The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-06-21

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time passed on, until the clock struck
eleven, and had not yet taken in my
goods or put up my shutters.
"Just as l was about to do so, Gin fact,
[ had already put my hand upon the first
piece of the shutter,) my door opened and
an old woman came in. She was scottish,
miserable creature, known about the place
as Irish Kate, and with her red nose and
bleared eyes and bloated limbs, was as
ugly figure as any one ever cast eyes on
'Another dram, suppose said to my
self, going behind the bar at once, for [
wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible.
But she, to my great surprise, came close
up to me, and put her great, red paw upon
my arm.
"I've made diskivery, mister" she
said. "You've not been keeping as bright
lookout as ye should there's been a
thsfe at work widout this blessed night"
"What thief 2" I asked.
"NIore than I can tell ye," she answer
ed. "But think it's policeman, no less,
the blac kguard."
GA policeman !' cried, and my thoughts
flew at once to the man l had seen staring
at my hams.
':It's too dark to see his face" she SAID :
"but [ caught the shine of a star on the
coat he has on, and whoiver it was took
ham from your pegs and hid it in the
ash-box beyand the corner. Yell find it
there, if ye look and sure yell not refuse
a sup of whisky for the information ?''
"I gave the old creature what she
wanted, hurried her out of the shop and
put up the shutters, growing angrier ev-
cry moment.
"If it is the policeman, I'll make him
pay dearly for it," as | skunk along the
sidewalk to the corner, keeping in the
shadow all the way, and when [ stood be-
side the box and saw by the light of the
lamp, close by, that the ham was there,
wrapped in something which looked like
handkerchief, bit my lips and clench-
ed my hands with rage. Had it been a
common thief l should not SO much have
minded !; but policeman it was more
than 1 could stand. So I crouched my
self in doorway and waited The watch
were relieved at twelve O'Clock [ knew
that, and knew also that this would berthe
time when my policeman would come TO
take the ham from out Of its hiding place.
And sure enough, when the time came [
heard him challenge the man who was to
take his place, and come marching down
towards the corner. [ let him get the
ham we'll under his arm before | stirred,
but then l pounced upon him like tiger.
"Pve got your [ cried. ga pretty
policeman you are, indeed, but you shall
suffer for it; you shall suffer for it, l can
tell you
ale struggled with me for a moment
like wild thing, and then all of sud-
den dropped the ham and fell down in
helpless sort of heap upon the ground.
"I'm ruined man ~ he groaned, ga
ruined man there's no hope for me now.
Oh my God my wife-my poor little
wife !" and he burst out crying, like
woman.
"The sight softened me, but was angry
still
"You should have thought of that be-
fore you became thief" said. off the
guardian of mans property is not to be
trusted, what is to become of him? And
you look like gentlenan-you do not seem
like scoundrel; how have you stopped
to do such disgraceful thing as this p,
He was standing beside me now, and
the lamp-ligbt fell on his face. 1t was
white as any corpse's, and his eyes glitter
ed terribly.
"I'll tell you what made me do it," he
said, "it was the only thing which could
have driven me to an act like that; my
wife and child are starving, tell you, and
[ had nothing for them !"
"Polcemen's families do not often
"My God can't you believe me-won't
you believe % painted the man. II have
only been appointed three days; have
not received cent of salary yet | have
been i'll long while, and had neither
money nor credit. Last night VIC went to
bed supperless too day there has not been
a crust in the house, and those hams
tempted me so. You can never know how
awfully they tempted me, and l meant to
pay you afterwards"
He covered his face with bis hands, and
| could see great tears dripping through
his fingers, and before knew it my OWL
cheeks were moist, and so we stood silent,
with the ham lying between us on the
ground.
At last he turned towards me and said,
''Do what you like with me. The last
hope is gone"
''But [ put my hand on his arm and
said, God forbid that should take that
last hope from you, that [, of all men,
should be the one to ruin you. If your
story is true-and [ believe it isl pity
you more than [ blame you
"He looked at me in sort of bewilder-
ed way, as though he scarcely understood
me, and took him by the arm and led