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

THE SMITHS OF SMITHvILLE,
And their Adventure with a II obber.
BY PAUL cREYroN.

The Smiths OF Smithyille had for a long time
been very much annoyed by the depredations
of some unknown individual, whose confused
ideas concerning the rights Of property led to
the frequent abstraction Of divers goods and
chsttels from the premises of the said Smiths
an fRrtive and mysterious manner. Bags of
wheat and oats vanished from the granary,
pork from the cellar, and corn from the crib
In one night sheep that had just been slaugh-
tered coolly trotted away, and on another oc-
casion several gallons Of maple syrup evspo-
rated in a night time. Milking stools went of
on three legs, and Mr.. Smiths best axe was
found to have "cut sticks" Log chains be-
came rattlesnakes and crept on, iron wedges
made splits in the Smith property; boots
walked away, and Jack" rode off on the
"saw-hOrsen
Vain were all the efforts of the elder and
younger Smith to discover the mystery Of these
dissppearaHces and to entrap the offender.
Despairing of bringing him to justice, the
Smiths found they could do nothing more than
to take measures to ensure the safety of their
property. Accordingly they built new gra-
nary, with strong walls, narrow grated win
dow and heavy Oaken door, to which was at
tached formidable paddock. The prison like
portion OF the barn was sufficiently large to
allow the Smiths to lock up with the grain
great deal of portable property, such as was
most likely to tempt the cupidity of thieves.
After the granary was finished a month
passed, during which time the depredations of
the rObber or robbers was confined to the er-
chards and hen-roost, when, late on Sunday
evening, the elder Smith, as he was sitting
tipped against the kitchen wall smoking his
pipe, preparatory to retiring, bethought him
that he had neglected to lock the granary be-
fore leaving the barn. This was by no means
a singular circumstance, considering that the
gransry was usually locked by the younger
Smith, who had that night "gone courting."
a lrr.hN IL
on approaching the barn, was considerably
startled at seeing the large door ajar. Certain
of having shut the door an hour previous, Mr..
Smith thought of robbers. His suspicious were
confirmed when, on a nearer approach, he
plainly heard movement in the barn. Too
cautious to endanger his life by boldly attack
ipg the robber, Mr.. Smith, with conside erable
trepidation, resolved to watch his movements
and discover who he was.
Looking through crack on the east side of
the barn, he saw dim, ghost-like figure glide
across the floor towards the grauary. A happy
thought entered Mr.. Smiths brain. Stealing
into the barn, he crept silently along by the
NOV until near the granary, when-olap .-ho
shut the door, adjusted the paddock, turned the
key, and was of as if for his life.
1t was impossible to say what made Mr..
Smith tremble so. 1t might have been the
smothering cry Of alarm which issued from the
grsnary walls in a way fully calculated to
awaken suspicious fears. But Mr. Smith never
owned he was as white as a ghost, or as white
as they are supposed to be.
What is the matter ?' cried Mrs. Smith
I've caught the robber :" CALCULATED Smith
in breath. - He is locked up in the granary.
Give me my boots,''
"Why-what-whatare are you going to do ?"
Get help. He's desperate fellow, and it
will be dangerous to meddle with him alone
1t is impossible to describe the excitement of
Mr.. and Mrs. Smith on that memorable occa-
sion The latter took it upon herself to load
the old musket while the husband went for the
neighbors.
Mr.. Smith exchanged his slippers for his
boots, and ran first to Deacon Nafies' house,
where he expected to find the younger Smith,
who was courting Naffies' daughter. He was
surprised TO find the house all dark-as If the
Naffies had retired to rest and blown the can
die out. lie knocked, however, furiously as
the occasion required. After some delay, Dea
con Nafies came down in his night dress, stared
at Smith in astonishment, and demanded his
business at that time Of night.
Caught the thief-locked up in the gra-
nary-where's Increase ~
"Ha caught the thief" cried Deacon Naf-
fes, who, having lost some property as well as
his neighbor, was interested in the intelli-
gence. "GOod enough. keep him till morn
ing"
TwOn't do :" replied Mr.. Smith, in an ex-
cited manner. "He's a desperate fellow
break out must raise the neighbors-where's
my son, Increase 20
"Oh, Sally is sick tonight, so Increase
courted only about an hour, and went home"
"Went home? ?'
"Yes," said the Deacon, "half an hour
ago"
The elder Smith clapped his hands to his
forehead, as if he had been struck by an idea
or some weighty substance.
Gracious :" he exclaimed.
What" asked the Deacon
II believe" stammered the elder Smith, 81
Il have locked up
"Who?"
Increase ~
"I1l bet you have" cried the Deacon. al
heard him say he had got to carry the buggy
cushions into the granary before he went to
bed"
q" Look here" whispered the elder Smith,
beg of you never to mention this-I-I-if
il should get out"
"Oh, I'll keep the secret ;" interrupted the
Deacon, trying to preserve becoming gravity
d" The joke is safe, and I'd advise you TO hurry
home and let out Increase"
The elder Smith turned on his heel and van
ished, feeling very weak, probably the effect
of the excitement he had undergone.
Let US now look in upon the younger Smith,
who was actually shut up in the granary 1t
is now impossible to describe his range on find
ing himself thus entrapped. After shouting
until he was hoarse and nearly deaf, he closed
his teeth sngrily, and sat down on a bag of
meal to await the result
Increase had not been long in this dark dun.
geon before he heard noise in the barn. Sup
posing it was the old man, who, having discov.
cred his error, was coming to liberate him, his
anger evsporsted, and he could not help but
laugh at the ludicrous mistake.
But there was mystery about the sounds
he heard, which caused the young Smith to
doubt whether they were made by his father,
after all. He listened. The key turned eau
tiously in the lock. Slowly, stealthily the door
opened, while Increase scarcely breathed.
Somebody entered noislessly, he touched
young Smiths shoulder as he passed, and be-
gan to explore the further part of the dungeon.
Increase dropped on his hands and knees, and
taking advantage Of the noise made by the rob-
Der, crept out. Then to shut the door and oc k
it was but the work Of q moment. Somebody
was locked up,
Listening a moment, and hearing no sound,
Increase became firmly convinced that he had
committed no error, but caught real thief
and went immediately for assistance.
Shortly after, and very much ashamed of his
mistake, the elder Smith sneaked into the barn
and approached the gransry. 1t is necessary
in this place to observe that the elder Smith