Middletown transcript., 1891-06-11
THE MlSER'S BIBLE.

winter of unusual severity, tha
two men were lounging about in 8
small, ill-lighted street in the neigh
borhood of Bethnal Green. They
had the dress and awkward, ,slouching
gait of Davies, and their faces, on a
nearer view, did not at all tend tc
remove the unpleasant impression
made by their first appearance. They
talked in low tones and often cast
impatient glances towards ricketty
old tenement that stood alone at the
end Of the street, from an upper win
dow Of which a faint light feebly
glimmered. This light was very faint
for il, was only produced by rush
candle and had to make its way
through a window whose little green
panes where not broken and supplied
BY bundles Of rags and brown paper,
we're coated thickly by the dust and
smoke of uncounted years.
Did ye iver know such exthraYa-
gance -" observed one of the navies,
in a strong Tipperary accent: "the
ould baste is going to burn a candle
all the night, I think, for fear of
thaves."
"Iwish could git a sight iv him."
replied the other, just to see what he'll
be afther. Sure it's countin' his
money, he is. If l thought the old
railins would bear the weight iy me
I'd climb up and see."
Why, thin, can't ye stand upon
me shoulders /? " asked the other.
"ye'll be high enough thin. Come
along wild ye, Mike; take off yer
shoes, and we'll soon see where the
old hunks hides his money bags"
This was quickly done. Mike left
bis hob.nailed shoes at the gate and
mounted his companions shoulders
with more dexterity that could have
been anticipated from his numbering
figure. He looked through the win
dow-for the house consisted only of
two low storys-but quickly got down
again.
" The ould fool ! =" he groWled in a
suppressed whisper; he's readin' iv
bis bible like Methody. Well be
down upon him by and bye. Let me
git inside of the house wanst, and |
wont need to ask him where he keeps
his gould. There-now he's put his
light out, and he's goin to bed. Good
bye for the present Misther Barnet,
we'll come and pay our respects to ye
again in a couple iv hours"
The other laughed at the joke and
added his elegant adieu to those of
his companion, and then they went
together to a public house in the
neighborhood, where they remained
smoking and drinking till twelve
o'clock. Then they returned to the
miser's house, and with more caution
than they had before exhibited, en-
tered the little weedy plot of ground
that should have been a garden, and
groped their way round to the back.
Here they had previously observed
window which the miser's grasping
habits had kept him from having
properly mended. He had with his
own hands fastened up the shutters
with rusty nails picked up in the
cutters, but the wood work was de-
cayed, and with very little effort they
forced it away, leaving clear passage
into the dwelling. The rotten and
dirt.Ioaded stairs creaked as they
assembled them, and the noise aroused
the old man, who called out in weak,
shrill vice, demanding who was there.
The two robbers stood still and listen
ed ; the sound Of a lucifer match
lighting in the front room was follow
ed BY gleam of light through the
chinks of the door. Afraid to speak,
Mike nudged his companion, and
passed his hand across his face; the
other took the hint, and Immediately
the burglars both covered their faces
with masks of black Grape, which they
hao already In their pockets. The
miser walked round and round his
room examining every corner with
the rushlight. He put his ear to the
door but no sound betrayed the pres
ence of the rufiians. Then he
cautiously opened it, and peered out
on to the stair case. Before he could
perceive the unwelcome visitors, how
ever, the strong wind that blew up
from the broken window extinguished
his candle, and while. he was busted
in relighting it, they stole behind him
and etfectually gagged him with a
thick handkerchief which also cover
ed his eyes. While one held him, the
other deliberately searched the premi-
ses for money. To their great disap-
pointment only few shillings were
discovered, hidden in an old jar. Still,
SO certain were they that he had a
large sum in his possession, that they
would not abandon the search, but,
tying the old man hand and foot, and
securing the handkerchief so that he