Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-01-31

gave me good chance 10 lool, around
at Things. The room was real hand
some, and took a peep at the window
tastenln' s and the lay OF the doors, think
In the knowledge might come in handy
somo time. Right in front Of me on a
table was little yellow mouse, and it
struck mo as l looked at it that that
mist &c gold. l li,toiirl Il anybody was
comm, and then l picked it up to sec
what 1t really was. l thought ! heard
the door bell ring just then and shut it
up in my hand quick, but nobody went
to the door; and then l looked at the
little mouse, and il it WASH puro gold
it was the b"st imitation ever soc, so l
slipped it quietly into r2y pocket to look
at it again when had time
pretty soon old GroDpeltacl1er come
in, Shut the door and sot down. 50 YOU
brought my daughter back SAYS he.
Yes, says l. And you expect to be
paid for it"' says he. Yes says 1, 4
do How much do yea ask for your
services?' says he. New this was q sort
OF staggrrrr, for ! hadn't made UP my
mind how much | was goin' 10 ask, but
there WASH t time for no moro thinkin'
about it, ard SO says |, plum: "A hun
Grcd dollars, and there was some ex-
pcn5es besides We'll. WE'LL says he,
that seems Ike q eoo,e deal, just for
bringing a lit:le gal from school. 1t
couldn have took you more'n o couple
of hours Il don charge for time. says l,
its for tie risks and tho science of
the thing. There's mighty few men
i'll this town could have brought Your
daughter homo as neat aS l did Well,
well, says he, rubin his hands, Il ex-
pect I'll have to pay for tho whole term
of the school, whether she's there or
not, and the business will come heavy
on me. Don't you think sixty dollars
would pay you?' Now I know when
you deal with this sort of man there's
always good deal of difference split
tin, and SO, says 1: No, it won't. l
might take ninety dollars, but that's
the very lowest peg Tho very low
est?' says he, gettin' up and walkin'
about little, and then 1 thought i
heard the door-bcll ring again. and
was dreadful afraid somebody would
come and call off the old man before
he finished the bargain. Well says l,
we'll call it eightyfive and expenses,
and there I'll stop
"Groppeltacker, now he sot down
agin and looked hard at me- L didn't
ask you to bring my daughter back
says he, speakin gruff, and very
different from the way he spoke before,
and what's more, I didn want her back,
and what's more yet, I'm not goin to
pay you red cent Now, look a here
says l, mighty sharp, mono O. that, old
man; fork over that money, OR Ill lay
you out stiff as a poker and help myself.
I'm not a fellow to DO fooled with and
there's nobody in this house can stop
me- Old Groppcltacler, he didn't turn
hair, but just sot there, and says he:
Before you blow any more, suppose you
tai" my little gold mouse out of your
pocket and hand it to mo- I must say
| ";.s took back at this, but /
poke back, as bold as brass, and
said never seed his gold mouse. %,
no, says he, what you didn't see was
the electric button under the table cover
which rung bell when tho mouse was
picked Up. That's what call my mouse
trap.
AT this I jist billed over Now says
l, 'jist YOU hand out every cent you've
got, and your watch, TOO; not another
word And l jumped up and clapped
"S it"i'" VA NY Pialoi III my mp pocket,
and just that minute there was q click
and the nippers was on me. and there
was a big policeman with his hand on
my shoulder. l couldn't speak was so
biiin' and SO dumfoundcd both at once
Old Groppeltacker he just leaned back
ard he laughed. You came in he said
to the cop. Jest the second | rang, and
as soft as cat. and the first thing that
1 want you to do is to take that gold
mouse out of his pocket, and III be on
hand whenever you let me know I'm