The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1883-11-10

S'SIAS SIloteueu. he promptly advanced,
and bending over the side of the mon
ster chest, peered into its depths.
Most anything'l work in my
trade, said he. Il amt no ways pa
'ucler, because"
Now was Dotty's time. As he bent
over, with at least two-thirds of his body
IN the old chest, she sprung alertly for
ward, and bundled the other third into
the stuffy recesses.
The tramp dropped like a huge over
grown kitten into the flannel blankets.
IL q second, Dotty had the lid shut
down, and had turned the key.
Now I've got your said Dotty, all
triumphant, though dishevele1. "Oh,
yes, KICK and pound all that you like,
but you'll not get out until Reuben md
Rankin are here!"
ana Tying down stairs she seized the
Old thu horn and blew blast that
echoed like the " Horn of Roncesvalles I"
over hill and dale.
Reuben, swinging his scythe on the
( hillside, stopped to listen. Rankin
, dropped his milestone, and Miles Rug
giles, the hired hand, cried out:
"Je-ru salem! it amt twelve O'Clock
yeti"
There's something up, anyhowr'
cred Reuben, making a grasp at the
linen coat which hung on the nearest
/ tilberry bush.
" Mother amt home, aud Dotty is all
/ alone!" exclaimed Rankin.
" Wal, eff there's anything extraor-
binary on the carpet" declared Miles.
amt a-going to be left out in the
cold"
Up hill and down dale. over log
brldged stream and across hummocky
swamp, FASTENED the three brave re
cruits, without loss of time, and
rushed, all abreast, into the kitchen
door.
DOtty stood there, with the broom
IN one hand, and saucepan of boiling
water in the other, pale but resolute.
Dorothy" cried Reuben, "what on
earth Is the matter ?"
" He's up stairs, gasped Dotty.
Who is upstairs % demanded Ran
kin, as he reached down a loaded revol-
Yer from the very top shelf of an odd
little three cornered cupboard.
''And | think he's kicking through
\ the side of the chest" faltered Dotty.
/ clInging to Rankin's arm.
Jerusalem" again remarked Miles
Ruggles, under his breath.
" Who ?" persisted Reuben. "What
/ chest ?"
/ 1.-The burglari' said Dotty. He's in
/ the Old chest upstairs. [ tipped him
/ into 1t. And, oh, [ was so afraid after
! ward that ne would guffOcate to death,
/ because he was so still for minute or
/ twop
"Astonished, may be" suggested
Miles Ruggles, under his breath. q
I should a-been, L know"
" But when he began to kick, :" said
DOtty, with a little gasping breath,
"aud swear, knew he was all right"
&" should think SOP said Reuben,
with lowering brow. Glow did the
villain get IN, Dotty ?"
left the doors open" confessed
i Dotty, with a Observation-Disclosures air.
" Aunt Themis told me not to; but I
4 thought there was no harm. And | had
hardly got up stairs before he came
I shutting up, and / saw the old silver
4 milking in his pocket. He wanted old
clothes, and l told him we had some in
the chest; and when lie stopped over to
look. l Just pushed him in"
g Brave little heroine,' said Rankin.
And locked it tight, nodded Dotty.
" The best thing you could have done, -
/ declared Reuben, admringly.
" Je-rusalem!" commented Miles Rug
| giles, shifting the kitchen table with one
horny palm.
So up they proceeded in solid pha-
lanx, and released the veIveteen captive,
who was very sullen and completely
bathed with perspiration, in conse-
quence of the vain efforts he had made
toiget free.
Gomez roared Reuben, who was a
young giant of six feet odd inches, and
broad proportionately as the miserable
+ prisoner scrambled out and stood cover
ing before them, "what are you doing
here ?"
cold clothes taken in exchange for
China vases" he stammered.
"Hhen what are you doing with our
silver milk pitcher and ten forks IN your
coat pockets p demanded Reuben.
" And what the Jerusalem business
hev you a-pIowlin' round and scarin' the
women-folks? ?" said Miles Buggles, com
ing valiantIy to the front. Here,
Rankin, I'll get up the old one-hoss
wagon-your mas got the shay-an
cart the Teller off to Justice Gil.iland's
He'll settle with him in quick time,
tell We what Jest tie the fellows hands,
and make him all ship shape. That's
all | ask Of you.
So the sinister scOundIel, IN black vel
vetCen, was borne unceremoniously of
by stout Miles Ruggles, as the first stage
toward a two years captivity III the
nearest states prison; and Dotty was
relieved at last from the incubus of hi
presence.
First she laughed at Rankin's idet
shat she was a heroine, and then sht
cried and shuddered at her vivid percep
ton of the terror she had endured.
But, Reuben and rankin, she said
" YOU must promise-solemnly now
never to tell Aunt Thenis that | disc
beyed her and left the door open. "
And the two young men bound them
selves solemnly ever to keep the VOW o
everlasting silence upon the subject.
Since there is no harm DONE" saiC
Reuben, laughing.
Except DOtty's fright" said Rankin
, quite seriously.
So the chicken fricassee was made
and the vanilla puffs; but the ice cream
was postponed indefinitely. and tn,
chocolate cake remained forever a dis
embodied ideal And 1t took the tw,
young men all the afternoon to consol,
Dotty.
Aud when Aunt Themis came home
full of the preacher, and the brethren
and the camp meeting, they all listened il
dutiful silence, and she never once mis-
trusted that anything had happened.
''But I'm sure, whispered Dotty t.
Rankin, when they went ont together I,
get a pail of spring water, sit vii
always be lesson in obedience to me.
At the stamp Window.
From tha Detroit Free Press.l
Has postage been reduced to TIVE
cents?"
50 Yes'm."
4" For letters?"
" Yes'm."