The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-02-02
PRICE THREE CENTS.

pocket compass, pair OF shoes, and
two or three other articles. A native
detective assured us that the priest and
scribe were two notoriou, thieves, who
had come IN that disguise to get even
with us.
Twas bitten by poisonous snake at
Bcngalore, and for several weeks was
unable to leave my bed. While out of
danger after the first two or three days,
enough of the poison circulated through
my system to keep me weak and feverish
for long time. While lying on my bed
on my right side could look
out on an extensive back yard. Their,
was path running down to summer
house, and beyond tho summer house
was thicket aud a ravine. Midway
between the bungalow and the summer
house, and off to the left of the path,
were the stables. One forenoon as lay
looking out on this yard, saw an al
most nakod native come out of the
thicket, glide up the path and turn into
the stables. l knew from his actions
that he was a thief, but the hand bell
had been accidentally removed beyond
my reach, and I could not call loui
enough in my weak state to give an
alarm. There were three servants at the
stables, but it turned out that they wero
gambling and deeply interested. The
thief entered the buildings and stole
two suits of clothing and some horse
goods, and went back down the path
with the bundle on his back.
The Captain was raving angry over
the loss, as he had been bothered great
deal with thieves, and after dinner we
had a consultation. He went to friend
and borrowed steel trap which had
once been sent for and captured tiger.
1t was larger than the bear traps seen in
this country, requiring the services OF two
men and lever to set it. The stable
men were sent away on crrands, and,
assisted by corporal from the barracks,
the Captain set the trap in the centre of
the path, between the summer house
and the stables. An excavation was
made to sink it out of sight, and thea
dirt and leaves were scattered over the
spot. The Captains family was away,
and the stable men never went beyond
their quarters II anybody fell into the
trap it would be some native who had
no business in the grounds. The loss
of the stable goods had not been re-
ported to the police, and the thief was
not alarmed. He might not make
another visit to the place, but it was
hoped he would. There was a stout
chain attached to the trap, and this
led to small tree and was made fast
with paddock.
1t was nearly week before anything
unusual occurred. A bell had been
fixed in the housckcepcr's room, with a
cord running to the head of my bed,
and it was arranged that when gave
certain signal she was to run to the
kitchen and send native after the
Captain, providing he was not at home.
That signal would mean game in the
trap. If any one came at night, all the
people would be at home, and could do
as directed by the Captain. could
not leave my room, and must certainly
be good sentinel if awake. If asleep,
any noise out of routine would arouse
me. The Captain did not come
home, after leaving in the morning,
until o'clock. We had be-
gun to despair of luck in
trapping thief, when, one morning
about 10 o'clock, just after had opened
my eyes from nap lasting half an hour,
saw the head of native a, he peered
from behind the summer house. 1t was
A thief spying out the land. l got
hold of the bell cord, but waited to see
what the fellow would do. In two or
three minutes he stepped out in full
sight, and Twas quite sure he was the
same who came before. He came boldly
up the path, as if bent on an errand,
md walked directly over the trap.
was so astonlshed that 1 forgot to ring
lntil he had turned into the stables.
Tho housekccpcr had gone to tho
Kitchen and was wrangling with the
cook, and so my signal was unheard.
The fellow was out of my sight seven or
light minutes, and when he reappeared
lie had sack of horse feed on his |
houlders. He hid caught the st able
nen mapping again. rang and rang,
,ut no one came. He went dowa the |
,ath bent over and seeming to glide, !
,ut as he reached the trap the dirt and |
caves few in shower, the fellow
eemed to spring into the air, and next
Instant saw that he was fast in the |
avs. He pitched forward, and l could
&C his right ankle was held in the wise.
fe quickly scrambled up, however,
ooked sharply around him, and then
ttered low whistle. Inside of thirty
econds four natives came from the
hicket to assist him. Tie
rap puzzled them. If they had
yer seen one before, they did not
now how to manage the springs. The
risoner must have been in terrible
gony, for the teeth went to the bone on
ach side of his leg; but he never
rought groan. While the five wero
onsulting rang again, and this time
ne housekeeper came and sent for tho
aptain. Long enough efore he came
lc affair was ended. When the men
'und they could not liberatc the pris-
ner they designed to cut his leg off
bove the trap. He refused to arree. as