Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-03-12
From the New York Ledger.
THE LAMSON HO MESTEAD.

TWAS about O'Clock in the afternoon
and the Lamson homestead was in per
feet apple-pie order. Mrs. Lamson was
sitting at her sewing on the porch
while Grandma Lansom turned the
heel of a stocking, when Percy Kemp
Mrs. Lamson's neice, stuck her head
out of the window over the porct
and called out in tragic tones:
Aunt LamsoE, my watch is gone
do believe somebody has stolen it !"
Old Mrs. Lamson looked at hel
iaughter-in-law and laughed.
Lucy would lose her head if it was
set on with a screw and she CO uld take il
of" she said
You've put it somewhere and forgot
about it" answered Mrs Lamson, lift.
ing her voice to the necessary pitch fol
communication with the upstairs win.
dow.
1--WE looked and looked, and shook
out every living thing, though [ know il
was in the watch pocket last night" an
sWered Lucy 81 don't say | am care
Iul, but always know about my watch
It's stolen, unless Billy's got it to play
with
Everything is laid on that poor
child" said grandma.
tBill-ee-ee - cried Lucy.
Billy, a tow-keaded little boy of 9, ap-
Deared at this summons, and endured
his cross-examination declared that he
had not touched the watch. burst into
tears, was comforted by peppermint
1oEenge from grandma's pocket, and re-
turned to his Publishing in the brook at
the end of the garden.
The Lamson family began a general
search, which ended fruitlesslv, and ar
rived at decision that a tramp, who
had been provided with coffee and
bread and butter that morning, was the
thief. Lucy was regarded as person
an affiiction, and everyone who came to
the house, from the lightning-rod man
TO the butcher, was instantly informed
OF the calamity. However. this was
only the commencement of the affair.
One Sunday morning Grandmother
Lamson, going into the sacred apart
ment. the best parlor. found the family
Bible gone. It always stood in little
carved rack, its gliding protected by a
Lace tidy. The rack was there, the tidy
also, but no Bible.
Much confusion ensued. Again little
Billy was suspected and accused of hav-
Ing taken it away to look at the illustra-
tons, which, especially Jonah and the
Whale" and Joseph and his breth-
rem" were irresistible temptations to
BIN at times. But Billy denied the
charge, as only injured innocence can.
The tramp was settled on once more as
the thief.
It was declared that be had hidden
in the parlor after his reireshment,
sneaked upstairs and taken the watch,
ID -
the shed, and so away over the fields.
Grandmother Lamson was inconsol-
able; Mrs. Lamson, the younger, bent
upon blaming somebody; the children.
frightened, and Lucy Kemp afraid to 90
upstairs alone at night; but the end had
not come. The tramp did not appear
again, neither had such laWless person.
ages as thinkers, organ grinders, or gyp-
sy women, with babies on their backs
been seen about the place; but it soon
became the regular thing for the LAM
cons to lose their portable property. In
the course OF one fortnight there disap-
peared from the dwelling in which
they abode these several things:
Two tablespoons; the silk patch.
work cushion from the parlor sofa; the
silver teapot; Mr.. Lamson's best coat
his best hat; two jars of currant Jelly;
the portrait of Washington, and Mrs
Lamson's pocketbook with a hundred
dollars in it.
t,Then, indeed, despair seized upon the
household, and they held consultation
with relatives and friends and their pas
tor.
The house was now locked and barred
like prison, and the valuables disap
pesred in the night.
Mrs. Lamson pocketbook had been
under her pillow when she went to bed
She had looked at it the last thing
Tor she had become very nervous IL
these days.
Mr. Lamson had also seen it, and
ley had talked about taking the early
train and going to town to buy certain
hats and dresses which were needful
and when they arose there was no peck
eSbook to be found.
To this tale all listened, hut the many
counsellors had little advice to give
The relatives shook their heade ant
held up their hands a great deal. The
neighbors began to wonder when thei,
turns would come, and to feel vaguely
suspicious Of old black Sally. who livet
in little hut on windy hilltop anC
told fortunes, though she bad not beer
able to get further from the dool
than to the spring and the hen
mouse Tor ten years; and a splrltuallStl
person who had been to seances, an6
had aith in table tippings. suggested
a kleptomaniac ghost as the probabl,
purloiner otthe Lamson valuables.
"Wben l was TO the Scrogg Brothers
exhibition" declared this valuable ad
wiser, 1.-THE spirits gave me pippiI
they PICKED off an apple tree fifty mile
away, 80 they said; and if they coult
do that, why couldn't they tote othe
things the same way ?"
The minister gave him reprovIn,
glance, and Grandmother Lamson de
ctared that be made herturn all goose
flesh. But little Billy felt sure that h,