Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1893-04-07

yigor, ~ he bpgpn 20 fear that no
ono would hear him. Presently, how.
ever, Fritz was awakened aud sprang
TO his feet and listened.
who's dOtr he asked.
ITS I. Come and help me, Fritz"
Fritz made his way cautiously
around the fence until he reached
tho place where the man was hang.
ing upside down
"Ah. hal catch you, chr OK.
claimed FRITZ "lll fix you"
With the swiftness OF nm expert
Fritz pulled out large cotton hand.
kerchief, gave II twist In his hands
and bound II over the mana mouth
as gag.
The man tried 10 tear II away, but
Fritz informed him that II he did not
desist he would get his brains knocked
out.
Then Fritz produced stout cord
and proceeded TO tic the mans hands
securely behind him. When this
was accomplished, he cut the boot
strap and let the man down to the
ground.
Now get up, you feller," ordered
Fritz, helping the man TO his feet
When he was standing up. Fritz be
gan to look around.
"Ah, ! t'ink sol Here vos dat
sheep" he cried as his foot struck
against the carcass that had been hid.
den by the tall weeds, into which the
first man had thrown 1t.
"Ah, makes you carry dot sheep,
an Mishter Barbour pay me Won dol.
lar maype," he said.
Fritz provided himself with stout
stick. Then he united the mans
hands and made him shoulder the
dead sheep and walk before him to
the house.
A light was still burning in the sit
ting room, and the door being open
Fritz walked his prisoner straight in.
side.
II gots him |" shouted Fritz.
Mrs. Barbour was alone in the
room, where she had been sitting
reading, and when she looked up at
the prisoner, with the carcass Of the
sheep still upon his shoulders, her
eyes showed fully the surprise she
I felt.
"Oh, James, what has happenedT
she asked.
Fritz, too, looked into his prison
er's face and was almost surprised
out of his wits when he found that
he had captured Mr.. Barbour himself.
"Py shimminy," he cried, II nefer
t'ink dotr
And he quickly removed the gag
and relieved Mr.. Barbour of his bur
den.
You caught me, Fritz, and have
earned the dollar. Here 1t is," he
said as he handed him the money.
Then he added: "You can have the
sheep too, and welcome. Now you
can go home"
Fritz was too astounded to make a
reply. He shuffled out of the room,
feeling that a blunder had been com.
mitted somewhere, but in what way
he could not make clear to himself.
''The most ridiculous thing ever
saw" laughed Mrs. Barbour when
Fritz had departed. How did it hap
pen, JamesT
Then Mr.. Barbour told how the real
thief had escaped, and how he had
been caught himself through an un.
lucky accident.
It was perhaps an hour later that
same night that Mr.. Barbour was
standing alone on the gallery. when
Uncle Bob, his face upturned to the
sky and mumbling to himself, came
walking by.
"How is the weather, Bob2" asked
Mr.. Barbour, smiling to himself.
"'Clare ter goodness, Mars Jim,
can't tell ye. Nose got scairt an
didn't bring him home. But he say
hit was dc fattes' wedder in de flock"
"Did he, sure enoughT
"Yes, sab, Mars jim"
Uncle Bob had approached the gal
lery where Mr.. Barbour was sitting,
and as he touched the edge Of it he
looked up pitifully.
"You amt gwine tu'n ole Bob of.
fen dc place, is you, Mars JimY''
mo. Did any one tell you sof"
"Yes, sab, Mars Jim. Nose an
Phyllis bof say dey'd have me tu'n
off if ! tole on EN-"
"They won't trouble you any more,
Bob. III speak to them in the morn
ing"
Reckon as how you can't, Mars
Jim. Dey's bof gwine leave in de
mawnin. Dey say Pine bayou hain't
good for dey constushion no longer,
sah."
"They are right, Bob."-John p.
Sjolander in New Orleans Times
Democrat.