Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-10-17

| oud the deacon, peculiarly eNaSpcrat
ing. Even the minister stopped once,
for moment, as Mr.. King walked
noisily up the aisle; and everybody no.
ticed that he went up the aisle an unu-
sual number of times.
"You will really have to stop wearing
those boots in church," said Deacon
Stammers to the sexton after service.
II would as lief have u man beating a
drum in the pew behind me-
"Those are the new ones, are theyP'
asked Mr.. Bricker.
Eyes, SIR"
| Well, put them away next Sunday and
try your slippers again"
I'm afraid they'll be stolen, said
the sexton.
"Lock the closet-door," said the dea-
con. "You lock the door carefully and
we will guarantee you against loss.
my slippers are so old and shabby,
too" said the sexton, THAT L am
ashamed to"
"Never mind, remarked Mr. Bricker.
"Get yourself new pair at my expense.
Here's the money. Get good ones"
"Much obliged to you, sir, " responded
Mr.. King. manifestly pleased at his
good fortune.
Next Sunday Mr. King appeared in
church wearing his new slippers, and as
by this time the congregation had
learned something of the arrangements
about the sections boots, there was q
general feeling of satisfaction at the
silent celebrity with which Mr.. King
skinned about from pew to pew and up
one aisle and down another.
Mr.. Brickcr felt that, in about one
Sunday more, when the noiselessness of
Mr.. Kings movements had lost its
novelty, he would be able thoroughly to
enjoy the exercises of the sanctuary.
Upon emerging from the aisle into
the vestibule when church was over, MIR.
Bricleer and the deacon found Mr.. Killing
standing with his hand upon the door
of the closet under the gallery, looking
as If he was going to cry.
whats the matter now?" asked Mr..
Bricker
"Gone! gone again! The new ones
| you bought for me have been stolen.
put them right here in this candle
box"
''Why didn't you lock the door, as
told youP" inquired the deacon, rather
angryly.
~ did lock it. Here's the key.
carried II in my vest-pocket all through
church-time." III
"Are you right sure you locked itp''
demanded Mr.. Bricker.
positively certain. DIR. Jones will
tell you so. He was talking to mcwhen
/ turned the key
This is very extraordinary occur.
renee" observed Mr.. Brickcr.
Every extraordinary" responded
Deacon Stammcrs. II hardly know
how account for it,"
somebody must have picked the
lock- remarked Mr. Bricker. 1--WE
shall have to set a watch to catch the
rascal who is doing this thieving. III
look out for him myself next Sunday
IFS hard upoh poor man like me,
said Mr.. King, ruefully. 81 cant
afford to be buying boots every week. y
Certainly, not, remarked the dea'
con-" fumbling for his pocket-book
"Mr. Bricker and will pay for another
pair. You put them in the closet again
next Sunday, and Mr.. Bricker will keer
lookout"
Mr. Bricker did not enjoy the service
upon the succeeding Sunday. While
the congregation filed the pews, anC
while the sexton fled hither and thithel
with the faintest of footballs. Mr.
Bricker stood by the door opening into
the vestibule from the aisle, and through
a crack, kept his eye upon the door Of
the closet under the gallery stairs Sew
cral times he came near falling asleep
but when church was over he said to tn,
deacon and the sexton
"Wcll. they are all right this time, fol
certain. Nobody went near the closet. ,
I'm very glad, " remarked Mr.. King
.'because waS beginning to be worried
about the matter. IL seemed so strang,
that any one should waht to come t.
church to steal my boots
So Mr.. King kicked off his slippers n
he unlocked the door, and the deacon
and Mr.. Bricker were about to go, wher
an exclamation from the sexton arrested
tn cir attention.
whats the mattcr?" demanded tn,
deacon.
"Why-well-wh y-why, I declare
they're gone again!' said Mr.. King
looking as if he were ready to faint.
"Impossible!' exclaimed Mr.. Brickcr
They're not here, anyhow" said Mr.
King.
"Let me look, said the deacon, push
ing the sexton impatiently aside.
mo-" he said, after examining tn,
closet carefully, 'there are no boots il
there, that's certain"
"You saw me put them in, didn't you
Mr.. Brickerp'
Eyes, and | saw you lock the door
and / am ready to make an affidavit
that it was not unlocked during ser
vice."
1T is very mysterious" said the dea
con. LET us make a thorough exam
nation of the closet"
So Mr.. King took candle from tn,
box on which the boots had been placed
and lit il.
There Is not loose board i'm tn.
floor" said Mr.. Bricker, kneeling dowr
and pounding on the boards with hi,
fist.
"And certainly the walls are solid, >
added Mr.. King, as ha moved the can
die slowly about.
II never could have believed such 8
thing possible" exclaimed the deacon
"The matter will have to be investi
gated" replied Mr.. Bricker. 81 shall
relate all the circumstances before tn,
Standing Committee of the church or
Thursday night, and have a committe,
appointed to inquire into it,"
"And will have TO walk home in my
slippers through the wet" said Mr.
King, sadly.
you can get another pair of boot:
with this bank-note," remarked Deacon
Stammers. "But l hope they will be
the last. Its getting TO be an expcnsiv,
business.
The Standing Committee. after dis
cussing the subject thoroughly, APP
pointed committee of three, with Mr.
Broker rs chairman, to devise plar
for solving the mystery.
On the next Sunday the Committee
came to church early. They stood by
| Kltan. mil, 10 l..