The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-05-08

theft had broken into the farmhouse hat
picked the lock On the door of the bed
room, had spread the blankets over tn,
floor SO that the hoofs Of the mare SHOULD
make no noise, and had thus triumphant
" made off with his prize.
Of course Mr.. Musgrave reused hi
household, and commenced a vigorous
search after the thief. It was useless
The destroyer left no traces behind him
and so Mr.. Musgraye was obliged to re
turn home disconsolate and to content
himself with venting curses-neither few
nor far between-upon the horse 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 moment increasing
the distance between an outraged owner
and himself. So great was the speed Of
the mare, that by the break Of day Dick
ey felt himself secure from pursuit. He
had directed his steps to the eastward,
and while crossing Haltwhistle fell, whom
should he encounter but the veritable
owner of the oxen he had stolen but two
or three days before, and just sold to Mr..
Musgrav9.
Dickey knew the owner Of the oxen well,
but, luckily for the freebooter, that iu-
jured individual did not know him. He
therefore accosted Dlckcy, and inquired
if he had seen any oxen in the course Of
his travels, similar to those he described
himself to be in search of.
s.Why, to be sure | have!' replied
Dickey; with the same measure as you
described, grazing in Mr. Musgrave's
| fields at Lanercost, only yesterday. I
was rather struck" he continued, 'sby
their appearance, and learnt, on enquiry
from one of his servants, that Mr.. Mus
grave had purchased them just yester-
day. Undoubtedly the oxen are yours.
| would advise you to go to Lanercost at
once, and to claim them"
Certainly will" replied the other.
"But I am Knocked up with walking, and
it is long way to Lanecost I see you
ride good beast Will you sell herr"
After some hard bargaining, terms
were agreed upon, the purchase money
was paid down upon the spot, and Dickey
and the farmer separated; the farmer to
seek his stolen oxen, actually from the
very owner Of the stolen mare he was him
self riding; whilst Dickey proceeded
sswhere he listed"
The next day the farmer reached LaDer-
cost, and, of course, recognized his oxen
grazing in the field He forthwith rode
up to an elderly man standing near, whom
hejudged to be the owner Of tho field, and
exclaimed
Il say, friend, those are my oxen in
your field! How may you have come by
them?"
'.And I'll be hanged" replied the other
(after taking long, astonished look at
the animal on which his questioner was
mounted, y if that is not my mare you are
riding! How may you have come BY her,
pray? p
Each of course described the person
from whom they had respectively purchas-
ed the oxen and the mare; and when this
was done, they discovered that they had
indeed been|ssold" by a rogue Of no COM
mon order.
So laughable, however. did the joke
appear-eyen to those who had to "pay
the piper" in the affair-that neither
party could prevent breaking into mer-
~ peal Of merriment when the particu-
lars were fully disclosed.
It was now clear that the only way to
settle the affair was for each party to take
back his own property. Mr.. Musgrave
was Of course delighted at the recovery
Of his favorite mare; and the Dent
Burn farmer, being equally delighted at.
the recovery Of his favorite ozcn-it fell
out that the general burst Of rejoicing,
Dickey was allowed to pocket the sale
money Of both mare and oxen.
Whether Dickey ultimately came to an
untimely end, or whether he reformed his
ways, and died, duly "shriyed,' in Lis
own bed, history telleth not.
Certain it is, however, that in this day
his deeds are "household Words in many
of the homes of Northumberland, and
the mention Of his name among the peas
antry is always synonymous with "cute-
ness"