Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-06-18
THE MASTER THIEF.

How He Won tho Respect and Admire
ton OF IsriEands OF Every Degree.
Once upon time there was q retired
thief who desired that his son should
follow the profession in which he him.
self had amassed fortune, so he APP
prem ticed him to an old friend who had
. seat ON the Petroleum Board, and was
% slippery as the commodity in which
he dealt. ts4 ~
And the youth remained there seven
years; and at the end of that time he
returned to his fathers house, with
note from the head Of the firm stating
that he was entirely too smart for their
business. The son desired his father
to set him up in business for himself;
but the retired thief said that before he
did that the young man must give EVIL
dence OF his proficiency as robber.
SNOW" he said, 'if you can steal from
me l shall believe that you are compe-
tent to 60 into business on your own ac-
count"
The following Sunday the youth went
down to the large Coney Island hotel
which he knew his father frequented,
disguised himself as waiter, and Sc
cured position by giving the head
waiter five dollars and promise of half
of all he could make by knocking
down" on the house. When the old
man arrived, his son had table ready
for him, and he served him with choice
dishes. and filed his glass with Chateau
Margaux of rare Ohio vintage. And
when the retired thief saw that his
check amounted to $2475 he said that
it was outrageous robbery; but he paid
the check, and his son showed it to him
that night when he returned home, and
laughed, at the same time, in merry
glee.
So, the old man acknowledged the
corn-charged for at the rate OF fifty
cents an ear-but said that before he
could furnish capital for his sons busi-
ness the young man must give him fur
ther proof of his ability.
II can give you sure pointer on
the oil MARKET" began the audacious
youth; but the father cut him short
with some remarks on flial ingratitude
which caused him to stink off in shame
and confusion.
The next day the young man told his
father that he ought to buy some pict-
ures to adorn the walls of his house, and
accordingly the old thief went forth to
procure some. He entered an art gal
lery, and it was his son, skillfully dis
guised, who waited on him and led him,
unresisting, to a secret chamber back of
the store. Then he caused the lights
to be turned up so that they shone full
on huge painting in gilt frame.
Then he assured the retired thief that
| the picture was ''genoowine Handmade"
because it had one whole side of the
room to itself. And the old man asked
If the picture possessed any breadth of
| tone, and the undaunted youth said:
Eyes, it has breadth OF tone till you
can't rest
but l don't see any atmospheric
qualities, continued the retired thief.
Accordingly the salesman lit two
more gas jets, and exclaimed, triumph
antly: There! don't you see them
now?''
And the father acknowledged that he
did, although the salesman offered to
turn on the electric lights if he required
| them.
And, finally, the old man bought the
picture for thirteen thousand four hum
dred and seventy-five dollas, and was
grateful to the young man for letting
him have it at that price. But his graf
itude was not q marker on that of the
p:oprietors of the gallery, who straight
way paid years rent and declared that
the rest Of the day should be given over
to rejoicing.
And the next day the youth explained
to his father the ingenious mechanical
process whereby the picture-together
with three hundred exactly like it
was made; and he showed him the
check he had received as his commits
sion on the sale, and then claimed his
reward.
But the old man CRASHED his teeth in
the bitterness of his woe, and declared
that, after all, the art of picture sell
ing was merely primitive form of rob-
| berry, and that his son must prove
his ability on a higher professional
plane.
1AA>A VIC JOueAA UOpoA VOVE SO"AAk VCA>
geance against his sire; and he went
straightway before the chief ruler of
the city and laid information against
the retired thief, so that the chietruler
| summoned ono of his subordinates and
commanded him to run him in" And
the old man, having been lodged in
! Jail sent for the warden and asked how
much 1t would cost him to procure a
| bondsman. And the warden said he
thought he could fix it for him, but if
he wished to 90 out it would be neces-
sary for deputy sheriff to accompany
him. So, the deputy sheriff led the
master thief to gentleman who made
specially of putting his name on bail
bonds for people whose standing in so
ciety was not good.
This gentleman signed the bond on
terms which caused the retired thief to
take off his hat and inquire respectfully
where he received his training, and
what particular line he was following
just then; because" he added, x think
of taking partner when get out Of
this, and you would suit me right down
to the ground"
''That's all right" said the bondsman,
40 ho rop,ovo1 hio loo hoo NJ SIh,,k ~,o,,