The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-07-05


Less o your lip. Sir William was
becoming the iron founder again. "Show
him in"
lie was shown in, and began to run up
ms accompl ishments, which to Sir Will
lam seemed very suitable to him. He
was Just the sort of man he wanted. and
olr Willlarn began to think of clnching
tLiS b rg; in.
While they were quibbling about
terms, they were assailed bya strong smell
OF ournin g, and scream suddenly star
tied thenl. Upon hearing loud shouts
Of & Fire " Sir William and the man in
stantly rushed to the door but the man
suddenly fell headlong on the floor. Sir
William darting off to the scene of the
conAagr alton.
Upon arriving at the hall, he 70 und
volumes Of smoke coming from cup
BOARD under the stairs and he immedi-
ately ordered in the little hand fire engine
kept IN the kitchen Ga thing no mansion
should be without), He ran it up to the
cnpbo ard-door, and, seizing the hose in
h's left hand, he commenced to pump
turiollsl y with the right and the little lever
handle was almost invisible, with such
speed did 1t go up and down. The foot
man Kicked away the portmanteau that
had been left in the hall, and burst the
cupboard door open, and then proceeded
to drag to the light vast assortment of
rags and brown paper and damp straw.
al OF winch made u terrible smoke, al
though no flame was visible. 1t was soon
put out, and Sir William returned to his
room.
He found the door locked on the inside
upon his arrival but this did not startle
him at first He Knocked but he got
no answer; SO, quietly stepping back
along the passage-being a powerful
mamie flung himse If at the door. and
it gave way with crash. The room was
empty.
He looked everywhere, and found two
thlngs-viz., that the window was wide
open, and that his five hundred pounds
were gone.
He was mortified in the extreme. Had
this man who wanted situation taken
his money If so, was it plot to do so
or merely that, knowing that there was
money there, he had availed himself of
the opportunity and taken it? He thought
the latter
The man that was at the porter's lodge
SAID that he saw man come in the morn
ing ofthe fire with portmanteau, and
that soon afterwards he saw him run
ning towards the gate, saying he was
gong for the fire engines so he let
him pass
The next morning Sir William received
a letter by the post which puzzled him
no'o little. 1t ran as follows;
" SIR Having seen your advertise
ment in the GnzeHe inviting burglars to
break in and steal | thought that as it
was hardly to be called a crime, this
housebreaking-being in fact. an out Of
the-way proof of the safety of you that
forcible entry is not the only way spec
flied so accurately where the rihno was, I
determined to possess it.
81 accordingly took an old portman-
teau, and filled it with some very smoky
and infamable, but not dangerous mate
rials; and, donning some old clothes, |
proceeded to your mansion.
"As [ had often visited it while it was
building, | knew it we'll and so, upon
giving an elaborate message to lhe foot
man, stayed in the hall while he deliver
ed it. But was not idle. knew of
the cupboard under the stairs, and i'm
mediatel y opening it, for the key was
in it, emptied my portmanteau, light
ed match, and applied it to the damp
straw and the bits of brown paper, and
then | quietly closed the door and pocket
ed the key, knowing it would be some
time before the smoke would ozze
through.
" then palavered to your highness
till the alarm was given, whereupon 1
pretended to trip and fell while running
for the door; but picked myself up i'm
mediately, locked the door, forced all the
drawers of your writing-table, pocketed
the money, and, lifting up the window,
Ieaped ON to the lawn-a good jnmp GER
tainly, but l ran off towards the gate.