The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1880-01-15

came back he seemed unwilling to re-
late the result of his adventure, simply
saying, ssI'm in no humor for talk to-
night; III relate what I've seen and said
tomorrow"
My friend had got on well with his
gardening. His potatoes and onions,
his turnips and carrots, had been got
in; and it was clear that if the next two
days should prove fine, he would finish
the job on Saturday night.
On Friday night he came to me in the
kitchen, in a corner of which I was
reading, and asked me to take short
walk with him. [ got up and went.
The night was fine, but dark We
walked in the direction of the museum.
/ He asked me if could keep a secret for
day or two: Replying in the afirma-
tive, he said he had a strong suspicion
that the old naturalist or his son was
no better than he should be; that he
was sure that he or they knew more
about the late robberies than other
folks; and that he believed if he had a
few shillings which he could call his
own, he could come at the truth, and
concluded by asking nae to lend him a
| sovereign for few days. / agreed, for
1 had begun to feel an unaccountable
curiosity growing within me-
We had not walked far before we met
the naturalist's son, apparently by ap-
pointment; for my companion told him
that l had promised him a loan, and
that therefore he would be at his fathers
house next day and make purchase.
Weparted and came home.
About the middle of Saturday after
noon he set off, and in less than an hour
lie came back, bearing tOlerably sized
parcel. Giving me signal as he passed
me, joined him in the back yard. He
said: ''I'm on the track of the thieves,
believe. Last night but one, on reach
/ ing the house, and while looking over
the museum, the old man said that his
son was rather short of money, but
| having exchanged frame of moths
and few birds for a lot of provisions,
/ if l would buy some of the latter 1 might
sell them at profit, or they would keep
me in eatables for while, and the sale
would relieve his son. | agreed to buy
if / could raise the money. Now, / am
not without cash, but it would not have
done to say so; hence l agreed to ask
you for loan. Well, I've got lot of
| things to-day, dirt cheap, which l really
believe belong to one of the late rObber-
les. l 90 hence tomorrow on the sly,
but on Monday you may look for my
return" Giving me a playful dig in
the side, he left me. His absence du-
ring the night and the day after, sur
prised the landlord, but l said nothing
was all impatience until Monday
| came. 1t came at last. l was busy at
my carving, when heard a well known
voice hail me from below. On looking
down from my stage, whom should
see in the road beneath, smiling all the
face over, but my old friend the garden
er in a pOlieeman's UNIFORM! The truth
flashed through me in a moment.
went down. Grasping my hand, he
said: g The secrets out, you seel
/ Come along with me and see the up
| shot"
| was about to witness a de1gOatenleat l
had not looked for. Up the road were q
couple of policemen. My old compan
ion was the chief, being sergeant of
| police. He led the way to the museum,
and was first to enter
g GOod-morning, old friend,' he said,
on encountering the naturalist. 'EI've
/ come to take away a few more parcels
OF your cheap provisions. y
| saw that the old gardener was de-
tected in the speaker, and that the game
was seen to be up. The old mans son
rushed to the door and scrambled off,
;
of one of the officers who were on the
watch. The old man was utterly help
less, and almost beside himself. Sink
ing into his chair, he cried out, g I'm
not the thief; the thieves are there
pointing to the door, and meaning,
could see, his son and his cOnfederates,
though they were not present.
We went into the museum. The first
thing the old gardener-aS | shall still
call him-did was to take hold OF
"Bruce," while he desired one of his
comrades to lay hold of Wonder ,
On moving them, a noise of loose metal
was heard. A moments examination
suticed to reveal the secret. In the of
side of each animal, in the soft part, al
Oritice had been made by cutting the
skin in such a way as to enable the Op
orator to replace it with little care. A
part of the stuffing had been removed
leaving vacancy just like throstle's
nest. This was filed with jewelry-
watches, guards, earrings, and finger
rings. A further examination of the
museum revealed other and as singular
hiding places: for example, a game
cock was found put out of sight; OF
taking hold of it, a noise of cinking
metal was heard; on lifting up the
feathers over the crop, a small hole was
seen, out of which rolled, when the birC
was shaken, a number of trinkets
Nearly all the proceeds of the two
robberies of the jeweler were recovered
one watch and few guards only being
absent. And some of the property o.
the provision dealer was also found
slowed in the breeding-box, though
most of it had been used or sold.
scarcely need say that the parcel sold K
, the gardener was a part of it, and haC
to do with the detection. My friend tn,
sergeant informed me that he had beer
induced to assume the character whicl
he had so we'll enacted, entirely OF
, speculation. While making a survey O
the neighborhood, few days before h
began play his part, he had observed
the backward state of the landlord
: garden; and believing that he woul,
! readily catch at a chance of getting
{ finished off in a cheap way, and bein:
? good hand at gardening, h
had hit upon the scheme which had an
swered so well. He had believed that tn
robbers were not far from the locality c
, the public house, and might come ther
: now and again, and so, could he lodg
f there without being known or suspect
ed, he might come at all that he desired
! And as he had hoped, so did it come t
; pass.
The naturalist, who, it came out, ha
, long been a receiver of stolen property
and his son, whose first burglaries thes
r were, got each five years penal serv
? tude; one of the other men-who cam
from distant town, and were old hand
! was likewise convicted and punished
/. but the fourth, for some forgotten reS
3 son, got off. My friend came in for th
+ good reward offered in this case; an