The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-06-05
DISCOVERING THE THIEF.

Nick Bowers was a member Of the
original Christy Minstrels, and, in his
day, was the greatest "middle man
and interrogation" known in the pro-
fession. Nick used to tell, with great
merriment, an incident of his boy
hood. To preserve the flavor o the
relation, we will record in Nick's own
language, and only regret that we
cannot accompany it with his mimi
table gesticulation.
"My old man." said Nick, Gas a
general thing, was a pretty steady
old gent, but once in awhile he
would get oblivious, and water was
not the cause of it. Irecollect GER
tain holiday was approaching, and |
had been skinning around to get a
little money to have a time with on
the day but the fates and purses
were against me. 1t was but two
days prior to the anticipated holi.
day. and l had nary red. Remem-
Der this, boys, when l add that on
the same afternoon I came into the
house, when 10 !! on the floor, totally
overcome by his libations, lay my
respected daddy, and beside him lay
six shining half dollars which had
rolled from his pocket. Boys, Tve
been an honest man all my life, but
once when boy committed theft.
l hooked one of those half dollars
Thinks l to myself the old mans
been On a jamboree, and won't know
how much he's spent, and will never
miss it. But mark you, the next
morning ] and my two brothers were
summoned into our fathers presence.
The old mans face lowered. I
thought of the half dollar, and knew
that storm was brewing.
"Boys," said he, when l came
home last night l had six half dol
lara. One of ems gone. Your
mother didn't take it. There's been
no one else in the house. Which
one Of you took it?"
We all loudly protested our inno-
cence.
"Boys," said the cid man, "that
half dollar never walked off, and Pm
going to find out which one of you
took it."
Turning around he, took down
from the wall an old flint lock blum.
derbuss. This he deliberately load.
ed with powder and buckshot in our
presence; then fastening it upon the
table cooked it, took seat behind
it, holding the string in his hand
and in solemn tones addressed vi
thusly:
"Boys, I'm going to discover tht
thief and punish him at the same
time. You must each of you blow
into the muzzle of that gun. When
the guilty one blows, off goes hil
head. Now then, you have chance
will you own up or blow up ?"
"Ben," said the old man to ny
brother, shave you got that half dol
lar?"
"No SIR"
! "Take blow"
Ben did so in safety.
"Nick," eh, boys,I tell you tn,
chills began to crawl down my back
"got that half dollar ?"
"No, SIR said /, with a defian
swagger.
"Blow in that gum"
/ walked mp bravely, gave bio v
and lodged!
"Nick," said the old man, in
voice of thunder, "where is that haI
dollar ?"
He had me. The truth dodge
out of me. Said i, "Outin the barr
pap"
Doc PARTNERSHIPS writer j
Gland and Water" testifies that b
long knew a pointer and greyhoun
that formed partnership, to which
, the first contributed his power {
} scent, and the other his swiftness {
) motion, as their respective capita
| Every few days they would 60 OF
f rabbit-hunting. The pointer seel
! ing the game and indicating wher
7 it was, while the greyhound woul
run it down. They would enjoy the
, game-dinner and return to their n
spective homes. The same write
records similar arrangement ente
ed into between a terrier and COLI,
He also gives an account of q do
that hunted both sheep and rabbit
:. and to guard against detection an
punishment, washed himself In
stream, and wiped his ,coat on th
Y grass, before returning from his O.
cursion.
2 The Shah of Persia is on his wa
{ to Vienna, with all of his staff an