servant" complimented the goodness and
resolution of K. Tompkins, Esq.," and peror
ated with whitening anathema on the want
of vigilance displayed by the police.
1t was fun for to see with what wide
awake sagacity the watchmen used to stop al
the front door and listen dnring their nightly
rounds for a month after; and you couldn'
| have bribed youngster to go under the porcf
on any account, after dark. The excitement
died away, though, after a while; but III
| never forget the night tried to get into the
| house sswithout making noise -