The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-09-03
A STORY OF THE SHERIFF.

SlOh1 Or HE SnEkIff.
A well trained hotel clerk, who knows
his duty rightly, considers that the &C
copied guest in the hotel is as much in
his own castle as in his own house, and
will not permit him to be knowingly
disturbed byunpleasant or unauthorized
intruders. This, sometimes, is of SER
vice, and prevents disagreeable conse-
quences, as will be seen III the history
here about to be given, the scene of
which was in the fremont House in
Boston several years ago, and one of the
actors therein, a well-known merchant of
Boston, who, over the nam dc plume of
" Acorn, used to furnish some of the
liveliest ske tches of humor, and sharp
est of dramatic criticisms to the old New
York Spirit of the Times, whom we
shall designate as jim Pines the other,
well-known business man of our sister
city of Portland, whom, for convenience
Ike, we shall call Short, inasmuch as
he was short when one of the actors in
the scene we are about to recount.
1t CHANGED one fine evening that
stranger entered the fremont and
addressing himself to the "gentle-
marty clerk" inquired if Mr.. Short
of Portland was stopping at the house?
He is, " said the clerk, referring to
the register.
"Well, 1 want to see him; show me
up to his room, if you please"
eff you will send your card, will
see if he is at home" replied the
clerk.
The visitor produced card, which was
handed to the bell-boy, whom lie was
about to follow up stairs, when he was
restrained by the clerk.
BE kind enough to wait till we
see if Mr.. Short is in and will see
YOU"
The bell-boy returned with word that
Mr.. Short "would see the gentleman to-
morrow morning"
where's the room 2" said the visitor,
"Ill go right up myself"
4" Excuse me, sir Mr. Short has al
ready sent word he does not wish to see
you till tomorrow, and cannot permit
him to be disturbed"
"Well, sir, think 1 shall go up if
you will give me the number of the
room, for I'm the Sheriff, and L intend
to arrest him.
AT these words jim Pines, who was
sitting III a little room behind the key
board, where he had heard all the con
versation, and who is always ready to aid
n man in difficulties-Jim, knowing this
to be case of late-atnight arrest to
force a claim, rose and remarked that
" he was going TO see if his supper was
ready" and slipping through the dining
hall up to his room, he took from thence
an old pair of boots and went to Short S
room, where he was at once admitted
"Take your valise and duds, old boy,
and come along with me-.
Whats up, JIM" asked Short.
" Not much, but the Sheriff will soon
be f; so come along"
The pair left the room, locked it be-
hind them, and Pines dropped the old
pair of boots outside the door, after
which they passed over to another wing
of the house, to Pines room, where
Short was left ; and the former descend
ed, where he found the hotel clerk still
engaged in conversation with the
Sheriff
I" I've seen about my supper, and it's
all right, said he, as he passed the clerk
with wink
CT see this room against Mr.. Shorts
name on the register is 26 is that where
you put him 2" asked the Sheriff of the
clerk.
eyes, sir"
"Then demand to be shown to that
room, immediately"
CAL right, Mr.. Sheriff. Boy, show
the gentleman No. 26.
The unwelcome visitor was conducted
up stairs TO the desired room. There it
was, sure enough, number on the door,
e l. -. "a -
looked at his watch. Half-past nine.
" Humph goes to bed early" He
knocked no response. Knocked a lit
tie louder still no reply.
"Boy," said he to the bell-bOy who
still stood near him, 60 is there any door
opening out of this room to the cham
bers either side 2"
No, sir ; you can see for yourself
there's nobody in this one"
The Sheriff looked into the unOccupied
rooms on each side, and satisfied himself
that there was no communication, and
then, with grim smile, took chair
from one of them and sat down beside
the door of number 20.
Boy, said the officer Of the law,
do you want to earn a dollarl"
sparkled. =
Well, take this note for me-" said
the officer, as he hastily scrubbed
on the back of an old letter, "and
BRING. me en- answer, and you shall
have it"
The waiter was off like shot. and re-
turned with an answer, to whom the
other in whisper explained the situa-
ton. He's in here, and 10 wav Of
getting out we can't break in the