, 1863-12-05


"
How 0Tandmother Stopped the
Thief
am very old lady. I have very often
told my grandchildren the story Of how
stopped the thief And now they beg me to
write Il down, that they may read my story
themselves. When I am dead, they mean.
And so will write Il.
When was Q little girl, I lived alone IN an
old country farmhouse with my father. Your
great grandmother died, as yJd have heard,
when was born, and 90 I was my fathers
only companion. Dearly loved him, and ten
derly be talked to me Of oil his labors and oil
his pleasures. At the time write Of, I was
just eleven years old; merry, boisterous girl,
with big, fearless eyes, and spirit Of achieve-
msnt that was always getting me into mischief.
could Gil pages with my adventures, but I
know you only Eish ioF one.
Four times ayear my father paid the renG
for his hired lands The home farm, rs you
know, was his own. On the day before the
rent was to be fnken tn the landlords steward,
the SUN was always brought in gold from the
not be very wisc, but Il was hallowed BY It's
bag In his own room. All these arrangements
were well known to me. shut my eyes now,
and see my Ether IN his clean CATERS, and
the neat bow that tied h,s hair; 500 him ride
Oft on his roas hack to pay his rent, and I
know every crease in tho little leaihern bag
that carries the gold.
All the tribe Of house servants and laborers
who lived on our farm knew my fathers ways
as well as did. But be was unsuspicious 10
q iault
One Friday evening my lather had ridden 10
the town, and had come back with his gold.
Al the maids and the men were sitting at their
supper In our great kitchen, and ] stoOd BY
the noisy fire Whiting for my father 20 come
down to them. Hs always came in at their
meal, said . hearty word to those who were
nearest TO him, and then retired with me to
bis own parlor, bis supper, and his pipe Of
On the particular evening in question, be
walked into the roam, swinging something In
his hand. It was the leathern bag that carried
the money; but L was empty. { knew that
its place was in the bureau 10 my fathers rom
mot empty. buttall
/" Father" I said, swhere's The money :
Why haven't you locked Il up 10 the bass"
Everybody In the room heard my question,
lor there was always hush when the master
came among his men, and everybody In the
room heard this answer:
:" Where's the money, missief l mounted
the lighthouse when came 10, 70 get the keys
lon there In the morning; caught the bag
in the corner Of the table, and tumbled ell the
coin into the drawer. There Il may lie. It's
safe enough"
In an hour more had been dismissed with
my usual kiss, and was shut close IN my own
room. Ths great range Of stables and farm
buildings, ct the corner Of which the actual
house was built, were partly made up OF the
ruins Of On old manor house that bad hllen
into decay with o fallen family. The only
part Of the building that sull showed any
signs Of architectural beauty was ono gable
end, where the stabes abutted on the modern
house. there stood still On old room on the
third Roor, with great mnllioned Windows each
in Q gable of its own, that stood out from the
old roof Two Of these large windows looked
out 70 the west; and on the south side, which
adjo;ned the modern house, was . smaller attic
window, apparently inserted since the disman
tling of the building. for instead Of mullions Il
contained rough sash. Tho base of this II.
tle window Gt was some i've feet in heighO
was on the tlaoP of The attic, and nearly level
with the s,rnfaffinn rnRriaa ~ fha ho.,uo Rs.
,,,s.r , ~ ~ n, ~ ,hs -;cdcv
- snse. N ehons . v.,d s'l,f
m. s,sirrs.s n ~. "a s.,,,. la f,or. ,h,,
4 ID been he nm. into room on ths iirst IoOr.
and m m, IN I'm r,,o,n ,r;,h ~ thr.o ~;n,
Az I'M. ~s NJ ,s ,OSI ,;s W. !, "a h.sn
noi.l n n.s hSsh ~, ~, IA | srd she nav hop.ss
t.,r dom,s,;e nrrnosss - -, s.d : hr;drs nassavs
S.d re-. ~. ~ f,rniss.d ,-;,h r,.ny IocEs ~
hol,s ~, | ,h.. .s,s - ,, m ~ nv nv ~: h wss !
-rscisi delight /, m ~ 5000. from nv own
r6,~ srd rsnd., m si,,c,,sh ~ M, nr..,n;..s I'M
,sEen no.s-s.S;6S AZ ~ grrst at,io ri,h m.
-r,ss IA ,,;rrIo,s. s.i ~, ,ssr. Lsnt INV ira.
snr,s. "a and dId M hest. loved Tork. 81 nv
Isthrr n his Ef,iIIouss nv hther condou,S
INV IndepgndeSce. and would only say AZ hv
bcds N. rood nieht: :.
q Mind Won Iuck gour private from, door. III.
lie misy;.. 1 would not 6av. ihec stolen"
On the night n Question / iaf long awake.
I heard an me seryanis Who slent n The house
mount % their rooms. Then heard nv father
locking and barring the two doors Of the pns-
sarr. and ascend IN bis turn. pausinr minute
70 listen q nv room before he retired 70 bis
own. StiIl Ilay awake. and erew restless IN
nv bed. becan % think Of al that had
done In the day, and Of eli I meant to DO on
the morrow. Twas guing down to fish In the