The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-01-28
@ST ELL, we'll! Per

N@A<<ST fellow-ah, that
MSSs199 he was. They
WIHNS asked me to
WI catch him;
saiu I'd try. 1 wouldn't promise-no,
I'd only say I'd try.
tried. His offense was nothing
merely what is commonly called
Railway Plant" 1t succeeded,
though, and my gentleman was want
ed"
/ made p grand hit when l nabbed
his companion. He told me his haunts
and his habits, but he wouldn't aid me
in catching him. l determined to do it
myself. l was green hand then. No
matter; had the will. I found the
way He was to be at tea party on
that Thursday night. 1 was invited.
Shall l take two policemen in disguise
and arrest him. No; all his friends
woul1 rescue him. 1 will go alone.
went. l left my little house-a four
roomed dwelling-at 6. / locked the
front door, and off l went to Mrs.
JOKES tea party.
1t was in the month of December.
We had great fun at that tea party.
There was a gentleman there that l
believed to be my man, despite the fact
that, when l was introduced, was in
formed he had just come from the con-
tinent. We fell into conversation. He
began to pump me. This was what l
wanted. / was determined to play the
simple, and tell him all he asked.
He stared hard at me. Perhaps he
knew me-perhaps he did not. He was
a pecu" IT man, with short black hair.
a clean-shaved face parish priests and
pickpockets are alike clean-shaved-
stra 1ge coincidence0, dressed in a suit
of very light gray. He appeared smart.
l might safely have shouted, "All hands
to pump ship" for he pumped in a
most bare-faced manner.
He asked me where 1 lived. ! told
him. l saw no use in deceiving him;
besides, had a little plan in view-I
might invite him to my house, and pin
him.
Had l any company? None. Any
one else in the house? No. l was a
bachelor; preferred to live alone And
ther, in the most quiet and insinuating
way, he asked me did shoot? i did;
he had been shooting lately-last week
he was shooting in Suffolk. He went
down there for day or two. All, and
remc -ked, in a very innocent way,
looking up benignly at him, that |
thought-that was, l understandable
had just come from the continent.
He started. l pretended to be sur
prised. and he assured me, in fact. he
had been to the continent since! But
about the shooting? No, didn't shoot;
/ was ,imid about firearms; the sight
bnly, 1 assured him, Of a loaded gun
made me tremble tpass me here, read
er; there is loaded gun always hang
ing over my chimneypiece in the par
lori. Had l no firearms? He had a
beautiful gun. No, had none. Then
he returned to the house in question
Did l sleep on the ground floor? No
Where then? At the top of the house
it was two stories high. Oh! back or
front? Back. He was very inquisitive
/ thought; but / seemed to enjoy tell
ing him all | could. He thought he
was drping, poor devil! Then he asked
me. as if casually, did 1 approve OF
keeping money at home, or did SEND
1t to tie bank? l started. l began tG
think this was too good. No matter
would go through with it. l had told
him lies enough, why not tell another
ay, why not? l kept my money al
home. Banks were unsafe; but | as
sured him l felt uneasy '.just then,' be
cau~e l happened to have more than
usual, and it wasn't mine. Five hun
dred pounds ready money, l think
told him. No: it was $500 sin notes.
ha! ha! nd! Five pence in ceppers
wor ii have been nearer the mark. But
no me ter; poverty is no sin.
Yes, kept it in the house; and he
though it strange l had no arms
Here | stopped him, and begged his
pardon;I had. What were they, might
he ask? He might. My arm was &
boiler stick. with two ounces of leaG
let into the top Of it. Oh! he seemed
greatly relieved.
/ Lold him the doors and windows ha(
bolts on them, and were all barred-al
but one. He pricked up his ears, ant
a family murmured "WhichT' led M,
on, and gave me hope. l thought i
est to encourage him-all but one
The front window on the ground floor
/ said, had no bar on the shutter. The.
had alI bells. told him. 1t had a bell
1t was very safe. Thieves never thinl
of getting Into a house by the front
you know. And there was no area O
garden. The door opened on the pave
ment. Yes, it was very safe-wlsn'
~ft2 Yes. he thought 1t was. Then h
talked about politics, ETC.; and then h.
got up to go-so soon? and Mrs. Jone
begged him to stay; and begged hin
to gre me call some night, for-ah
rea.'y, he was very-that is, his con
pany was very-ah! very agreeable, ha
hal ha! He was going my way, woul
go with him? or would he wait fo
me? No; would stay an hour longe
at least, and then see the Misse
Browne to their home. Ha! ha! ha
what a notion 1 had of it.
He thought me very simple, no doub
he thought all / said was true.
often wonder now whether he ever sus
pected that the quiet individual wh
did not shoot nor put his money in th
bank, and slept in the house alone, an
put bells on the doors and windows
was a detective, who would do his bes
to see him safely sin quod" befor
twelve hours were over. Ha! ha! W
shall see what we shall see-so "
shall.
He is gone He shuts the hall dcol
He looks wildly about him, and the
sets off in the direction of my lodgings
] am watching him from my window
oh, forgot to tell him. All! really
must go. Good evening. Mrs. Jones
ia tai | will clap on my hat and fol