Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-01-08

stuuD6u Dy tn6 DlOW ana Inc Idll,
and whom he got upon his legs again, the deol
was closed and locked-Mr. Smith was a pris.
oner. Ileave the reader to imagine his feelings
Meanwhile Increase was raising forces to as
sist in taking the thief out of the granary In
safety. Having first told his story to Mrs
Smith, who was greatly astonishsd, he FASTENED
to alarm Joe Ferris, a stout fellow who lived
In the woods near by, and who complained Of
losing quite as much property as the Smiths.
Mrs. F. put her head out of the window, and
wanted to know what Increase wanted. The
man asked for Joe. After some hesitation the
wsman replied that her husband had the head.
ache, and could not got up.
" But We have got the robber caught"
"Oh, have you ?" said Mrs. Ferris, in a..fee-
Bile voice. CHOW fortunate But as my hus-
band has the headache, l think you had better
keep the man till morning.
"No-we'll have him tonight" cried In
crease, and away ha ran.
Now if the younger Smith thought he was
regaling Mrs. Ferris with glad tidings, he was
considerably in error. The truth is, in closing
the window she was pale as death. The reader
may guess the cause Of her agitation when /
inform him that there was no Joe Ferris sick
with the headache in the house.
But Mrs. Ferris was a woman of energy and
decision. She caught up hammer, threw a
shawl over her head, and left the house. She
was soon in Mr. Smiths barn, with her hand
on the granary door.
Joseph" she whispered.
No reply.
"Joseph, it is me; are you here?n she
added, knocking at the door.
{" Let me out" said a voice within
Without any further delay, Mrs Ferris hae
ing thrown the barn door wide open, so that
she could see to perform her operations, com.
menced hammering the paddock in a most de-
structive manner.
Now Mr. Smith, who was within, was ex-
ceedingly astonished at what he heard He
certainly wished to be let out, but he had no
desire to have the paddock smashed, without
first trying other means. Something like the
truth flashed upon his mind, however, when he
reflected that the person who was breaking the
lock had called him Joseph, and that the voice
was remarkably like that of a 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
"Coms quick, Joseph. There's no time to
lose. They III be here In a minute ~
She caught somebody by the arm, and some
body followed her out in the moonlight. Then
he caught her by tho arm, and both stopped
looking each other full in the face
Mrs. Ferris screamed, turned paler than the
moonlight, and dropped her hammer Mr.,
Smith was scarcely less astonished; but recoy-
ering himself, be said, rather coolIy, consider
ing the occasion -
'You are out rather late tonight, Mrs
Ferris allow me to see you home
She could not refuse his arm, and when she
saw that be was conducting her to his house
instead Of her own, she had not the power to
say word or make 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 very startling facts, and with
tears in her eyes begged her "kind dear
friends" to be merciful and not expose her.
Mrs. Smith recovered from her amazement
and exclaimed, " never, / never, neyer,.i
and Mr. Smith, who was not the least excited
of the three, INDUCED in some equally sensi-
BILE remarks.
Meanwhile Joe Ferris, who was the man that
had taken the younger Smiths place in the
granary, and gave it up in turn to the elder
Smith, went home by circuitous route, won
dering by what strange accident he happened
to be caught, and congratulating himself on his
escape. He had reached his door, when hear
ing his name called by somebody In the road
he turned round and saw three men going By
Joe Farris, is this you ~ cried the voice of
the younger Smith. "Come on if YOU are ready
I've got Bill Hodges and Mr.. Blake, and think
wen be enough for that one thief, but the more
the merrier, SO come on. knew You would 20
in for the fun in spite of your headache"
Joe was as much in the dark now as when he
was locked up in the granary but concluded
it would be best to put bold face on the mat
ter, and accompany Increase, and so he declar-
ed himself ready, and jumped over the fence
At first he was afraid Of committing himself.
but the conversation by tho way showing him,
as he thought, exactly how the ground Law he
laughed heartily ut the queer manner in W which
the thief was caught, and volunteered to be
the first to enter the granary where he was
confined, at the same time chuckling joyousIy
at the anticipation of the younger Smiths dis
may on finding, instead of the thief his own
father under lock and key.
With great glee the men proceeded at once
to the granary, where Increase proposed leav-
ing his companions to go into the house for a
lantern, and 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 any where to be
found.
"Hallo - cried Bill Hodges, "the pranary
door is open, and the thief has broken out"
Increase came back filled with CONSERVATION,
and Joe Ferris was no less surprised
The strange events of the night were involved
in a deeper mystery than ever, when the elder
Smith, having heard of the approach of In
crease and his companions, made his appear
ance with light.
Halo, neig ghbor :" cried Joe Ferris. "yhat
telling US about thieves
81 declare, father" said the younger Smith,
" after you shut me up, shut up a real thief,
and left him in my place"
Il know 1t; your mother told me-" replied
the older Smith, " and when / came to let you
OUT
''0h, 1 see all :" groaned Increase, "he got
away"
"Ye, and shut me up"
tAnd how did Won get ont ~
"Why, the thiefs wife had the kindness to
come and break the look, :"
So saying, the elder Smith held the lantern
up to the face of Ferris, who turned CHASTITY
white and trembled as if he had been in an
ague fit.
The whole affair was now explained, to the
astonishment Of everybody in general, and of
Job Ferris in particular, who was too much as
tonished to make any resistance while Increase
and his companions were tying his hands be-
hind him
Ferris and his wife were accommoda ated with
lodgings in Mr.. Smiths house that night; and
on the following day, q search having been in
stituted and all sorts Of goods found on joe
premises, they were both committed to Jail to
await their trial.
What the sentence was, when convicted of
the crime charged against them, have quite
forgotten; but it is certain the good people OF
Smithville were troubled no more with the
mysterious disappearance of their goods and