Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-03-17

ent, Stanu III my own name
Brasser's Son CIaudius.
Mr. Brasser, who lives on Ninth
Avenue, has a son about twelve years
old named Claudius, and the other
evening this boy received permission
to allow neighbor's hoy to stay all
night with him. The old people
sleep down stairs in the sitting room,
and the two boys were put in room
directly above. When they went to
bed Claudius had the clothes line un-
der his coat, and the neighbor's boy
had mask in his pocket. They did
not kneel down and say their prayers
like good boys and then jump into
bed and tell bear stories, but as soon
as the door was locked the Brasser
boy remarked:
You'll see more fun around here
tonight than would lie on ten acre
lot y
From closet they brought out a
cast off suit Of Brasser's clothes, stuffed
them with whatever came handy, tied
the mask and an old straw hat on for
a head and while one boy was care
fully raising the window the other
was tying the clothes line around the
'man. The image was lowered
down in front of the sitting room
widow, lifted tup and down once or
twice, and old Brassor was heard to
leap out Of bed with great jar. He
was just beginning to doze when he
heard sounds under his window, and
his wife suggested that it was a COW
in the yard. He got up, pulled the
curtain away, and as he behed man
standing there he shouted OUT
Great bottles but it's robber !"
and he jumped into bed.
"Theodorius Brasser, are you q
fool p screamed the wife as he mon
opoli2ed all the bed clothes to cover
up his head.
''Be quiet, you old jade, your he
whispered ''perhaps he'll 60 away ~
Don't you call me a jade !" she re-
piled, reaching over and trying to find
his lair, ''Git up and git the gun and
blow his head oil !"
"Oh you do it,
''Git up, you old coward she snap
ped, 'I'll never live with you another
day if you don't do it !"
Brasser turned up the lamp, sat up
in bed, and cried out,
''ls that you, boys q
"Nlercy on me git up" yelled the
wife rs the straw man was knocked
against the window.
I'll blow his head off as clean as
milk y said Brasser in loud voice as
he got up. He struck the stove three
or four times, upset chair, and reach.
ed behind the foot of the bed and
drew out an old army musket.
"Now, then, for blood y he con-
tlnued, as he advanced to the window
and lifted the curtain.
The man was there, face close to the
glass, and he had such a malignant
expression of countenance that Bras
ser Jumped back with cry of alarm.
"Kill him Shoot him down, you
old noodle head y screamed the wife.
II will-by thunder! | will " re,
piled BrasSer, and he blazed away,
and tore out nearly all the lower
sash.
The boys up stairs uttered a yell
and a groan, and Brasser jumped for
the window to see if the man was
down. He wasn't. He stood right
there, and he made a leap at Brasser.
"Hes coming in .-perllce boys.
-ho. perlice roared the old man.
The tattered curtain permitted Mrs.
Brasser to catch sight of 4 man jump
ing up and down, and she yelled:
''rheodorius, I'm going to faint y
Faint and be darned Boys -
perlice " he replied, wolIoping the
sheet iron stove with the poker.
"Don't you dare talk that way to
me !" shrieked the old woman, recoy-
ering from her desire to faint.
"Po leece Po-leece now came
from the boys up stairs, and while one
continued to shout the other drew the
man up, tore Lin limb from limb and
secreted the pieces.
Several neighbors were aroused, an
officer came up from the station, and
search Of the premises We're made
Not so much as a track in the snow
was found, and the Officer put on an
injured look and said to Mr.. Brasser:
ga guilty conscience needs no ac-
cuser."
"rhats so chorused the indignant
neighbors as they departed.
"As Mr.. Brasser hung a quilt before
the shattered window lie remarked TO
his wife:
Now see what an old cundurango
you made of yourself!'
"Dont fling any insults at me, or
I'll choke the attenuated lite out Of
you y she replied.
And the boys kicked around on the
bed, chucked each other in the ribs
and cried
"l'd rather be boy than be Presi.
dent -[Detroit Free Press.