The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-04-08


I've caught the thief, and locked him NJ
in the granary.
'Oh-hayc you! said Mrs. Ferris, in
feeble voice. How Fortunate! But a
my husband has the headache, | thinl
you had better keep the man till morn
ing.
Novel; have him to night .criet
Increase.
And away he ran.
Now, if the younger Smith thought b.
was regaling Mrs. Ferris with glad ii
dings, be was considerably in error The
reader may guess the cause of her agita
ton, when | inform him that there wa:
no Joe Ferris sick With the headache Ii
the house.
But Mrs f. was woman Of energy
aud decision. She caught up hammer
threw shawl over her head, and left the
house. She was in Mr.. Smiths barn
with her hand on the granary door
'Joscph!' she whispered.
No reply.
Joseph-it is mc--are you herc?' she
added, knocking on the door.
Let me out, said the voice within.
Without any further delay, Mrs. Fer
ris, having thrown the barn door wide O.
pen, SO that she could sec to perform her
operations, commenced hammeriBg the
paddock in most destructive manner.
Now, Mr.. Smith, who was within, was
exceedingly astonished at what he heard
He certainly wished to be let out, but be
had no desire to have the paddock SIN ash
cd without first trying other means.--
Something like the truth, however, fash.
ed upon his mind, when he reflected that
the person who was breaking the lock
had called him Joseph, and that the voice
was marvelously like woman's. With
great anxiety of mind he waited for the
door to open.
At length the lock was torn away, and
Mrs. Ferris Whispered
Come quick, Joseph! There's no
time to lose. They'll be here in min
ute?'
She caught somebody by the arm, and
both stopped, looking each other in the
face.
Mrs. Ferris screamed. and turned paler
than the moonlight, and dropped her ham,
mer. Mr.. Smith was scarcely less aston
ished; but. recovering himself, be said,
rather coolly, considering the OCCASION
You are out late, to night, Mrs. Fer
ris. Allow me to see you home @
She could not refuse his arm; and when
she saw that be was conducting her to
bis house, instead of her own, she had not
the power to say word, or mike the
least resistance.
The good lady's feelings, on being
brought before Mrs. Smith, can be more
easily imagined than described. In her
fear and confusion, she confessed some
startling truths, and with tears, and on
her knees, begged her kind, dear friends
to be merciful, and not to expose her,
Mrs. Smith recovered from her amaze
ment, and exclaimed, Il never! l neyer!
| never and Mr.. Smith, who was not the
least excited Of the three, INDUCED in
some equally sensible remarks.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Joe Ferris, who was
the mau who hal taken the younger
Smiths place in the granary, and given
it up in turn to the elder Smith, went
home by circuitous route, wondering by
waat strange accident he happened to get
caught, and congratulatng himself on his
escape. He had reached his door, when,
hearing his name called by somebody in
the road, he turned, and saw three men
going by.
Joe Ferris, is that your cried the voice
of the younger Smith. Come on, if you
are ready. I've got Bill Hodges and Mr..
Blake, and | think we'll be enough for
one thief; but the more the merrier, SO
come on. | knew you would 60 in for
the fun, in spite Of your headache
Joe was quite as much in the dark
now, as when he was locked up in the
granary; but, concluding, it would be
best to put bold face on the matter,
and accompany Increase, he declared
himselfready, and jumped over the fence.
At first he was afraid of committing him
self, but tho conversation by the way
showing him, as be thought, how the
ground lay, he laughed heartily at the
queer Eanner in which the thief was
caught, and volunteered to be the first to
enter the granary where he was confined,
at the same time chuckling joyously at
the anticipation of the younger Smiths
dismay, on finding. instead of thief, bis
own father under lock and keyl a
With great glee, the men proceeded
at once to the granary, where Increase
leaving his companions, to 90
into the house for lantern, and to see
if his father had returned; upon which
Joe Ferris laughed all to himself, and
advised the younger Smith to be sure
and bring the old man, if he was to be
found.
Halo 7 cried Bill Hod ges; "the gran.
ary door is open the thief has broke
out I
Increase came back, filled with con-
sternation. Joe Ferris was not less sur
prised. The strange events of the night