New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1890-10-29

IItMa 3J coupe q call.
Gs5AaE4H Yes" Ireplied d.
/.kg:sSassXfn' Fosters store has
rwlAdM been broken open
~ again, and ne ays
there is lots Of goods gone. Two or
three houses have been entered when
! the folks were away, and each Of
them lost something. There is o
thief hanging around in these parts,
and he isgrowing holder every day
"Ain't they got no track Of who it
is?,
"No, there ain any clue yet
':Dothey mistrust anybody around
these parts?'
II haven't heard that they do
sCur'us ain'tit? Now, fold Harry
Tufts was a-living, I should feel
sure that it was him. He was the
master old thief that ever lived in
these parts. He was so cunning
that although you were sure he had
done a thing, it was hard work to
fasten it on to him. They used to
say that he was the Evil One hisself.
and ii he wasn't he must have beena
near relation He would make a
bet that he would steal something
right a!ore your face and eyes. and
in spite of you he'd do it. But the
master game ever knowed him to
play was on Nancy here
bill Perkins!' she disgustedly eN-
claimed.
What do We want, old woman?''
II want yer ter hold yer tongue,
you pesky fool''
Cant think of doing that, Nancy.
ut alwus gets her dander up when
[ get speaking about that scrape,"
he resumed. Il don't wonder at it
getting fooled arter she had been
warned about what that old scamp
had bet he'd do.
"1ou see, one day in planting time
it CHANGED to be rainy, and went
down to The Corner on an Grand to
the store. l didn't want to go, but
Nancy sed she had broke her bic.
darning needle, and couldn' t mend
my lettings till | got her one. She's
the master woman to send to the
store arter driblets.
'She can never think of only one
thing at a time. but it's always some
thing. | used to tell her that her
memory was rs short as our old
brindle cows tail, which Major Halls
dog bit off
There was halfa dozen men sitting
round, and arter talking about the
weather and any news that might be
stirring, we got tospea king Of Harry
Tufts and his habitof taking things,
which lie had in such quiet, easy
way; and jest as we were fairly at the
subject, who should come In but
Harry himself.
Wewas jesta- talking about you
said Eben Tasker, who was sitting
on a bag Of meal chewing a stick. as
he was always doing.
keep rite on said Harry, as he
hitehed up TO the counter. .sillwar-
rant it want any good yer were say
ing ofme; but, like the Old Enemy, I
amt quite SO black as I'm painted.
81 don't know about that, said
Eben. You know that they say that
you can beat him picking up things
that We find laying round loose.
Harry didn't seem to mind this
hit at all. He was used to having his
evil doings flung at him, and kind Of
took pride to have people think how
light-fngered he was.
I'd like to have We coming round
my house trying to pick up any
thing, said /. Thar aim { q thing
that you can carry off from thar
can carry of anything from
thar that want
"'I'll bet you 81 thar's one thing
you can { steal.
'Donel' said Harry. tPutup your
money. Here's mine.
The store keeper took it and put
it in his pocket, and then Harry
said:
What is thar up thar that Ican't
get?'
- Nancy's nightcap, said I.
All the men set up a shout, for
they thought Harry was cornered.
"Ill have it, he said; and YOU
may tell the old woman about the
bet. if you want to, in the bargain.
OF course shall tell her. said T
so that she will look out that YOU
don t get yer hands on IT,;
When got home I told Nancy
about the bet, and she was mad as
a broke-up setting hen She said I
ought to be ashamed of myself for
talking abouJ ner before a whole
store full of men, and that nobody
but 81 fool would have done it. As