Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-10-07
Volume XXXVIIf. .~--NTc. Is,

but let Il man 90 to sleep in a seat
after dark anywhere on Coney Island,
and thief will apparently rise right
out Of the sand and 60 through him
One word brought on another, and
the bartender finally proposed to fish
for thieves. We padded his Sunday
suit, put out the most OF the lights
and placed it on a chair. An i'm
mense brass curb fell in a yellow fes-
toom from pocket OF the waistcoat.
At Il distance the image looked like a
hearty old gentleman indulging in a
cat-nap before turning in for the night.
We could see through an open window
and awaited developments.
Ten minutes passed. | was becom-
ing impatient, when my comrade
pointed his finger over the flooring of
the yeranda. | saw head cautiously
raised above the edge of the Stoop near
Il pillar. After a moments observa-
ton it sank from our line of vision,
and | heard receding footsteps. Next
we heard man mounting the stairs
at the further end Of the portico. lie
was tall, spare fellow. He came
down the stretch Of boards like one in
deep meditation, and walked past our
window, after casting keen glance at
his victim. Then he turned slowly
and retracted his meditative steps,
taking a closer view Of the prey. On
the next lap he laid his hand on the
back OF the chair and shook it very
lightly. Say, Colonel" he said, in a
voice just loud enough to test the
soundness of the nap, 'hadn't you bet
ter be getting inside: You'll catch
cold ont here.
His hand slid gently down toward
the gIitterlng chain. At this moment
more footsteps were heard on the piaz-
"a Prowler No. , appeared. The
first cemer assumed an air of compan-
ionship with the sleeper. lie soon
drew up chair and took a position
at his side. Prowler No. 2 hummed
an air from The Ma5cotte and made
several laps, closely observing the
couple as he passed them. At last,
however, he disappeared at the extreme
end of the porch. The original
speculator hesitated a second, and
again extended his hand toward the
chain. We alarmed him by tap on
the window. He was off in jitfy.
Without looking around he sprang
across the piazza, dropped to the
ground and disappeared.
After displaying anew the attrac-
tiveneSs Of our bait We again ensconc-
ed ourselves at the side Of the window,
ProwIer No , reappeared. He glanc
ed suspiciously ut the form of the
sleeper. saw the watch-ch9in, and
seemed surprised at the absence of the
tall man. He unused within himself
some time. The shining lure acted
like charm. Gaining confidence, he
approached the quarry. .'Say Judge >
he yentured rs Il feeler, you'll be
robbed if You don't 90 inside" The
Judge made no response. Pfowler No
, slipped behind bis chair, and, reach
ing down over his shoulder, gently
detached the chain from the button
hole. lie was tugging at the supposed
watch when the bartender yelled at
him. He shot into the darkness like
a bullet, leaving the chain dangling
loosely from the pocket.
We again doctored the image.
Scarcely were We out of sight when a
reconnoitering party, consisting of a
man and a boy, appeared. They made a
concerted effort to clean out the slum-
herer by approaching him simultane-
ously from opposite directions. The
attempt, however, was chechmated by
a persistent humping on the window.
BY this time the bartender thought
that | had received an Instructive les
son. lie said that the fun might be
kept up till daylight, bat it would
become too monotOnous. While We
were talking about taking in the fin
gure a tall, lank man, evidently the
original SPECTATOR, rushed across the
platform and made dash for the
chain. He yanked at it with such a
force that the jerked the sleeper from
the chair. Eor an instant he seemed
dazed by the catastrophe. Then, re-
covering himself, he swept the etfigy
up in his arms and ran over the sand
like a deer. Before the bartender had
recovered from his surprise he was
out of sight. \ long chase followed.
The bartender returned, painting and
streaming with perspiration.
"Well. by thunder" he exclaimed,
that fellow got his work in we'll. He
didn't quit loser. That suit of togs
cost me $40. 1t wasn't paying cir
Gus. I'm blowed if it was. If this
thing goes on and we stay on the is
land all the summer, We'll have to
claan in the safe