The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-05-19
THE SMITHS OF SMITHVILLE.;
-hs8eosniM 10 Ep5EsI62b& sdI =
AND THEIR ADVENTURES WITH RoBDER

sgeaSaaiM .s9.sBy PAULt cREYIos,g3iI5aIL
SOD saa ssGoI iE,7oii17vTH7sd DO iug Gsa '"'s
wos bThe, Smiths of Smii hs HE had for long
04s,stimeI been yeny much atne5ed by ihe depi
sSsz relations of some unkaownn nindiyidual,
siai whose confused idea s. G coaeerning the righ,
-ksdsof property, led to the fraquent abstrae
sssiTof divers geodssand chsttels from the pre-
sass misses of the ssisi Smighs ia d furtiye aud
slesdmysterious. manners Bags OF wheat aud
bas of, Data Vanished from The, granary, pork
.aion from ethe7cear. and coruf from the crib lin
fsssa pone, uighs ahi sheep sathak bad Just been
sAi slaughtered. coelly atrotisd away; and on
noos another occasion Sc yerai gallons OF syrup
soia e vap oratvd In anight time. Milking stools
sofa went off on .theiriiegs. and one morning
sso Mr. Smiths best axe was found to have
4sA 4 scut ,stckiA Log chains became rattle-
ssd snakes and l-crept of, iron wedges made
sssri splits in the Smith proper. boots walked
ssfslsaway, and Ahe jack rode of on the sa,c
-s,s ssAorse.iisT5oRs,U d5Ia irooa sya4 lar,
-yNssSt Vain were all the efforts OF the elder
kas and younger Smith. to discover the myste.
-ols irysof these disappearances, and to qentrap
70 1.-THE ofender, DespairiDg TO bring him TO
szsss justiee the Smiths found that they could do
szsisspothing more than. to take measures to
.ysipsure the. safety of their property. -Ac-
cordipgly they built new granary. with
strong walls. q narrow. grated window,
and o heavy oaken door, to which was at
vIeis sactached q formidable paddock. This pris-
-knsq on like portion of the barn was built suffi
.1ss .rcisntly large TO allow. the Smiths to lock
- hAnp with the grain @ great deal of portable
sreasg property, q, ,such as was most likely TO
sos Il tempt, the cupidity of thieves sds .i..
A fso,& han G.,is had a m mn
S1sf passed during which time the depredations
.sEoilsof the rebber or robbers was confined to
the orchard and hen-roost; when, late one
-eos Sunday esenipg, the; elder Smith, as he
.sisseuwas sitting tipped against the kitchen wall
-s%s smoking his pipes preparatory TO retiring
sosS@bethoaghtl him. that hel had neglected to
,ili5 =slocks the granaryabe leaving the barn.
-aesGG Thisswa w no means singular circum-
-sssQ stance, considering that the granary was
" siEInsnalIy locked by the younger Smith, who
-sSesil had that night gone coutling.' t4 ?
10 sssYhs Il was moonlight evening and Mr.
ssa - Smith approaching the barn was consider
vsssasaahly startled at seeing the doer ajar.-
Sss % Certain Of having shut the door an hour
.swosz previously, Mr.. Smith thought of robbers
viszas His suspicion was confirmed, when, on d
slsw asnearer approach be plainly heard move
.sss5 nsent in the barn. Too cautious TO en-
q sssEdauger his life BY boldly attacking thu
AnsS Jrebber, Mr.. Smith with considerable tre
-s5 Al pidation, resolved to WATCH bis movement
and discover who he was. 81 y,lrl
Looking through crack in the east sid
-szaaof the barn, he saw2a dim. ghost-like fig
ure glide across the floor towards the gran
scat ary.gA happy thought entered Mr.. Smith
-zss3 BRAIN Stealing into the barn, be crep
eel 30 silently along IN the NOV, until near th'
ssos ygranary, when-sIaP! he shut the door
.ss1 - adjusted paddock, tprped the key, and Wa
.wsl ls off for his life! Lace ra. ~
.,faAsaus Itis impossible to say what sade MIR
- sasiaSmith tremble so. 1t might have been til,
aai Ia bothered cry of alarm that issued from th
ses walls of the granary and rang fully on hi
1..siv ears-Ha cry well calculated to awaken su
Sssr perstitious fear. But Mr.. Smith neve
owned that he was frightened; although
on reaching the kitchen he was as white