River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-12-24


because I can hear him moving
about There-don't you hear that?
We've got TO go downstairs and stop
him from taking that watch and
shawl"
1--WE dasn'ti"
"Yes, we dast, I'll go first, but you
come along! Robbers always run IL
they hear anybody, and maybe he'll get
scarf of before he gets the things"
We slipped out of bed and drew on
our trousers and socks, and descended
the stairs, which led up from the family
sitting-rOom. Only two rustics, ignor-
ant of the peril of such an undertaking,
would have done as we did. When we
got downstairs we found the parlor
door wide open, the room lighted. and
the stranger stood at the table with the
watch in his hand. We had crept down
so softly that he heard nothing. He
was fully dressed, even to his overcoat
and arctics. and as we watched him he
Tocketed the timepiece and removed
the wrapper from the shawl. Sans
/ idea had been 10 raise an alarm, or per-
haps rush in on him, but as we cow
/ cred there and watched, a sense of help
| lessness came over him, and his teeth
/ began to chatter before mine did. We
were about TO creep bacl TO the stairs,
when the man turned the lamplight al
most out, and came into the sitting
room, and made for the outside door.
He passed within foot of US, and w :
the humping of my heart did not catch
his ear has always been a wonder 70
me. He unlocked the door. passed
out and softly closed 1t behind him, and
we heard him going down the frozen
path 10 the barn. i was for going up
stairs for father, but Sam drew me
across TO the side window. and pulled
aside the curtain and said:
''He's got the watch and shawl and IS
now after that span of horses"
Let me explain that about the first
1 of the month the sheriff of orr county
had taken possession of a span of fine
| horses, supposed to have been stolen
/ and they were being cared for in ouI
stables until the owner should turn up
The stables were in rhe basement of the
barn and half underground. The win
dows were very small and the door a
/ stout one. This door had no lock, but
fastened with hasp and pin. We
watched the man until he opened tho
door and entered the stables, and ther
Sam said:
"Yes, he's after the horses and In
going to do something"
I'VE must call father"
"If we do. the man will kill him
for he hasn't got nothing TO fight with!
You stand right here and hold the dool
little open for me-"
what are you going to do?"
I'm going to shut hin. IN the stable
Don't holler nor run away. for I'll b.
back in a minute"
Out into the snow and cold dashed
Sam. IL was about 300 feet TO the barn
and being in his stocking feet he rar
like a deer and as noiseless as a cat
He found the door shut, and IL did no
take him ten seconds TO lift up the hasI
and slip the pin through the staple
When he came back we ran upstairs anC
aroused father and mother, and just a
we all got down. we heard the mar
Kicking on the stable door. He hat
both horses ready TO bring out befor,
he discovered that he was locked in
From the rumpus he made you would
have thought that he was tearing th'
" hole barn down, but IL was useless Il
kick against that door. In daylight ht
could have made his way up through
one of the feed-racks, but he had uset
his last match and had to go slow il
the darkness. We routed out the neigh
bors, sent for the sheriff, and in abou
an hour the door was unfastened am
the fellow invited to come out. He haC
strapped mothers new shawl on one o
the horses for a saddle, and father
Santa Claus watch was ticking away
in his vest pocket. Why he had nj
weapons l never could understand
for he turned out to be a professional
horse thief and desperate man, but h
had neither knife nor pistol. He wa
marched off to Jail while the rooster'