The Shasta courier., 1865-11-18
SHASTA COURIER.
The Double Robbery.

infested bv those-to the public mind-par-
t;cnIarlv obnoxious specimens of the genus
tbisf known as 'reviyers' or lifters' of
cattle.
Almost all the rascals who followed this
unlucra.ive profession, trusted chiefly to
mere brute force to carry out successfully
their nefarious schemes. There was, how.
ever. one exception to this rule to be found
in the person of a celebrated freebooter.
known as 'Dickey of Kingswood' This
worthy openly expressed his disapprobation
of his rivals vulgar mode of following their
profession, and repeatedly boasted that be
could achieve twice as much by his cunning
as they could by their brute force. Nor was
this assertion of his mere empty boasting-
far from it.
In few years time Dickey's name be-
came the terror of the country side. =
No farmer felt secure when he retired to
rest at night that his cattle might not have
vanished ere morning. SO cleverly were all
Dicks enterprises conducted, that no man
could ever succeed in making personal ac.
quaintance with him. He openly set justice
at defiance, laughed at the futile efforts Of
the law to punish him. Perhaps the best
way for me to illustrate the adroitness and
good look which characterized all Dickey' S
proceedings, will he for me to relate the story
of one of his exploits.
1t appears that during the course of his
peregrinations through Northumberland, one
fine afternoon, Dickey's eyes were gladdened
by the sight of fine pair Of oxen, which
were quierly grazing in field near Benton
Burn, a village distant three miles from
Newcastle.
Determined to possess them. Dickev hung
about the place till nightfall. watched where
the animals were driven to, and-hIs usua!
good fortune assisting speedily secured
the prize. He also coDtrived, by the exer
else of his accustomed cunning to leave such
traces behind him as made the owner of the
oxen certain that the freebooter had made
off towards the Tweed. Thither he proceed
ed in hot haste In the interim, however,
DieSey had lost no time in making tracks
for the west country, and 50 expeditions
were his movements, that in a short time he
reached Lanercost. in Cumberland. Here
he fell in with an old farmer on horseback,
who, being delighted with the appearance of
the oxen, forthwith purchased them.
Dickey was of course rejoiced at getting
rid so pleasantly of charge which could
not fail to be troublesome-nay. possibly
dangerous-to him longer to retain. The
farmer, moreover, was mounted upon a
splendid mare which Dckey with his pecu-
liar ideas of meHm and tuum, at once re.
solved, by fair means or by foul, to secure
He therefore willingly accepted the farmers
invitation to accompany HIM to bis house, IN
order that he might crack bottle of wine
in honor of their bargain. Presently Dickey
inquired of the farmer if he would sell his
mare,
Sell my mare p exclaimed his host, all
aghast at the proposition. Sell my mare !?
No I thank you'll Why there's not her
not doubt it, Mr.. Musgrave,' responded
Dickey and from what | see of her PAGES
this morning, / am quite of your opinion
that there is not her equal within hundred
miles of u.s. added the obsequious Dick
Since you will not sell her can only wish
you long life and good health to enjoy her. }
This sentiment was, of course, duly honored
with bumper.
i hope, Mr.. Musgrave,' next observed
Dickey, that YOU keep close lookout after
your stable door, because you know, when
that coufounded scoundrel, Dickev, of Kings
wood, is allowed to be at liberty, a man can
not be sure any fine morning he may not find
his stable empty Stable ha! ha! ha !.
think Dickey of Kingswood would find it
rather difficult to steal my mare out of her
stable, chuckled the farmer.
Indeed where may her stable be stu.
ated?' inquired Dickey. Her stable =
God bless you, sir her stable is in my bed
room! Pm bachelor, and so every night
fasten her to my bed post. | have had a
manger pct up for her in my bed room, and
no music is so pleasant to me as to hear her
grinding corn all night by my bedside.
Dickey was astonished-as well he might
beat such unheard of precautions but,
Disgusting his astonishment, he contented
himself by simply expressing to the farmer
his hearty approval of the means be adopted
to secure the safety of his favorte. sup
pose you have good lock on your bed room
door, was Dckey's next feeler. Come with
me and | will show you, replied the un-us'
pecting farmer. This was, of course, jus;
what Dickey wanted. He examined the lock
carefully. and soon satisfied himself that he
could pick it without much difficulty lie
however declared to Mr.. Musgrave that II
was Just the right sort Of lock it could
not be better; in fact it was non pickable
&c. Again the loving cup passed around
and after drinking bumper to their next
merry meeting, Dickey departed.
The old farmer after his guests leave
taking had been completed carefully went
the rounds of his house. locking and closing
doors with all due precaution. He then as
usual tied the mare to her accustomed post.
and retired 10 bed. and was soon luled to
sleep by the sound of his favorite grinding
corn. So the night wore away. Presently
the first gray streaks of day began to appear.
Mr.. Mnssrave awoke. and feeling very cold
AID chilly. looked around for the cause
To his a-tonishment he found that all the
coverlets had been taken off The bed, and
that his blankets had been spread out upon
the hnor. For what purpose? thought Mr..
Musgrave was he the victim of some horrid
nightmare. or was he really awake? Me.
chanieally he glanced to the spot where his
mare should have been. She was not there !,
UoneIstolen During the night some dar-
ing thief had broken into the farm. house,
hal peket the luck on the door of his bed
room, had spread the blankets over the floor
80 that the hoof of the mare should make no
NOISE, and had thus triumphantly made off
with the prize.
vi course Mr.. Musgrave aroused his bouse-
hold, and commenced vigorous search f,r
the thief. 1t was useless. The desrn;lar
left no traces behind him, and Mr.. Muroxova
returned home sdisconsolate, and to contan,
himself with venting curses-neitber feur nor
far between-upon the thief. In the mean
time, our friend Dickey-for his was The
deed-was. comfortably mounted upon Mr.
Musgrave's favorite mare, and was every