Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1888-02-10

D
I scribe were two notorious thieves, who
had come in that disguise to get cvoa
with US.
was bitten by poisonous snake at
gengalorc, and for several weeks was
unable to leave my bed. While out ot
danger after the first two or three d1ys
enough Of the poison circulated through
my system to keep me weak and feverl'h
for a long time While lying on my bed
on my right side l could look
out on an extensive back yard. There
was a path running down to a summer
house, and beyond the summer house
was a thicket and ravine. Midway
between the bungalow and the summer
house, and off to the left of thl path,
were the stables. Ono forenoon as lay
looking out on this yard, l saw an al
most naked native come out of the
thicket, glide up the path and turn into
the stables. l knew from his actions
that he was thief, but the hand bell
had been accidentally removed beyond
my reach, and l could not call loud
enough in my weak state to give an
alarm. There were three servants at the
stables, but it turned out that they were
| 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 a great
deal with thieves, and after dinner we
had a consultation. lie went to friend
and borrowed a 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 errands, and,
assisted by a 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 then
dirt and leaves were scattered over the
spot The Captains family was away,
and the stable men never went beyond
their quarters If 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 stou,
chain attached to the trap, and thi
led to a small tree and was made fas
with a paddock.
1t was nearly week before anything
unusual occurred. A bell had been
fixed in the housekeepcr's room, with q
cord running to the head of my bed,
and it was arranged that when | gave a
certain signal she was to 1ul to the
Kitchen and send a 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 | cou Id
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 g thief, when, one morning
about 10 o'clock, just after had opened
my eyes from nap lasting half an hour,
l saw the head Of a native "a he pcered
from behind the summer house 1t was
thief spying out the land. got
hold of the bel 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 crrand,
and walked directly over the trap.
was so astonshed that l forgot to ring
until he had turned into the stables.
The housekeeper had gone to the
kitchen and was wraagling with the
cook, and so my signal was unheard.
The fellow was out of my sight seven or
eight minutes, and when he reappeared
he had sack of horse feed on his
shoulders. He hld caught the st able
men mapping again. | rang and rang,
but no one came. He went down the
path bent over and seeming to glide,
but as he reached the trap the dirt and
leaves few in a shower, the fellow
seemed to spring into the air, and next
instant saw that he was fast in the
jaws. He pitched forward, and could
sec his right ankle was held in the wise.
He quickly scrambled up, however,
looked sharply around him, and then
uttered low whistle. Inside of thirty
seconds four natives came from the
thicket to assist him. The
trap puzzled them. If they had
ever seen one before, they did not
know how to manage the springs. The
prisoner must have been in terrible
agony, for the teeth went to the bone on
each side of his leg; but he never
brought groan. While the five were
consulting rang again, and this time
the housekeeper came and sent for the
Captain. Long enough before he came
the affair was ended When the men
found they could not liberate the pris-
oner they designed to cut his leg of
above the trap. He refused to agree, as
it would doubtless have been the death
Of him. They had nothing with which
| 10 break the chain or lock and doubt-