The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-12-18
A COUNTRY BURGLAR.
What He Found That Was Worth
Carrying Off.

Lucia was twenty-five years old, the
daughter of a country physician, and gener-
ally considered pretty. One August morn
ing Lucia's grandmamma appeared on the
threshold between her sleeping apartment
and sitting room, holding out a chocolate
colored calico 'loose dress"
II want you to put on this dress of mine,
Lucia, and go up into the attic over Johns
room and in the southeast corner you'll
see red cedar chest Open that chest and
youth find two pairs of long narrow pill
lers. want you to bring them pliers
down and empty 'em into barrel you'll
find out the back door and fill two new
ticks I've been making"
90, grandmam groaned Lucy, 81 just
looked at Uncle Johns thermometer and
it is S. in the shade''
''Pho, you can't tell any thing by that
thermometer! If you are so mighty deli
cate, though, suppose can go myself"
The old lady was S., and of the full habit
that portends apoplexy; and Lucia was in
Canterbury for the special purpose of TAX
ing care of her.
"Why do you wish square pillows" pro,
tested Lucia. You don't need them and
you've always been satisfied with the old
fashioned long kind"
Because | always have been satisfied
with thing is no reason why | always
should be " sharply retorted the old lady
Johns wife has four pairs of square pia-
ers. and am going to have one set, any
way'
well, if l must, grandma" sighed Lu-
cha, laying down her fan and her morning
paper, u see no reason why | should put
on that dreadful dress of yours"
Reason enough-the attic will lie all
eobwehs and dust. Do as tell you"
Lucia obediently made the change. Her
mammals last injunction had been, ''Hu-
NOR grandmar The yokeoof grandma's
dress descended half way to Lucia's waist
and fell off her shoulders three or four
inches. The sleeves. which were of the full
kind known as bishop" we're so long as
to require rolling back at the wrist, and
much Superfluous material was confined at
the waist by strings, but the old lady smiled
complacently upon her transformed grand
daughter, and when Lucia reappeared with
the four pillows clasped IN her arms, her
face flushed, her hair torn by hitting her
head against the rough rafters, grandma
beamed approvingly and led the way to
the barrel at the back door
THE way to transfer feathers grandma
is to make openings in both the old and
new ticks and sew the edges together. The
feathers can then be shaken from one to
the other. If we empty them into the bar
rel we shall never get them back"
Don't tell me impatiently calculated
the old lady. what | want to know child,
is in what kind of a condition those feathers
are. Turn them into the barrel, as | tell
you'll"
Lucia ripped the sacks and shook out the
feathers, and the loose worn-off fuZz rose
in clouds and settled in her hair and on her
dress
Good, lively geese feathers as ever
grew" said the old lady, putting on her
spectacles and peering into the barrel.
After brief survey she trotted away. and
returned. bearing the new ticks. Never
put Off till tomorrow what can be done to-
day said she blandly. 'Fill these right
up, Lucia, and you'll be glad when the job
is donew
Lucia cast one appealing look into the
benevolent but infiexible old face, wiped
her perspiring brow on a superhuous piece
of "loose dress, i" recalled passages of Scrip
rure intoxicating reverence for hoary hairs,
promising rewards for patient continuance
in well doing, and for enduring light afflic-
tions which are but for a season. She then
plunged her arms into the barrel, and
slowly. handful by handful, filled the ticks,
while the roof above her cracked with the
fervent heat and the morning glories at
the open window closed their delicate blue
corolas and shrunk amid the wilted leaves,
and the sun, flowers at the door validated
the heat and glared sickeningly. Her
iinger-nails had scraped the rough bottom
of the barrel for the last feather, when
grandma looked out from her sitting-roOm
with smile of appreciation, and said She:
I've made nice cup of tea for you
dear Come right in and sit by the open
window, and drink it while it's fresh.o
Too exhausted to remember that this was
the season of summer boarders in Cauter-
bury, and that the usually empty streets
had many paSsers, Lucia sank into grand
mas easy chair, took up the mornings
paper. and with her tea cooling on the
window-sill, read on and on in child-like
unconsciousness.
Presently grandma cried out "For
mercy sake, who is that man leaning on
the fence and staring up hereln
Fortunately the yard was broad, so that
the shrill query might not have reached
the ears of the gazer. Lucia sprsng away
from the window The man had turned
and was now walking toward the village
Lucia held her breath for an instant then
glanced in the mirror.
"How long had he been there grandma
"How should know! When l came to
the window he stood leaning both arms on
the fence and staring up at the house"
"He showed very bad manners, anyway"
Lucia dressed her hair anew and put on
her cream coored nuns vailing,
what have you got on your best lace
Uncle Johns door-bell rang twice that
afternoon, but the voices of the callers
were feminine.
1--WE made up my mind about that man"
said grandma wren at dusk Lucia went
those burglars who were around last year.
Be sure the window fasteners are turned,
Lucia, and put the points OF the scissors