The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-12-16
A COUNTRY BURGLAR.
What He Found That Was Worth
Carrying OF.

Lucia was twenty-five years old, the
daughter Of 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 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
sec red cedar chest. Open that chest and
you'll find two pairs of long narrow pill
lers. l want you to bring them pillers
down and empty 'em into barrel you'll
find out the back door and fill two new
ticks I've been making"
20, grandmaW groaned Lucy, 81 just
looked at Uncle Johns thermometer, and
it is IS in the shade"
"Pho, you can't tell any thing by that
Thermometer! II you are SO mighty deli
cate, though, suppose can go myself"
The old lady was 81, and OF the full habit
that portends apoplexy; and Lucia was in
Canterbury for the special purpose Of tax
ing care Of her.
tested Lucia You don't need them, and
you've always bee: satisfied with the old
fashioned long kind"
Because l 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 pill
ers, and am going to have one sst, any
way"
iWell. il l must grandma" sighed Lu-
cia. laying down her fan and her morning
paper, Il see no reason why should put
on that dreadful dress Of yours"
.Reason enough-the attic will bs all
cobwebs and dust. DO as l tell you"
Lucia obediently made the change. Her
mammals last injunction had been. "Hu-
NOR grandma The yokeoof grandma's
and fell of her shoulders three or four
inches. The sleeves. which were of the full
kind known as "bishop," were so long as
to require rolling back at the wrist, and
much superfluOus material was confined at
the waist by strings. but th old lady smiled
daughter, and when Lucia reappeared with
the four pillows clasped 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. II We empty them into the bar
rel We shall never get them back"
Don't tell mem impatiently calculated
the old lady: What want to know, child,
is in what kind of condition those feathers
are. Turn them into the barrel, as l tell
you"
Lucia ripped the sacks and shook out the
in clouds and settled In her hair and ON her
dress
"Good, lively geese feathers a. ever
grew" said the old lady, putting on her
epectacles and oeering into the barrel
After a 6rief h survey she tr'tted away: and
put of till tomorrow wha, can be done TO-
day." said she blandly. ''Fill these right
mp; Lucia, and you'll be glad whom the job
Lucia cast one appealing look into tho
her perspiring brow on superiuous pisce
sf ~loose dress" recalled passages of,Scrip-
sure intoxicating reverence for hoary hairs,
promising rewards for patient continuance
in well doing, and for enduring light afYlic.
plunged her arms into the barrel, and
slowly. handful by handful, filled tho ticks,
while the roof above her cracked with the
fervent heat, and the morning -glories at
the open window closed their delicate blue
corollas and shrunk amid the wiltsd leaves,
the heat and glared sickeningly. Her
fngsr-nails had scraped tn rough bottom
of the barrel for the last feather, whom
grandma looked out from her sitting-roOm
with a smile Of appreciation, and said she:
Go%s %nds r;ht nice cup s;f 81 tea for YOU
window, and drink it while it's fresh"
Too exhausted to remember that this was
the season of summer boarders in Canter-
bury, and that the usually empty streets
had many passers, Lucia sank into grand
mas easy chaii took up the morning's
paper. and with her tea cooling ON the
window-sill. read ON and ON in child
Inconsistencies.
Presently grandma cried out: sFor
mercy sake, who is that man leaning on
the fence and staring up herer
Fortunately the yard was broad, SO that
the shrill query might moi have reached
the ears of the gazer. Lucia sprang away
from the window. The man had turned
and was now walking toward the village.
Lucia held her breath for an instant, then
How long had he been there. grandmat'
"How should knowa When ! came to
the window he stood leaning both arms on
the fence and staring up ut the house."
HE showed vory bad mapners, anyway"
her cream-colored nuns vailing
"What have you got on your best lace
Uncle Johns door-6eii rang twice that
afternoon, but the voices Of the callers
were feminine.
'sIive made up my mind about that man"
said grandma, when ct dusk Lucia went
out to close the blinds. "IIe's . spy for
those burglars who were around last year.
Be sure the w-fastonors are turned,
Lucia, and put tho points OF the SCISSORS
down between the ssshes OF that ssst win
dow. After you've locked the pisssa door
1want you to sst the table against u. Bolt
the back door and brace the garden rake
bst.esn Il and the Kitchen stove"
While. Lucia vas screwiag Q gimlst
aboys. the she'd windoysssh shs began
laughing nsrvously. II iust Wish that
man could know what preparations for
his reception are going on here" said she.
isg to Get any thing Ssss..
Z shinh nyssli y ma: ~ be .ind
ssiss ssis TSsr'?SF Ss1s.S = '''s' - = ~ saS
1Nothing easier than = - .,issaAsa.
Appsasenoes evs Aeesite1l," ssie ~ %
dsr nv - y The beoksldA tscie, a.dIss
sDev - you epppegea any b0vgias coul1