The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-03-30

ROYAL BAKING POWDER CO., NEW YORK.
My freind had got on we'll wi h
gardening. His potatoes and onions,
his tnrnips and carrots had been got
In, and it was clear that if the next
two days should prove fine he would
finish on Saturday night.
On Friday night he came to NE IN
the kitchen, IN corner Of which | was
reading. and asked me to take short
| walk with him. | got up and went
The night was fine, but dark. We
walked in the direction of the museum.
He asked me if could keep a secret
for day or two. Replying in the af
fIrmative, he said he had a strong sus
picion that the old naturalist or his son
were no better than they should be:
that he was sure he or they knew more
about the late rObberies than other
folks, and that he believed If he had
few shillings which he could call his
own he could come at the truth, and
| concluded by asking me to lend him A
sovereign for a few days / agreed,
for | bad begun to feel an unaccount
| able curiosity growing within me.
We had not walked far before we
met the naturallst's son, apparently by
appointment; for my companion told
blm that | had promised him loan.
and that, therefore, he would be at his
fathers house next day and make a
purchase. We parted and came home.
About the middle of Saturday after
noon he set off, and in less than an
hour he came back, bearing tClerahly
sized parcel Giving me a signal 8s
he passed me, joined him in the back
yard. He said;
I'm on the track of the thieves. [
belleve. Last night but one. on reach
ing the house, and while looking over
| the museum, the old man =aid that his
son was rather short of money, bu:
having exchanged a frame Of moths
and few birds for a lot of provisions.
If L would buy some of the latter |
| might sell them at a profit. or they
would keep me in eatables for while.
and the sale would relieve his son.
L agreed to buy, if [ could raise the
money. Now, l am not without cash,
! but 1t would not have done to say so;
hence L agreed to ask you for a loan.
| Well, | have got a lot Of things today,
dirt cheap, which | really believe be
long to one of the late robberies. / go
| hence tomorrow on the SLY, but on
Monday you may look for my return"
Giving me playful Dig in the side,
he left me. His absence during The
night and the day surprised tee land-
lord, but | said nothing.
L was all impatience till Monday
came. lt came at last. | was busy at
my carving when heard a we'll known
voice hail me from below. On look
ing down from my stage, whom should
L see IN the road beneath, smiling all
the face over, but my old friend the
gardener in policeman's uniform!
The truth flashed through me in a mo
ment. i went down GraspiDg nv
hand, he said:
The secrets out, you see. Come
along with me and see the npshofo
L was about to witness a denoue
ment [ had not looked for. In tha
road were couple Of policemen. Nv
| old companion was the chief. being a
sergeant Cf police He led the way
to the museum, and was the first TO
| enter.
."Good morning, my old friend, he
sald, on encounteriEg the naturalist; :;
We come to take away few more
parcels of your cheap provisions"
saw that the old gardener was de
! tected IN the speaker, aud that the
game was soon to be I'D. The old
mans son rushed to the door and
scrambled off, only, however. to fall
into the clutches of one of the officers
who were on the watch The old man
was utterly bel pless and almost beside
himself. Sinking into his chair. he
cried out, i am not the thief: the
thieves are there" pointing TO the
door. and meaning, | could see. his
son and confederates, though they
were not present.
We went into the museum, The
first thing the old gardener-as shall
still call him-did, was to take hold
OF Bruce while be desired one Of
his comrades to lay hold of "Wouder"
On moving them. noise Of loose II ef al
was heard. A moments examination
sufficpd to reveal the secret. In the
! otf side ofeach animal, in tie soft part
an or1flce had been made by cutting
the skin in such a way as to enable
the operator to replace it with a little
care A part of the stuffing had been
removed, leaving vacancy Just like a
throstle's nest. This was filed with
Jewelry. watches, guards, earrings and
tlngerTlngs. A further examination
OF the museum revealed other and as
singular hiding places; for example. a
game-cock was found put out of sight;
on taking hold of it a noise of clink
ing metal was heard: on lifting nm
/ the feathers over the crop small hole
was seen, out Of which rolled. when
the bird was shaken, a number of
/ trlnkets.
Nearly all the proceeds of the two
robberles of the jeweler were recover
ed. one watch and a few guards only
being absent. And some of the prom
erty OF the provision dealer was also
found slowed IN the bree5ing-box.
though most of it had been used or
sold. [ scarcely need say That the
parcels sold to the gardener were a
part of 1t. and had to do with the de-
lection of it My friend, the sergeant,
informed me that he had been induced
to assume the character which he had