The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-06-07
A CHANCE FOR A THIEF.

This is queer world; there are all kinds
OF people In it. and somewhere there is
an appointed place for everyone. Even
the thief seems tc be q necessity.
This, however, has never been exactly
plain until now. But there is no reason
why doubt should be suffered to remain
after one has read the following adver-
tisement, which was published the other day
In Winsted. Conn.,:
WANTED-A thief to occupy my place
near Jessup's; prefer one that has been
In states prison two years: no honest
man need apply. CEPHEUS ROBERTS.
Mr.. Roberts is q rich man and one who
has been deceived. He rented q farm to
person who was represented to be hon.
est. In his gutlenessess the wealthy land
lord failed to watch his tenant, the result
being that the latter managed to get away
with some property that did net belong to
him. MIR. Roberts has therefore decided
that there Is no such thing as honesty in
this world, and now desires to give some
good thief a chance. In explanation Of
his loss Of faith in men this wealthy land
owner says:
HE was called an honest man and 1 let
him have the farm and didn't ask for any
rent. / thought he was square, and even
let the hay stay in the barn. Now he's
gone, and all my hays gone, too. Fooled,
b'gosh!
''Im going to see IL a thief is really as
bad as a persons who has a reputation Of
being honest. A thief will watch an
honest maxwell, I'll be burned II
wouldn't watch him-now!
Thus we are brought face to face with
the danger one runs In acquiring wealth.
Better-far better-to remain poor all the
days Of ones life than to become as rich
as Roberts and be deprived Of the belief
that there are men in this world who can
be trusted. Alas for the hay that Rob-
erts lost, but thousand aliases for Rob-
erts himself. He is, indeed, q sad case.
Any man who refuses to believe in human
goodness after being deceived by one rogue
with q sanctimonfous face Is as pitiable as
the convict who drags a ball and chain.
May Mr.. Roberts have Joy Of his thieves.
Chicago Times-Herald.
We sympathize with Mr. Roberts. The
breed of thieves seems to be increasing
at fearful rate. A man cannot sleep
by an open window nowadays with
out having his back teeth drawn out
while he shores.
Our granary door, in Nininger, Is q
sight to behold-all patched and mended
with an iron hasp to the paddock an
inch thick, and the north window board
ed up soltd-but all to no avail.
We have, In the past, caught men steal
ing our grain, and refused to send them
to the penitentiary, and that only en-
couraged them to come again.
But we are getting desperate and the
next one takes q voyage to Saltwater.
This spring they have left us without
pound Of oats, corn or hay. For the first
time In 40 years we are now buying oats.
This IL getting unreasonable. There
ought to be . fair divide. The next
thing they will cart on the barn. The
landlord should have some rights.
3 Some years ago we rented 100 acres
OF land to q man who owned an adjoin-
ing 40. Both pieces were put In wheat.
Our tenant was very pious mana
deacon in the church.
Whenever he called to see us, while
the crop was growing( which he did
often). he was very much concerned
about "our SOUL" and he would request
permission to sing . hymn and pray
for Us. and. consent being given. no
would flop down on his knees and labor
earnestly before the throne Of grace for
our spiritual enlightenment, that W
might see the error Of our ways and be-
come, like himself. pious man.
Immediately after threshing he came
and prayed with us again. and told ~
how God had blessed him''-that he
had 40 bushels Of wheat to the acre ON
his -: while on our own 100. We being