Wichita eagle., 1888-07-01

.oss, but take good care not to buy
second sawjack.
He slept the sleep of the just until
about o'clock in the morning. 1t was
still dark, but his anxiety to assure him.
self of the loss of his trouble caused him
to sneak out and reconnoiter. The saw
jack was still there. Mr.. MOuser whis-
pered-not prayer. "Oh, well, there is
time enough still between this hour and
daylight for theft to be committed" he
muttered. 1t was the voice of Mrs Mouser
that awakened him in time for breakfast.
He glanced out of the window the first
thing. Oh how brightly the sun shone,
and the sawjack cleaned up at him in
all its verdant beauty. No robber hand
had carried 1t away. A fearful sigh
escaped the Mouser bosom.
s'You must saw some wood for me be-
fore you go, DEAR" said his wife.
"What. more wood?"
eyes, dear; recollect you only sawed
one stick last evening"" rejoined Mrs.
Mouser meekly, but wicked CLEAN Of
mischief played about her eyes and
mouth.
Mr.. Mouser ignored her reply, and
fastened to town with his pretty tools
with vigor born of awful fury, but way
down in his soul a voice groaned, that
saving jack must 60!
Where? whence? how?
Mr.. Mouser was man Of resources.
Twelve O'Clock, midnight. A hurglarish
darkness and silence brooded around as a
man stole hence from his couch, and,
grabbing his trousers. left coy bedroom.
A little later the only other active Great
ure about, a feline prima donna, might
have witnessed a sorry sight; a solitary
man marching downward, clutching in his
strong right hahd a beautifully painted
green saving jack.
Soon he returned. The saving jack,
where was it?
Mr.. Mouser rose that morning in a most
delightful frame of mind.
'Lizbeth, my dear little Lizbeth." he
exclaimed, friskily, 81 am going to work
in earnest today. ! am feeling fine, much
better than l have for some time. Here,
feel this arm. How's that for muscle, eh?
That's what saving wood has done"'
Lizbeth blinked sadly, but looked con-
tented. Mr.. Mouser FASTENED out to clip
off a stick or two before breakfast" but
soon came in looking quite angry and
puzzled.
jack?" 1t was gone. 'Such infalny--to
steal ones very implements of toiln' he
cried in rage, as he sent for the old wood
sawyer again.
Mr. Mouser, of course, grieved over his
loss, but managed to conquer the regret
sufficiently to display some Of his old wit
and mirth.
But this good feeling received a sudden
IL, -
the Jack"
He had just opened the daily paper,
when his glance was arrested by a leading
paragraph.
"Lizbeth, look at thisn'
Mrs. Mouser became alarmed. Her
husband was pale as death and trembling
in every limb as he handed her the paper.
She read:
1.-The residence of the Hon. Olivee was
broken into night before last and & large
sum Of money and valuable plate and
jewelry stolen. 4 The .,obbers en-
tered by the garden window, from which
they removed the iron gratice, while
standing on singular looking wooden
object, recognized by old fashioned coun-
try folks as 'sawbuck.' 1t is painted
light green, and will doubtless prove a
valuable clew toward tracing the mis-
creants A thousand dollars reward is
offered for return of jewelry or informa-
ton leading to the arrest Of the robbers. F"
''Why this is splendid You can at
once notify the authorities that the jack
is yours-the thieves who carried it
Off
ooh, my--oh, myl' groaned Mr..
Mouser; "don't talk to me about thieves
Il may be arrested any moment when
they discover
Discover what? How can they arrest
an innocent man because he owns an
article stolen from him and used by
wretches'-
ooh, Lizbeth, may not even be abe
TO prove an alibi. Oh, what shall l dot
/ tell you wife, / am entirely inno-
cent?
"Ahl we nab you confessing, my fine
bird" a rude voice here interrupted, fol-
lowed by the entrance of the minions of
justice.
Mrs. Mouser begged, cried, stormed
and implored. Mr.. Mouser was mute
and totally crushed, but the bold minions
of authority led him away to a dungeon,
where he languished for three days be-
fore his friends could obtain hearing for
him. In the meantime the real culpritS
had been caught, but the law required an
explanation Of the language that APP
peared to the police like a question of
completely, notwithstanding Mr.. Mouser's
unquestionable social standing and per-
feet responsibility.
The court room was crowded with bis
friends and neighbors. His wife gazed at
him tearfully and lovingly, but Mr. Mouser
was very much cast down. There was no
escape. He had to tell how distasteful
wood saving had proved to him, how he
feared the ridicule of wife and friends if
after all the boasting he gave it up. But
when he related his midnight elopement
with his green saving jack, even the
court joined in the broad smile that
ripened into roar of laughter from the
less lignified listeners. The GROWING
humiliation came, however, when he left
the prison for the coach to be taken home.
There he saw the green abomination rest
ing at the drivers feet on the front of the
carriage. His wife has not stopped laugh
ing yet at his midnight adventure
Adapted from the German, by Mrs. Niles
II. Mcnamara in Boston Budget.
Meanest Man on Record,
The meaneSt man on record iumned