The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-02-03

ment. This is the way it read:
"All burglars, house breakers, sneak
thieves and nssassins are herebvSnotiiietl
that have over $G0,OO worth Of coin,
jewels and silyerware in my house,
which they nrc welcome to if they will
come and take it. No dogs, servants Or
laborers abont the place. The house is
n mile from any other residence, and the
only occupant is M old man, not in very
good health, by the name Of
"JoIS CAIcorT."
"It's some old lunatic, says !, "wllo
hasn't got money enough to get credit. "
"No,p says NTattison. "They say up
there hes worth half a million. He lives
in fine house MI by himself about two
miles from tho depot"
1t was tllrcc days talk in the Office
and then We forgot it. But the atlver.
tisemcnt was kept in tho paper, and one
day it seems Tony Frost, down ut Dobb's
Ferry, struck it. Tint was the way it
got to tile gang. They pool.poolied it
as "chaif," but Frost it seems went up
to Glen Spring, poked about, sifted the
thing, reconnoitcred tile premises aud
came down to the city with big yarn
for his pals. His report was that the
old "luny" Ind got a sign OIL his fence
informing everybody that passed that
here was the unprotected hOuse full Of
valnablcs that the river gang didn't dare
to walk into. He wns sure, too, that
there wasn't any CANNON ab0ut the
stuff, for he'd found ont that old Calcott
was immensely ricli anil kept nearly MI
his wealth in his house.
Now, I don't suppose it's reasonable
that regular cracksmnn should bite ut
any such bait rs this; but Tony Frost
kept poking awHy Mt it, and one day
somebody i'll the gang said it was too
much to have the profession insulted i'll
that way, unless thcy were all afrnid Of
the old lutEer. After TINT Tony Frost
went to the house, got mp us II tramp,
and tried the back door. The moment
lie knocked it flew open, and IN old
mans voice hailetl him over the stairs;
" Halo there, what d'yOu want ?"
"Summat to cat, il yer please" says
Tony, shufiling in aud tlking good look
around.
"Go down aud try the kitchen" F"
shouts tho old man, "Anl don't stauil
coping round that way.. There's bread
down stairs. II yon want to examine
the house, come mp when your belly's
full, and I'll show it to you.
With that Tony goes down the way he
came and walks into the kitchen, where
n little girl wns washing dishes. She
gavc him some brcatl md meat antl talked
quite freely. 10 his establishment she
told him That tho old man had lots OF
money in the house. She'd seen it.
She told told him that she lived in the
village and went home every night. lie
must have made a favorable report, be-
cause it wasn't long after that when Bill
Kctclum, who was the ringlcadcr of the
river gang, thought he'd take look ut
the house. So ur he goes, playing the
part Of pcldler, mIIl drops the neatest
little pack in front OF the place when he
secs the sign. There it wns sure enough,
nicely lettereil in rel OIL white ground,
and inviting nll burglars. house break.
crs, sneak thieves ailtl assassins to come
and take what they could get. Tlle
house stood II good ways back from the
road, and us Bill went mp the wide path
he hatl n good chance TO tAke in the
dwelling. II was lnrge brick house
with Il high stone foundation nnd III iron
stoop. There wasn't IL shutter, pHii
nf blinds, un tho place. And if anybody
hal tried to set it ntirc he would have
given up the job, ,as Il bal one.
Kctcllllm got in through the window.
FIe Ind n lot Of things in his pack tbat
ticklcd tile fancy of the girl, and lie lc;
her anusc herself with them while he
ate n sandwich she llad given him, ant
asked her II lot of sly questions. But he
couldn't get mucl, out OF her, simply be-
cause she tiiiln't know anything, 80 he
made mp his mind to interview the ole
man ,ll pokes about till hegOt up stairs
and was hailed over the balusters
"Well, now then, what do you want,
hay?" -t
"Nish gloves, necktise, soaps sheep,
NtNo 4NGtCItttiILI lJthhIutS up
"Dilln't you read the warning to ped
dlers on tho fence. Amt you nfnid oi
the tOgs?" Shouted the old man.
"Wariin' !" says Dill, giving himself
away.
. "All right, sings ont tho old man,
quicker than Lightning. "You're nc
pGd'ller. You want to see my property
Come up. I'll show it to yon."
Well, this stnmpctl Bill good deal
hut he pluckctlup md followed Calcottin
toGn upper room, keeping one eye round
him ald taling i'll everything hut max
ingn grcnt show Of trllle.
"This room," says Calcott, "iS where
sleep. There isn't any lock On tho door,
niil tliis room is where keep my money.
There's the sAfc-1 never lock it. Here
I'll show you what's in it-stand still
because when. I pull the door open il
starts IL telegraph machine, AMI three
Of the best inen in tEeeOunty start from
the viliaSc-they'te officers" With that
he ierked the door open.
Bill WIS II littlo nervous, and III
couldn't help showing it. l.....
"Tf any Of your g,.ng should CONT
here ut night I'll put you mp to trick
cut the wires first, they run across tlt
road below the big gate. Don't b.
nervous. Do you see that Pits gold
,Feol the weight Of it. These nre din
monds. Can you tell real spark whel
you see IL? ] should Say they wer'
worth. in the market, between $4,000
anil $4,000"
The old man kept up this kind Of pat
ter, staniling there in Ills old calico wrap
per. Bill Ketchun watching him with OIL,
eye and wondering whether he wns i'll
sane or just the smartest nun hol eve
met. He Ind MI idea that it WIS Just tn
cNsiest thing to knock him over ny h
stood tliore and walk OH with tho plunder