Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-03-28

i<u"S'dt 10 uOL )Ou
John keep watch for thieves to. night ?"
"Oh no, SIR" said I. "believe me, dan.
gers of this sort are always exaggerated.
We hear of the few houses that are
robbed. of tho thousands that remain
undisturbed we hear nothing" The
timid old gentleman said no more, but
fixed his mild blue eyes earnestly
upon my face for an instant; then shook
his head gently, and relreated into his
OVID room. | heard the click of the
various locks and bolts with which he
fortified his little stronghold.
went to my chamber, and wrote my
review; and turning down the gas to lei
my eyes rest, gave myself up to mejita-
tion upon the probable discontinue OF
the Guerdteur whose novel-"Under the
Lions Skin. II had just reviewed. l
bad fallen asleep in my chair--I confess
it-when was startled by n sudden
sound. very slight. but sufficient TO
arouse me thoroughly. | listened with.
out moving. Suddenly foot upon the
the stairs. Then an instant of silence.
Again-a step. After this had been
several times repeated, / became certain
that this was no trick Of the imagination.
| rose. took off my slippers, armed my
self with pistol that l was accustomed
to carry when obliged to return at lato
hour from the newspaper Office. land
noislessly 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,
meeting no one; and paused TO recon
noitre. Again heard a noise-and nv
ears, ,sharpened by excitement, recognized
the sound OF the turning oil the door
handle OF the diningroom. What should
| do-spesk TO my brother-in-law. at the
risk OF alarming my sister. possibly for
nothing? Should | ask for Tippoo's
powerful arms TO help me in desperate
and probably an unequal encounter.
Tippoo had. on account OF the extremely
cold weather, been promoted to sleeping
in uncle TimothY's dressing.room, instead
OF upon the door-mat as a. first. So |
could not reach him without first awak-
ing the old gentleman, and that was out
Of the question. | could not have the
heart to disturb him, as / stood beside
his door. peering down into the darkness
OF the lower hall, was even happy in
thinking that tho sleep OF The good old
man wonld not be broken. even though
the dreaded robbers were actually in the
house. Again a sound-the slow, light
grating of fiIei Were they opening the
safe | hurried noselessly down into the
basement.
Was dreaming-was going mad ?
A candle threw clear light 5n two fig
ures, kneeling before the safe, busily at
work with their files. These figures
were-Uncle Timothy aud Tippoo! With.
out his wig, dressed in The costume of
the ordinary New York rough-in order
that he might more easily make escape
Uncle Timothy presented an aspect
much more venerable than was his wont.
II was Tippoo who first heard sound at
The door--a hard-drawn breath Of
astonlshment, that escaped my lips.
at was Tippoo who CALCULATED.
Thunder and turf! in an unmi stakabe
Celtic brogue.
cooked my pistol. "Do not rise
from your knees, Uncle Timothy" | said
politely, 81 perceive that have dis
turbed your devotions to tho powerful
Brahma-lock. You will see that resist
ance and escape are impossible. The
basement windows,as is usual with New
York houses. are barred with iron and
| stand at the door,"
Then shouted for John for the police |;
and in brief half-hour our revered
relaiive-whom the officers OF the police
recognized at once as the Slippery Sam.
one of the most skilful OF New York
thieves-and Billy McCork, alias Tippoo,
alias half dozen other mons de guerre,
were at the station house.
Ny bro,her-in-law found his safe
unharmed. The following day the clerk
OF the gentleman who had left the box of
valusbles in Mr.. Percy's care, called for
them with the order from their owner,
received them and took them to be de-
posted iu q bank. Uncle Timothy's
diamonds were carried for inspection to
a jeweler, who pronounced them to be
The finest quality-ot paste. And my ten
thousand dollars ? you ask. Certainly
it is to Uncle Timothy that | owe my
present prosperity-the arlounts offered
for the capture Of the robbers amounted
to that sum. and was not above receiv-
ing it at the hands of several wealthy
men. l invested it Immediately 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 irrenediabiy lost. Slippery Sam
proved to be an English convict, who
had escaped stolen passage in steam
er to America. and become The leader of
an organized band of thieves. After his
capture, he turned states evidence. and
his disheartened and demoralized COM
rades were easily taken.
In his youth he had lived on the estate
of Johns grandfather, and had learned