Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1865-09-08

~ >'eu -atteAc1 ntuierti tti1t u- ,ssasss pix
II without much difficulty Tie. however
declared 20 Mr. Masgrave that "a was Just
the ight Kind Of q lock: IL couldn't have
been better; in fact. il -as qaise non-piek-
abl-
AGAIN the loving cup passed round. and
after draining a bumper to their next
merry meeting. Diekey departed.
The old farmer. after his guests leave
taking had been completed. carefally vent
the rounds - his house. locking doors and
closing widows with all due precauiion.
lie then. a. usual. tied the mare 20 her ac-
cusiomcd post. retired 70 bed. and was soon
iaiicd to sleep By the sound Of his favorite
grinding her corn.
- the night wore away Presently. as
The trst gray streaks Of day began % ap-
pear. Mr.. Musgrave avoke. and feeling
very cold and chilly. looked around % as
certain the cause To bis astonishment he
found that al the coverlcts had been taken
OF his bed and that his blankets had been
spread out upoa the foor. For what pur-
Poscs thought Mr.. Mgsgrave Was be the
victim % some terrible uigbtnare. or was
BE- really a~ake2 Mechanically his eyes
glanced 90 the spot ~here his mare should
have been. She Was no; there, She was
gone-stolen. During the nigh, some dar-
fu- thief bad broken into the farmhouse.
BAD picked the lock on the door % the bed
room. had spread the blankets over the
foor. 90 thatthe hoof. % the mare should
make no noise. and bal thus trianphantly
made OF with bis prize
Ofcourse NJ. Musgrave reused BIS house
bold. aud commen ed vigorous search AZ
tcr the thicf. IL vas useless. The destroy
er bal left no traces behind hin. and 90 Mr.
Masgrave was obliged 20 return hone dis
eonsoiaie and 70 content himself With vent
ing carses-neiiher few nor far between-
upon the horse.thief
In the meantime our friend Dickey-f5r
Us was The deed-Eas comfortably mount
"a upon Mr. Mu.grave's favorite mare. and
was every moment increasing the distance
between an outraged owner and himself.
= great Was the speed q the mare dat by
tic break Of day Dickry ~; himself secure
from parsu5t lie bad directed b.. steps 10
the eastward. and while crossing HAltwhis-
a. fell. whom shoald be encounter but the
vcriiah'e owner Of the oxen be had stolen
bat tWo or three days before. and inst sold
o. Mr Muscrase.
Dickey knew the ouner Of the oxen well.
but. isckily Tor the freebooter that injured
individual did not know him. IL therefore
secosied Diekey. and inquired # be had
seen any oxen in Tie course q his travels.
similar O. those be described himself 10 De
in search o.
Why O. b. sure have replied Dick
~ '' with ibc same measure a. you Lcs-
cribe. grazing in Mr Mu.grase'. felIs az
Lancroosi. only yesterday. I vas rather
struck. De continued. "by their appear
ance. AID learnt. on inquiry from one Of
BIS servants. that Mr Masgra,e bad pur-
chased them jos, YESTERDAY Undoabtediy
The oxen are yours. l would advise yoa %
90 90 Lanercost a. once. and O. claim them. ~
"Ccrta.niv viii. replied ihe other.
90 Hut ! am knocked Up with walking. and
it o. a long way % taaercost. see you
ride good beast VIII yoa scll her2~
Amer some bard bargaining. terms we're
agreed upon. tie purchase money was paid
down upoa the spot. and Dickey and fbe
farmer separated; ihe former Co seek his
stolen oxen. actually from tie very owner
20 ile stolen mare o. Wa himself riding
vL.'.t Dickey proceeded .' where Be- listed. o.
The uext day the farmer reached Laner-
cosi. and. Of coar.e. recogniz BIS oxen
gazing in thc feii o. fouhwith rode up
o. an elderly man standing near. whom le
judged o. be tic owner of the fciI. and ex-
ciaincd
- say friend. those ere ny oxea ia
yolr lr.i. nov may yoa have come by
fh,n7~
"And DO be- haageI. replied ihe o,ber
(afer taking ion-. astonisbed look at tho
an.ual on uhich Pol. qse.tiouer W. mount
ei) '' if that is not ny mare you are rid-
in- Hos may yoa have cone by Der.
ray
El-h ri course fes-rit-i tbe person from
uao7 t.ry bal respectively Purchased tb-
ovrn ari tas rare aai uien ttis sas done.
fhcr discovered f'at they hai iadeed been
''s.ii- ty a rogae of no common order.
- h1-haa... ho~evrr. d.i tLe Joke ao.
p.ar-esea to ihose uio bad to .. pay Co.
rr.r- I1 fh. afai--tiaf neither party
eo-t prevent breaking into merr, peal
Of nerriu.ui Hben tLs par,icsilrs we're fll.
d. disclosed
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