The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-09-09
THE QUAKER's CORN CRIB.

Cupid gained his victory.
THE QUAKER's CORN CRIB.
A man had been in the habit of steal
ing corn from his neighbor, who was a
Quaker. Every night be would go softly
to the crib and fill his bag with the ears
which the good old Quaker's toll had
placed there. Every morning the old
gentleman observed diminution of his
corn piles. This was very annoying, and
must be stopped--but how2 Many
one would have said: "Take gun,
conceal yourself wait till he comes and
fire." Others would have said, "Catch
the william and have him sent to jail"
But, the Quaker was not prepared to
enter into any such severe measures
He wanted to punish the offender, and at
the same time bring about his retorma-
ton, if passibe. SO he fixed sort of
trap close to the hole, through which the
man would thrust his arm in getting the
corn.
The wicked neighbor proceeded on his
unholy errand at the hour of midnight
with bag in hand. Unsuspectingly he
thrust his hand into the crib TO seize an
ear, when 10 he found himself unable
to withdraw it In vain he tugged, and
pulled, and sweated, and alternately cried
and cursed. His hand was fast and every
effort to release it only male it the more
secure. After while the tumult in his
breast measurably subsided. He gave
over bis useless struggles, and began to
look around. All was silence and repose.
Good men were asleep comfortably in
their beds, while he was compelled to
keep a dreary, disgraceful watch through
the remainder of that long and tedious
night, bis hand in constant pain from the
pressure of the clamp which held it
| His tired limbs, compelled TO sustain his
weary body, would fain have sunk be-
meath him, and his weary eyes would
have closed in slumber, but 10 there was
no rest, no sleep for him. There he must
stand and watch the progress of the
night, and at once desired and dreaded
the return of the morning. Morning
came at last, and the Quaker looked out
of his window and found that he had
caught his man"
What was to be donel Some would
say, " Go out and give him a good cow
hiding just as he stands, and then release
him; that'll cure him." But not so, said
the Quaker. Such course would have
sent the man away embittered, and NUT
tering curses of revenge. The good old
man hurried on his clothes, and started
at once to the relief and punishment OF
his prisoner.
"Good morning, friend" said he, as he
came in speaking distance, =" how does
thee do?
The poor culprit made no answer, but
burst into tears.
40 tie said the Quaker, as he pro-
ceeded to release him. +" i am sorry thai
thee has got thy hand fast. Thee put il
in the wrong place or it would not have
been So
The man looked crestfallen. and beg
ged forgiveness, hastily turning to make
his retreat "Stay," said his persecu
tor, for he was now becoming such to thu
offender, who could have received a blow
with much better grace than the kint
words which were falling from the Quak
er's lips; "stay, friend, thy bag is no
, filed. Thee needs corn or thee woul'
not have taken so much pains to get it
Come, let us fill it." (And the poor fel
! low was obliged to stand and hold th'
; bag while the old man filed it, interspers
J ing the exercise with the pleasantest con
5 versation imaginable--all of which wer
) like daggers in the heart Of his chagrine'
, and mortified victim.) The bag wa
filed, the string tied, and the sutfere
hoped soon to be out of the presence Q
his tormentor, but again his purpose wa
lthwarted.
"Stay," said the Quaker. as the ma
! was about to hurry off, having muttere
!. once more his apologies and thanks.-
3 !. STAY, Ruth has breakfast ere this; the
. must not think of going without breal
!, fast. Come, Ruth is calling
! This was almost uncomfortable. In
i was "heaping Goals" with vengeance
i. In vain the mortified neighbor begged !
j be exoused in vain he pleaded to be n
: leased from what would be to him pu