The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-11-11

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getting your daughter.
Well, well, the Squire would see what
he could do; and he told the Master
Thief q day when he would be taking
ride on great common where they drill
ed the troops. So the Master Thief soon
got hold of an old worn out jade Of
mare, and set to work, and made traces
and collar of withes and broom twigs,
and bought an old beggarly cart and a
great cask.
After that he said to an old beggar
woman, that be would give her ten dol
lars If she would get in the cask and
keep her mouth agape over the tap-hole,
into which he was going to stick his fin
ger. No harm should happen to her
she should only be driven about little;
and If he took his finger out more than
once, shexas to have ten dollars more.
Then he threw a few rags and tatters
over himself and stuffed himself out, and
put on wig and great beard of goats
hair, so that no one could know him
again, and set out for the common,
where the Squire had already been ride
ing good bit When he reached the
place, he went along 80 softly and slow
ly that he scarce made an inch of way.
Gee up, Gee up and so he went on lit
tie; then he stood stock still, and SO OH
little again; and altogether the pace
was 80 miserable that it never came into
the 'Squire's head that this could be the
Master Thief.
AT last the Squire rode right up to
him, and asked if he had seen any one
lurking about in the woods thereabouts.
mo" said the man, " haven't seen
SOUL"
" Harkye, now," said the Squire, " If
you have mind to ride into the wood,
and hunt about and see if you can fall
upon any one lurking about there, you
shall have the loan of my horse, and
shilling into the bargain, to drink my
health for your pains"
=" don't see how 1 can CO." said the
man, 6 for am going to a wedding with
this cask of mead, which have been to
town to fetch, and here the tap has
fallen out by the way, and must go
along, holding my finger in the tap
hole"
Z" Ride off" said the Squire; I'll look
after your horse and cask.''
Well on these terms the man was
willing to go; but he begged the Squire
to be quick in putting his finger into
the tap-hole when he took his own out,
and to mind and keep it there till he
came back. Yes, the Squire would do
the best he could and so the Master
mounted the horse and rode off.
But time went by, and hour after hour
passed, and he grew weary of standing
there with his finger in the taphole, so
he took it out.
Now 1 shall have ten dollars morel"
screamed the old woman inside the cask,
and then the Squire saw at once how
the land lay, and took himself off home;
but he had not gone far before they met
him with fresh horse, for. the Master
Thief had already been to his house, and
told them to send one.
The day after, he came to the Squire
and would have his daughter, as he had
given his word; but the Squire put him
off again with fine words, and gave him
two hundred dollars, and said he must
do one more masterpiece. If he could do
that, he should have her. Well, well,
the Master Thief thought he could do it.,
if he only knew what it was to be-.
"Do you think now" said the Squire,
"you can steal the sheet off of our bed,
and the night dress off my wife's back ?
Do you think you could do that :"
"It shall be done," said the Master
Thief. CT only wish was as sure OF
getting your daughter"
So when night began to fall, the Mas
ter Thief went out and cut down thief
who hung on the gallows, and threw him
across his shoulders, and carried him
off. Then he got ladder and set it up
against the 'Squire's bedroom window,
and so climbed up, and kept bobbing the
dead man up and down, just for all the
world like one who was peeping in al
the window.
"That's the Master Thief, old lass ~
said the Squire, and he gave his wife q
nudge on the side. " Now see If don'l
shoot him, that's ALL"
So saying he took up rife which he
had laid at his bedside.
No, no: pray don't shoot him after
telling him he might come and try