The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-01-13

Travers whom the fear of being robbed kept
in continual alarm, and hindered from sleeping,
thinking he heard noise, awakened his wife,
and ran to the trough to see if the pig was
there It was, but having also fears about his
barn and stable, he was willing to go all round,
and set off, armed with Ratchet. Bernard,
who heard him go out, took advantage of it
directly, in picking the lock of the door and,
going softly up to the bed, said to the wife,
counterfeiting the voice of the husband 80
MARY, the bacon is not on the wall. What
have you done with it 2"
"What, have you forgot" replied the wo-
man, "that we hid it under the kneading-
trough Has fear turned your brain ?"
"No, no." said he; "but had forgot it,
Do you lie sti-I'll go and take care Of it .
Saying thus, he took the pig on his shoulders,
and carried it off,
When Travers had gone his round, and well
secured all his doors, he came back.
:" 1t must be owned" said his wife, i have
a husband with poor memory Why, you
forgot, just now, where you had put the pig
These words made him roar again. II said
it would be so! knew they would steal it
It's gone I shall never see it more ! "
In the midst of these lamentations however,
it struck him that the thieves could not have
got far with their prize in the time so he
posted after them directly, with some hope of
recovering the pig. The rogues had taken a
bye path across the fields, that went straight to
the wood, where they hoped to hide their prey
more securely. Hamet went first, to make sure
of the road and his brother, who walked
slower, on account of the weight, followed at
some distance. Travers soon overlook him,
and knowing him Immediately, said-imitating
the tone of voice of the elder brother" Come,
You must be tired give it to me to carry in
my turn"
Bernard, who thought it was his brother,
gave Travers the pig, and went on before but
had scarcely gone hundred PAGES, when, to
his great establishment, he met Hamet.
'.Zoon," said he, 81 have been trapped; that
rogue Travers has played me a trick. But
never mind you shall see know how to re-
pair blunder."
So saying, he stripped himself, put his shirt
over his clothes, made up something like wo-
mans night-cap on his head, and, thus equipped
ran full speed by another path to Travers'
house, and waited for him at the door; but
when he saw him coming he went forward to
meet him, as if it was his wife, and counter
feiting her voice, asked him if he had got the
pig.
Yes, yes have him, replied the husband.
carry it in, do you run to the stable for have
heard noise there, and am afraid they are
breaking in"
Travers himself put the animal upon his
all things were safe. When he returned, he
was much surprised to find his wife in bed cry
ing and very much alarmed; and then found
out they had deceived him again. He deter
his honor was concerned in the affair, swore not
to give it up till, somehow or other he was vic
torious. He rather doubted if the thieves this
time would take the same road but rightly
suspected that the forest being for them the
nearest place of safety they would go there, as
before In fact they were there already; and
eager to taste their prize, they had lighted
fire at the foot of the oak to broil some steaks
the wood was green and burnt i'll, so to mend
it, they went to pick some dry leaves and sticks.
Travers, who had easily found the rouges by the
light Of the fire, took advantage of their alb
sence to strip and suspend himself by his arms
like person hanging; and when the thieves
returned and were busily employed in blowing
the fire, roared out with voice like thunder
"Wretches, you will end your days as did !"
They firmly believed it to be their fathers
voice, and frightened cut Of their wits, thought
of nothing but running away. The other took
up his clothes and the pig in great haste and
returned in triumph to relate his victory to his
wife who embraced and congratulated him on
his bold and dexterous exploit
Don't let us flatter ourselves too soon the