Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-04-20

glars, II you Ike IL better, from New CORK,
will have those papers in our hands on
Thursday night, put them back, and be out
of town before Friday morning, and no
living numskulls but ourselves the wiser
for i'll"
Goggs grimly smiled; but the brown
boy did not see what he had said that was
amusing, and only stared.
you'll be on hand, you know" he said,
still staring. "There are three of US 60
ing with them to see to 1t that they don't
take anything they shouldn't. Painter
and Burnett, and l. You'd better be on
hand too"
Now. Goggs had never been anywhere
with Painter and Burnett in his life /;
would have been ashamed by daylight to
be seen with either of them.
81 don't like the idea of this" he said,
reluctantly, see-sawing on his chair.
You'll like the looks of the papers
when you get a claw on them, fast enough
said Peters
81 am inclined to think" said Goggs,
bring his chair down again on its four
legs with tremendous crash, that shall
not look at those papers after they are
gotw
But you won't withdraw the cash ?"
suggested TeJeTS, luCTeOulOuSiy SiuilluY.
"That would be meant"
swell, n--n--oo," said Goggs, not quite
brave enough to bear being called mean.
And you won't sneak out Of the fun
Thursday nights"
"N-noo," said Goggs once more not
quite brave enough to lose such fun.
Then the door was shut, and Peters was
gone, and the boy who wouldn't chatter
IS,ht Ia 70
girl, in sky-blue dress, had subscribed
fifty dollars to effect burglary, and given
his word that he would take part in 1t!
That's just such fool as l am"
thought Goggs, with melancholy smile.
But how could he help it nowg An, that
was the worst of it. There is the folly of
a foolish thing, and the wrong of bad
thing; it is SO hard to help it! Folly and
wrong will go their own ways, and do
their own work, generally, in spite of one.
And then," thought Goggs again, still
hopelessly smiling, there is that railroad
bond"
There was that railroad bond indeed,
fast in the brown boys brown hand, on
Thursday night; and there was Goggs,
with Painter and Burnett skulking about
the college yard, outside of the treasurer's
office, waiting for Peters and the "profes,
sional gentlemen from New Cork. That
ranged to come off at half-p past So that
Goggs had half an hour in which to skulk
and think
If you had been in Goggs' place what
should you have thought,
Well That is just what Goggs thought
-" But | won't see the papers, concluded
Goggs. "pll see the fun, but not the pa
pers."
Now, as we all very well know, Goggs
was doing exceedingly wrong, and he
might have broken his mothers heart, be-
side getting into State prison-but what
can do about it9 Goggs did not repent,
and 60 back to his room, at the last mo-
ment-but how can help it? am com
PEELED and ashamed to say that he waited,
skulking about the treasurers Office, for
half past eleven and the professional gen
tlemen. Let me hasten to add, however,
now and here, that Goggs was correct in
one point-he did not see the papers
The half-hour, and the professional
gentlemen, and Peters, came together
promptly.
From the station" whispered Peters
hoarsely. Grains just in l had to wait
an hour and quarter for 'em, hid behind
a telegraph pole the whole COMPOUNDED
time!"
You hold yer blab," said one of the
professional gentlemen politely. "Heave
ahead, and show the job"
They had very black whiskers, these pro-
fessional gentlemen, and very clean linen,
and very fine broadcloth, and very sleek
hair and very, very large diamond rings.
GOggs never felt so mean in his life as he
did walking up the college steps between
them, to help to "show the job"
However, he did it; and, as said, so
much can't be helped.
1t was dark night, and very windy. A
dozen times, on the college steps, Goggs
was sure that he heard the Calculus Pro
fessor striding up the broad walk, under
the trees. A dozen times while the pro-
fessional gentlemen were fitting forged
keys to the lock of the outer door (Which
they did with the utmost ease), Peters
swore that there was tutor about some
where, calling through the wind. But
neither professor nor tutor tracked that
"iob nor ever have, to this very day.
Through the outer door. through the
entry door, through the Office door, into
the Office the professional gentlemen, with
Peters and Burnett and Painter and Goggs
behind them, made their noiseless, skillful,
wonderful way.
In the middle of the treasurer's Office,
the dark little awful, reproachful ROOM
they all paused.
"'Pon my word" said Peters, just over
his breath, IL most wish there'd been
some other way. We offered the printer
two hundred down for one proof of the
COMPOUNDED things; but he wouldn't take
four. This is our last throw, pom my
word / most wish Hurry up there,
can't your"
In the reproachful darkness of the little
awful room, the professional gentlemen
went to work upon the safe. 1t was the
treasurer's private safe, small affair, with
the simplest lock in the world. If only
the treasurer had been bright enough TO
put the papers in the great ark across the
room, with the combination lock.
That" said one Of the professional
gentlemen, would ha' ben matter OF
some powder and blasted noise"
BY this do not think the professional
gentleman meant 30 much to make q pun
as an emphasis. He was on his knees at
the time, turning great key in the great
key -hole, with his head on one side, very
much like the head Of an artist, putting
the finishing touch TO his picture.
"A-a-ah Z" said the burglar at last.