The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-26

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silverware and jewelry, not to mention
the manuscript of my work, 'Crabtree
On Contracts, nerved me to effort. A
plan Of action instantly Fl 4shed into my
mind. If often happens that way with
me In times Of great emergency. I
butted my head against the cherry
tree, smashing my silk hat, threw off
my %overcoat, rolled up my trousers,
cast away my collar and cravat, and
rushed up just as the man was half
way in the window, and said, in a gruff
voice
'Wot yer doin', old boss 2"
He instantly came down the ladder,
feeling for his weapon in a superfuous,
disagreeable way that made me wish
for the moment that my plan of action
had not flashed so instantly across my
mind.
"Goin' to work old Crabtree, be yerr
4continued. Now see year, lemmy
in wild yer On this. I was on the ground
bout as o as you was.'
"That's just the way talked to him,
and it had the desired efect. He put
up his pistol, grasped my hand, and
we struck a bargain to rob the house
together and divide the sWag equally.
We couldn't have come to an agree.
meDt with o neatness and dispatch
if we had been practical politicians at
the opening of a campaign It's just
as I told you about those Syracuse
burglsrs-they're a very superior class.
I'VE accordingly both went up the
ladder, and were soon hard at work on
the lower floor. I explained my famil-
iarity with the surroundings by saying
that I had done a little job there two
years before. It made my blood boil
to see him doubt the genuineness OF
some Of my best solid ~silverware; and
when the scoundrel dragged out a bot
tie Of acid and actually showed me
that it was plated, 1 was Disguised
with him; but we got together a good
deal of plumber, not Withstanding.
just you lay low now while I go up
stairs and git the old mans lesther and
ticker / said to him "You'll wake
up the old duff r, won't you he said,
Rnxiously. No much I ansW cred.
You don't know what a sleeper he is.
He defended me once, aud was asleep
in court from start to finish, which is
why l got two years. 1 went up, and
IN a few minutes came back with my
watch and pocketb0ok and told him
that 1 was snoring like a fog horn. He
recognized my ability as a burglar,
and grasping my hand warmly, pro.
posed that we always work together
in the future.
1--WE had now made a pretty clean
sweep Of the house, and he suggested
that it was time for us to bundle up
our booty in the table cloth and be
going, as some OF the police were early
risers, and we might get pinched. This
seemed a prudent view of the situation,
and l consented. But if you think I
had any intention of letting that fellow
get away, you are not acquainted with
my character. He stood no more show
than did the man I collected the bill
from today. There was a small closet
at one end Of the dining room which
had escaped his attention. We had
got the bundle half tied up and he was
vigorously growing about the quality
of the silverware, when I pointed out
the closet and suggested it's swag con-
tanning possibilities. He instantly went
over and stepped inside. as promptly
closed and locked the door, Then I
went into the library, got a sheet OF
paper, and wrote this on it for the
benefit Of the servant girl in the morn
ing :
NOTICE E acIo ed fnd one CD bur
glar. Don't disturb" CRABTREE.
II then closed the window, turned
out the gas, brought in my overcoat
from the lawn, and went upstairs to
bed. 1 was tired, and in five minutes
was sleeping soundly.
"Having been up so late the night
before, 1, of course, did not weken
very early in the morning, and the en-
tire family was stirring some time be
fore 1 was. When Mrs. Crabtree got
down she found the breakfast served,
but the closet was u~ndisturbed, our
dining room girl being a young person
of extreme good senSe. Ga the girls
calling her attention to it, Mrs. Grab
tree read the note on the door, simply
remsrking, Very we'll, do not disturb
it" Mrs. Crabtree, gentlemen, is a
lady who seldom gets excited. The
children, of course, with the natural
nr,rinnftu nR rnI1kh asked anma n1as