Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-05-18
FAIRLY CAUGHT.

Ny employment, Is that OF carver IN
stone. Many years ago, soon after had
learned my business, the firm IN whose
employ was, undertook the erection OF
a gentleman's mansion, and | was sent
TO execute the ornamental work. The
village, near to which the mansion was
built, was on the shore of an estuary OF
the Bay Of Morecombe, not far from the
market town whose name | need not give.
As my work would keep me from home
several weeks, good lodging was a most
desirable thing; but although | tried to
get accommodation in private house, l
failed, and was forced to lodge in the vii
lagc inn, the Lord Admiral.
Among those who were in the habit of
frequenting the aforesaid hostelry, was a
man of singular habits and odd temper.
His home was about mile from the vii
lage, on the side OF lane leading to a
couple of farms. His house, like him
self, was a queer one. Originally it had
been built for the storage of corn, the
produce Of fields at a distance from the
farms,ead. Somehow il had ceased to be
needed for that purpose, so It's owner
turned it into dwelling house, and as
such it was occupied by the aforesaid
strange man. 1t was divided into three
apartments on the ground floor, one OF
which, q very large one, was set apart
and used as a kind Of museum, its oecu-
pant being a suffer of birds and quad
rupeds. When he had no work of this
sort for other persons, he worked for stock
and this large room was his warehouse.
He was man Of iil-temper and loose
habits, and for some time had borne du-
bious character. When people were ask
ed why he was suspected, they could not
give a satisfactory reply. HE lives,
they would say, without doing work
equal to his expenditure, which looks bad.
As got to know him | found that he
had an unamiable temper; was morose,
sour and at times passionate He was
also fond of display, given to betting,
and ike all such led loose, uneven life
oftener lettering about than at work. Sc
| did not wonder that well-meaning peo-
pie did not like him.
He mostly came on wet nights to the
Lord Admiral. As we became acquaint.
ed. he invited me to look over his collec'
ton of birds and quardrupeds. | wa'
pleased with what l saw. He had, In
deed, good collection, and, as far as
could Judge, had done his work well. H'
had also a good assortment OF butterflies
and moths, and in corner, close to tn
ceiling, had what he called butterti..
breeding box, which he said belonged t
his son, young man of my own age, ais
given to bird -stufhng amusements.
But | was most taken up with tw
animals which differed from the rest
One was a beautiful dog, and the other
lusas natura-a lamb, with the rudi
ments of fifth leg, and some other ab
normal characteristic which | have for
cotton. The old man said he had stuffe,
both for their original owners, who had
somehow, failed to take them away
They were placed at one end of the room
one in each corner, away from the win
dow. and close to the wall, where, ex
cept in strong daylight, they could nc
be easily seen. The connection of thes
particulars with my story will be seen Il
the sequel.
I had been in the village about 81
weeks, when the neighborhood was arous
ed and alarmed one morning, by the re
port of the robbery Of ajewellcr' sshopinth
market town already referred to, that ha
been effected during the preceding night
Much valuable property had been taken
This robbery had been effected in such