The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-07-04

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latter was lifting tile after tile and feel
ing under each, obviously expecting to
find and carry off the farrier's store OF
savings.
Joseph Samuel Wardley did not hest
tate for a moment what to do. With
perfect presence of mind, and great
energy as well as courage, he said,
"Bop'
The robbers were staggered. They
looked up, saw a semi-white figure
rising 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 werepre-
cipitated 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 a brick. Had the
brick been a little harder, it is believed
it would have broken his head; as it
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 at the Petty Sessions, who
Fconsigned them to be tried at the Quar-
ter Sessions for attempted burglary.
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 go
ing up trees.
Nothing had been taken. The house
had not been broken into, SO that some
difficulty was entertained as to the ma
ture of their offence, and the amount
of punishment to be awarded if found
| guilty. Finally, they were found guilty
of an attempt at bird nesting with
felonious intent, and were ordered nine
months imprisonment with hard labor.
This incident determined the mind
Of the blacksmith as to the proper avo-
cation for his son.. Joseph Samuel
must become a policeman. A "bobby"
has to be about at night, and that was
precisely what Joseph was calculated
for as he could not sleep at night.
He was so able bodied, was such a
fine figure Of a man, that he was at
once accepted and put in the force. He
assumed the not unpicturesque uni
form of a county policeman, and be-
lieved that he had found his true occu-
patton.
He was finally planted at a 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
a man of the greatest ability, energy
and resolution, and It was concluded
that with him in the parish every thing
was safe.
1t was conjectured, rather than
known, that the fear of Joseph Samuel
had fallen on all the miscreants in the
county of Rutland. It was high time
that men of a superior order of intelli-
gence should be engaged in the force,
for a number of robberies had been
committed of late on the graziers of
Lutlandshire. The low land, readily
overlooked, serves for the rearing of
young cattle till they are fit to kill,
when they r sent in great numbers
to the London market. There had been
theft of calves and young bullocks.
Sometimes the live beasts had been
carried off, rapidly dispatched and dis
missed to London before the day broke.
Some graziers had lost severely It
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 a young bullock to dis
pose of. His ground was overlooked,
and as he could no longer feed his bull
lock he killed it, and was taking the
carcass to London, when, passing
through Bashentine-tne village at
which Joseph Samuel was quartered-
he disposed of it to the village butcher,
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, sc
he proceeded on his way, but drew up
at a little tavern where he was fond OF
having his glass. He embarrassed his
horse, ran the light cart under cover,
and entered the public house-The man
was addicted to drink; he had money
in his pocket; he met there with some
ehums; and the end was that he re
sot4FEeSd Go make a night of it.