The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-06-22

making his wny cautiously up the tiles
till he reached the ridge Of his fathers
roof. Holding to the ridge tiles, he
heaved himself mp by both hands
breast high above the ridge-piece.
Then he saw what was being done on
the further side.
Two men were there. One was on
ladder and held another by the ankles
who had scrambled onto the roof.
The latter was lifting tile after tile and
feeling under each. obviously expect
ing to find and carry off the farrier's
store of savings
Joseph Samuel Wardley did not hes
itate for n moment what to do. With
perfect presence of mind, and great
energy as well as courage, he said,
"Boi"
The robbers we're staggered. They
looked up, saw semi-white figure ris-
ing above the roof, glowering at them.
Their nerve gave way. He who was on
the ladder let go the ankles OF the man
on the roof; the latter slid, down, and
fell on the man with his feet on the
ladder rungs and both were prccipi-
tated to the bottom.
Joseph Samuel now aroused the
house, and the burglars were arrested.
One had dislocated his hip, the other
had conclusion of the brain, his head
having fallen on brick. Had the
brick been little harder, il is believed
it would have broken his head: ~ il
was. the burglars head broke the
brick-split it into three pieces.
The two men were delivered over TO
the police, and were brought before
the magistrates Mt the Petty Sessions,
who consigned them to be tried nj the
Quarter Sessions for attempted bur-
glGry.
When the trial came on, the plea put
in for the two men was that they had
been bird nesting, and evidence was
produced that they had been seen going
up trees.
Nothing had been taken. The house
had not been broken into, so that some
difficulty vas entertained as to the ma
ture of their offence, and the amount
of punishment TO be awarded il found
guilty. Finally, they were found
guilty of an attempt Mt bird nesting
with felonious intent, and were or
dered nine months Imprisonment with
hard labor.
This incident determined the mind
of the blacksmith as to the proper av-
ocation for his son. Joseph Samuel
must become n policeman. A "bobby"
has to he about ut night, and that was
precisely what Joseph was calculated
I fAr ha ii. % -
He WAS SO able bodied, was such a
fine figure of man, that he was ut
once accepted and put i'll the force. He
assumed the not unpicturesque uniform
of n county policeman, and believed
that he had found his true occupation.
He was finally planted ut place on
the opposite side of the little county.
! OF course. the fame of his exploit had
preceded him. He was looked up to as
n man of the greatest ability, energy
and resolution, and il was concluded
that with him in the parish everything
was sufe.
It was conjectured, rather than
known, that the fear of Joseph Samuel
had fallen on oil the miscreants in the
county Of Rutland. 1t was high time
that men of n superior order of intel
ligence should be engaged in the force,
for number of r~bberies had been
committed of late on the graziers of
Luthlandshire. The low land, readily
overtlowed, serves for the rearing of
young cattle till they are fit to kill,
when they are sent i'll great numbers
to the London market There had
been theft of calves and young bull
locks. Sometimes the live beasts had
been carried off, rapidly dispatched
end dismissed to London before the
day broke. Some graziers had lost
severely. 1t was not possible to say
where the next robbery would take
place, consequently all were equally
anxious and uneasy.
A small farmer was one evening on
his way to the nearest town, He had
the carcass of young bullock to dis
pose of. His ground was overhowed,
and as he could no longer feed his bull
lock he killed it, and was taking the
carcass to London, when, passing
through Bashentine-the village at
which Joseph Samuel was quartered-
II,
who at once removed the dead meat
and paid the man for it.
The farmer had something to do in
the town besides selling the carcass, SO
he proceeded on his way, but drew up
at little tavern where he was fond of
having his glass. He embarrassed his
horse, ran the light cart under cover,
and entered TIE public house. The
man was addicted TO drink; he had
money in his pocket; he met there
with some chums; and the end was that
he resolved to make q night Of it.
A spirit of perversity rules the
destinIes of men. As long as Joseph
Samuel was obliged to be awake by
day, he could not sleep at night but
now that he was policeman, and had
TO make his excursions by night, he