The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-12-21
The Missing Tools.
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make sure OF no one being secreted in the
pace but myself, l arranged a hiding
place behind some planks, and settled
A little after ten. old Simpson got back
from his preaching and praying. and al
yer yer a very diligent search through the
dlfferent places, he retired TO mis- devo-
TONS; lie had no more music In him than
an OLD TIN pan, yet heard him singing
horrible voice for nearly twenty minutes.
Composing the tune as he went aAong,
The night was warm, and he had mis- winl
dow, which looked into the yard open;
and after the psalm he settled himself 10
read aloud chapter OF the Old Testa-
ment I'm voice as rasping and monoto-
shortly after this ne shut the window,
put out his light. and went TO bed.
Whether he really slept / do not know,
aroused by his limping step on the stairs.
and the fact that he was descending the
stairs seemed to Indicate that / at least
had been asleep. i slipped down with my
boots on, and plainly saw him bearing
towards his own window. on the other
carpenters keep nails in, filled with sun
dry articles. which he took out one by
one and placed on a table inside the win
where got back to my hiding place. and
plainly saw him pick up several tools
from the different benches, till, after go
filled. This he did so aften that my Curl
osity was powerfully excited
He Is surely taking an unusually large
number, was my mental remark. lie
can never expect them 70 pass over such
a WI, wholesale swoop in silence"
words OF the old villain first puzzled me,
meaning, hIIed me with thrilling alarm.
tered words. given with a chuckIe hideous
workmen have ave lost st Valuable chests OF OF
tools. III. hi. hi! it'll be funny to read
While 1 had been meditating on the
words thus imperfectly heard and dimly
house. closed the window. and seemingly
retired for the night. But scarcely five
minutes had gone when a peculiar va
dimming the conflicting light Of the ap-
preaching day and the waning moon.
caused me to start forth with sudden
The place below is on firel the Internal
old rogue has nrst stripped the benches.
and and then fred the place to hide the rob
| made for the wooden stair. only to be
driven back by dense cloud OF smoke
rising from the workshop below. l
the window. got down bootless as stood
by the ladder to the next yard In which
rays nso tbs iwo msn IN waing ~no l9stsny
workers passing at the time gave ready
assistance: the gate Of the place was
Are was extinguished before II could
spread farther than the shop in which IL
originated. One of the most dilgent
workers apparently--but who did more
harm than good-was old Simpson; but
when the confusion was over, / rather
startled him by saying
II have been much Interested in listen
ing 10 you at your devotions. and should
Ike much to see the interior OF your
little house."
He gave mo a curious and uncertain
look. but led the way to his place. IN
which i was soon attracted by laree
trunk near the window. which could
he hurriedly excused himself from open
ing on the ground that he had lost the
key. soon found the key for MN, by
simply requesting him TO turn out his
pockets: and when this was accomplish
ed. / showed the astonished workmen
Including Brockie and Hooker. who had
arrived, that the chest was full OF stolen
tools, many OF them OF considerable value
Old Simpson then made a rambling state
ment about having a revelation from the
Lord that the place was TO go on fire,
and that he had got up and put the tools
there for safety; but the discovery OF a
letter from a Glasgow reset who had
bought from him previous lot. rather
altered the complexion OF his story. For
robbery and fire-raising he afterwards
vitude: yet his revival freak followed him
TO prison. and believe that he there dis
played great anxiety for the conversion
Of some of his fellow w-prisoners What
a pity that we could not import a few
more Of his kind into the same establish
ment.
(THE END.)