Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-03-13

its for the risks and the science of
the thing. There's mighty few men
in this town could have brought your
daughter home as neat as did We'll,
WE'LL says he, rubin his hands, 4 ex-
pect I'll have to pay for the whole term
of the school, whether she's there or
not, and the business VII come heavy
on me. Don't you think sixty dollars
would pay you?' Now 1 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. 1
might take ninety dollars, but that's
the very lowest peg The very low
est? says he, gettin' up and walkin'
about little, and then l thought l
heard the door-bell ring again, and 1
was dreadful afraid somebody would
come and call off the old man before
he finished the bargain. WELL says l,
wei call it eighty-five and expenses,
and there I'll STOP
''Groppeltacker, now he sot down
agin and looked hard at me. 4 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, didn't want her back,
and what's more yet, I'm not goin' to
pay you a red cent Now, look here
says l, mighty sharp, none O. that, old
man; fork over that money, or I'll lay
you out stiff as poker and help myself.
I'm not fellow to be fooled with and
there's nobody in this house can stop
me- Old Groppeltacker, he didn't turn
hair, but just sot there, and says he:
Before you blow any more, suppose you
take my little gold mouse out of your
pocket and hand it to me- 1 must say
was took back at this, but l
spoke back, as bold as brass, and
said 1 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 the mouse was
picked up. That's what 1 call my mouse
trap
''At this jist billed over. Now says
1, 'jist you hand out every cent you've
got, and your watch, too; not another
word And 1 jumped up and clapped
my hand on my pistol in my hip pocket,
and just that minute there was a click
and the nippers was on me, and there
was big policeman with his hand on
my shoulder. 1 couldn't speak was so
bilin' and so dumfounded both at once.
Old Groppeltacker he just leaned back
and he laughed. you came in, he said
to the cop, Jest the second rang, and
as soft as a cat, and the first thing that
1 want you to do is to take that gold
mouse out of his pocket, and I'll be on
hand whenever you let me know I'm
wanted The cop he took the gold
mouse out of my pocket, and says he:
Il know this fellow, and if {'m not mis-
took they'll be more charges than
yourn made agin him There yeaSn't
no chance to show fight, so 1 didn'i 10
it, but / says to old Groppeltacker;
There's my expenses; you've got to pay
them any way All right says he,
list you send in your bill, marked cor
rect by my daughter, and I'll settle it,
and he laughed again, and the cop he
took me off. Well, ladies and gents,
that little piece of business, together
with some other old scores, took me to
Sing Sing for three years, and it amt
six months since got out, so you can
see for yourselves what hard times
fellow in my line of business some
times has"
"Well," said Aunt Martha, 81 don't
approve of the Groppeltacker sort of
people, but if there were more Of that
kind believe there would be fewer of
your kind. That story shows you in
such a bad light that 1 believe it's
| true"
Every word of it" said the man. 81
wish it wasn't"
And now 1 spoke. "Since you claimed
to be truth-telling being" said to the
stout burglar, suppose you tell me why
you never attempted before to break
into my house. Every considerable
dwelling in this neighborhood has been
entered, and 1 have no doubt you arc
the men who committed all the burg
| laries."
'No, SIR" said he, mot men. am
the man who did 'em all, but these two
friends OF mine was never with me be-
fore in a bit of business like this.
faint in their hse. have had pals