Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-02-23

""S mystery ABOUT the
sounds be heard, which caused the younger
Smith to donbt whether they we're made
by his father, after oil. He listened. The
Key turned cautiously In the lock. Slowly
steslthily the door opened, while Increase
scarcely brealhed Somebody entered
noiselessly, he touched young Smiths shoul.
der as he passed, and Legan to explore the
further part Of the dungeon. Increase
dropped on his hands and knees. and tax
log advantage Of tho noise made by the
ro6ber, crept out. Then to shut the door
nRd lock It was but the work Of moment.
Somebody was locked upI
Listening moment, end hearing no
sound. Increase became firmly convinced
that he had committed DO error. but caugh,
a real thief, aud went Immediately for as.
sistnnce
Shortly after, and very much ashamed
Of bis mistake, the elder Smith sneaked in.
TO the barn and approached the granary
Il is necessary in this place to obFerve that
the elder Smith locked up his own son with
the key which he had carried with him,
and carelessly left it Ia the lock on enter.
lug the granary, and which the Younger
Smith had carried away.
Aud now the elder Smith made haste TO
open the door.
Increase ] be called, putting bis head
into the granary.
No sound answered.
Are you asleep2 Come, don't be play.
ing any trick with met was oil mistake
for l really took you to be rob
Mr., Smiths voice was stopped by vic.
lent blow on the mouth Mr Smith in nm
Instant was tumbled down amidst wilder
ness Of barrels. bags, rakes and shovels.
Sir. Smith was considerably stunned BY
the blow and the fall and when he got
upon bis legs again, the door was closed
and loeked-Mr. Smith was prisoner.
leave the reader TO imagine his feelings.
Meanwhile Increase was raising forces
10 assist In taking the thief out Of the gra-
nOry iu safety. Having first told his story
TO Mrs. Smith, who was greatly astonished,
he hastened to alarm Joe Ferris, q stout
fellow who lived in the woods near by, and
who complained Of losing quite as much
property as the Smiths. Mrs. Z. put her
bead ont Of the window, aud wanted to
know what Increase wanted The man
asked for Joe. After some hesitation the
woman replied that her husband had the
headache, and could not get up.
But we have got the robber caught
oh, have You p said Mrs. Ferris, in
feeble voice. How fortunate But as
my husband has the headache, think you
had better keep the man till morning.
Novel; have him tonight ? cried In.
crease, and away be ran.
Now If the younger Smith thought he
was rcgaling Mrs Ferris with glad tidings,
he was considerably in error The truth
is, in closing the window she was pale as
death. Tho 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 o woman Of energy
and decision. She caught up q hammer,
threw a shawl over head, apdeft 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 7? she
added knocking at the door.
Let me out said voice within.
Without any further delay, Mrs. Ferris
having thrown the barn door wide open, so
that she could sec to perform her opera
tions, commenced hammering the paddock
in most destructive manner.
Now Mr.. Smith, who was within, was
exceedDgly'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 Some
thing like the truth flashed upon his mind,
however, when he reflected that the person
who was breaking the lock called him Jo-
Seph, and that the voice was remarkably
like that of woman's With great anx-
iety of mind he waited for the door to open.
At length the lock was torn away, aud
Mrs Ferris whispered
Come quick, Joseph There's no time
to lose They'll be here in minute ?
She caught somebody by the arm, and
somebody followed her ont in the moon
light. Then he caught her by the arm, and
both stopped, looking each other full in the
face.
Mrs F.rris screamed, turned paler than
the moonlight, aud dropped her hammer,
Mr.. Smith was scarcely less astonished ;
but recovering himself, he said, rather cool
lY considering 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 he was conducting her to his
house instead of her own, she had not the
power to say word or make the least re-
sistance.
The good lady's feelings, on being brought
before Mrs. Smith, can be more easily i'm
agined than described. In her fear and con-
fusion she confessed some very startling
facts, aud With tears in her eyes begged her
kind dear friends to be merciful aud not
expose her. Mrs. Smith recovered from
her amazement, and exclaimed, / never
never never and Mr.. Smith, who
was no: the least excited Of the three. in
dnlged in some equally sensible remarks.
Meanwhile Joe Ferris, who was the maO
that had taken the younger Smiths place
iu The granary, and gave it up in turn to
the elder Smith, went homo by eireultous
route, wondering by what strange accident
he happened to be caught, and congratulat'
ing himself on his escape. He bad reached
bis door, when hearing his name called by
sotaahodx IN tha road he turned round and