The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-09-07
Perhaps you read this one day in your

lars toolS ON Allen SCreeI. MoSG OF them were
in a satchel, but a jimmy was found on the
house OF Edwards & Co., dealers In SIX, were
party forced. The policeman met a man
carrying a similar satchel several hours be-
fore, and Police Superintendent Brown, al
though he will not admit as much, is conf
dent from the description given that the
notorious cracksman Bill Phibbs was sur
prised in the preparation of a robbery.
The pol ce were looking for tho man
with the satchel.
This single room with tho cot in one
corner and the tattered gamin asleep in
the other is Mr.. Phibbs's home.
"Back a'ready," cries the boy, sud-
denly waking; why I thought"
"Never think" says Mr.. Phibbs, ego
for a DOCTOR"
sob, I see, Pop" says the boy again,
abduction, eh3 All right, Pop, I'm off,"
as Mr.. Phibbs places a senscless child on
the bed. Many strange things had the
ragged 10y seen in that room. Ho had
seen bales CT silk piled on the = - and
Bill Phibbs standing over it .lrsing
about an old man with q hooked nose.
He had seen rough men divide piles of
~grecnbacks there, and more than once
had he seen Bill Phibbs totter in bruised
and bloody and pale, and many q time
had he nurscd the burglars wounds.
The boys returns in n minute and SAYS
softly: mo use, Pop, the doctors
asleep Bill Phibbs is chatting the
child's hands. He drops them, looks at
the shining barrel of his revolver and
murmurs: "Ill have to wake him."
An old man returns with Mr.. Phibbs,
exclaiming as he does so: "And you
thought I wouldn't come. Why, bless
your soul, sir. I was over anxious, sir.
Even before you stuck your pistol in tho
window, SIR" Mr.. Phibbs points to the
child and tho doctor hurries to the
couch.
Through that hot summer night a
burglar chafed the hands of a child and
a worried doctor watched. All night
long a burglar watched a white, delicate
face on a pillow, and when the morning
sun had come, the doctor gone and the
white face life-like again, a burglar
thought he saw a smile on a wrinkled,
face that bent over a cradle
only in memory.
Mr.. Phibbs moved the next day to an
other quarter of the town. Several men
who had called on him scowled at tho
fair child playing with the gamin, and
said that Mr.. Phibbs must give up keep
ing a founding asylum.
The child was very young and could
not tell its name distinctly. AS near as
Mr.. Phibbs could make out the name was
Willie Grounds. 1t did not seem to mind
It's new home much, and played and
as merrily with the gamin as
it had known him all his life.
Thu next day Mr.. PhiDbs put this notice
in the newspapers:
"Personal-A child wearing a plain
gold ring found; parents or guardians
who claim the same may have it by idN-
it through these columns"
On the following morning Mr.. Phibbs
read that he would receive q liberal re-
ward by restoring the child to No. -
West - street. He went back to his
T!
"Come, Willie" he said to the child.
II am going to take you to your Mammal
very tenderly he patted the curly
head as he spoke. The child's eyes
Frightened. He was anxious to go, and
'fter kissing the gamin many times he
INC Mr.. Phibbs set out. He had grown
accustomed to Mr.. Phi IBIS and was not
surprised to see the %cracksman wearing
'ig black whiskers as they left the
lousc. Mr.. Fhibhs and the child were
within a block of the residence when
dr. Phibbs paused. A gentleman was
coming down the stoop and Mr.. Phibbs
new him. He was the Superintendent
# Police.
"Ah, my hearty" calculated MI.
'hibbs, 80 that's your game" and be-
ore the child was aware of the fact he
vas sitting by Mr.. Phibbs's side in a coach
nd rolling down town.
X y
Allen street is no longer broiling and
in the sun The Christmas DAYS
comet Christmas Eve with all it's
its ringing bells, its stories of
hosts and gobllnsl Christmas Eve,
and CHEEKY! Christmas Eve, like
benediction on the land!