The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-03-18
bolts with which he fortified his little strog-

bolts with which he fortified his little strog-
hold.
went to my chamber, and wrote nv re-
view; and turning down the gas to allow my
eyes to rest, gave myself up to meditation
upon the probable discontinue of the lite.
rateur whose novel-"Under the Lions
Skin'-1 had just reviewed. 1 had fallen
asleep in my chair-I confess it-when was
Startled by sudden sound, very slight, but
sutnclent to arouse me thoroughly. listen
cd without moving. Suddenly-a foot on
the stairs. Then an instant of silence.
Agatha step. After this had been several
times repeated. l became certain that this
was no trick of the Imagination. rose, took
off my slippers, armed myself with a pistol
that was accustomed to carry when obliged
to return at a late hour from the newspaper
office-and noiselessly opened my door, which
was ajar, and walked along the hall that ran
through the third story, in which was my
room. descended the flight of stairs, meet
ing no one; and paused to reconnotre. Again
heard a noise-and my ears, sharpened by
excitement, recognised the sound of the
turning of the door-handle of the diningroom.
What should do-speak to my brother-in-
law, at the risk of alarming my sister, posi-
bly, for nothing? Should ask for Tppoo's
powerful arms to help me in desperate and
probably an unequal encounter. Tippoo
had, on account of the extremely cold wealth
er, been promoted to sleeping in Uncle Tim
othy's dressing-room, instead of upon the
door-mat as at first. So I could not reach
him without first awaking the old gentleman,
and that was out of the question. I could
not have the heart to disturb him, as stood
beside his door. peering down into the dark
ness of the lower hall, was even happy in
thinking that the sleep of the good old man
| would not be broken, even though TIE dread
| ed robbers were actually in the house. Again
a sound-the slow, light grating of file!
Were they opening the safe? / hurried noise
lessly down into the basement.
| Was dreaming-was I going mad A can
die threw clear light on two figures, kneel-
ing before the safe, busily at work with their
| files. These figures were-Uncie Timothy
and Tippoo! Without his wig, dressed in
in order that he might more easily make
escape-Uncle Timothy presented an aspect
much more venerable than was his wont.
1t was Tippoo who first heard a sound at the
door-a hard-drawp breath of astonishmsnt.
that escaped my lips.
1t was Tippoo who calculated ''Thunder
and "TRIP in an unmistakable Celtic brogue.
cooked my pistol. 'tDo not rise from
your knees, Uncle Timothy" said politely,
81 perceive that have disturbed your devo-
toions the powerful Brahma-lock. You
will see that resistance and escape are impos-
sible. The basement windows, as is usual
with New York houses, are barred with iron
and stand at the doorr'
Then shouted for John, for the police;
and in brief half-hour our revered relative
whom the officers of the police recognised
at once as the Slippery Sam, one of the most
skillful of New York thieves-and Billy Nc
Cork, alias Tippoo, alias half dozen other
mons de guerre, were at the stationhouse.
My brother-in-law found his safe Tn
harmed. The following day the clerk of the
gentleman who had left the box of valuables
in Mr.. Percy's care, called for them with the
order from their owner, received them and
took them to be deposited in bank Uncle
Timothy's diamonds were carried for inspec-
ton to ajeweler, who pronounced them 10
be the finest quality-of paste. Aud my ten
thousand dollars? you ask. Certainly it is
to Uncle Timothy that owe my present
prosperity-the amounts offered for the
capture of the robbers amounted to that sum,
aud was not above receiving it at the hands
of several wealthy men. 1 invested it i'm
mediately in the stock of our newspaper,
which pays well. The greater part of the
property stolen, including my watch, was
recovered and returned to its owners-a
smaller part of it was irremediably lost. Slip
perry Sam proved to be all English convict,
who had escaped, stolen passage in steam
er to America, and become the leader of an
organized gang of thieves. After his capture,
he turned states evidence, and his disheart-
ened and demora.ized comrades were easily
taken.
In his youth he had lived on the estate of
Johns grandfather, and had learned enough
Timothy Percy TO enable him to assume suf-
ficiently well the role of man of whom no
personal recollection existed and but little
knowledge from hearsay. The true Tim.
othy Percy may be alive or dead-we
probably shall never knoW-but am inclined
to think from all that have heard of his tur-
bulent youth, that in his old age he would
not have been so quiet and agreeable an in
mate of the household as was his counterfeit
preseDtment. Even though a conscience
somewhat sensitive might accuse me of hay
ing failed in respect to Uncle Timotby-as,
for instance, in my Impotence when his
gentle hand upon my arm warned me of the
danger of losing my watch upon the street,
at the same time averting the possibility of
such misfortune by furtvely appropriating
the article himself; or even more markedly
when |, pointing pistol at his venerable
head, commended him TO the not too tender
mercies of the police oficer-I have not in
spite of all this lost my faith in the worth of
first impressions. And let it be written in my
favor that had even too sedulously respect
ed the profound slumbers of Uncle Timothy.
No measured breathing was indeed to be
heard from his room, when he was perhaps
mile away, pursuing his midnight meter of
burglar. His sanity dreams were felonious
realities. l might have shouted, beaten his
door-it would not have disturbed an absent
occupant.
sometimes go to the Tombs to take notes
for thrilling description of this or that
villain; and on these occasions 1 always call
upon Uncle Timothy, who, behind iron bars,
seems not unlike the tigers of his rectals.
Actor, romancist, journalist-any profession
that requires powers of perception, magma
ton and language. he might have graced He
chose to be thief!
offer him tobacco; be meekly accepts it;
and never fails to ask about the children
whom he seems really to have loved. Who
shall say there is no good in him; or how
much Of tits existence being granted-is