The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-12-11

no disposition TO hurry.
Billy crept over to the front window,
raised the sash softly, and listened
I'm sure hear some one down the
road" he said. He listened again III
do hears them he chuckled They're
almost hero. All, ha! Mr. Burglar I
wonder what you'll think when they
burst in on your rather guess yOu'll
wish you'd gone about your business
a little sooner"
BY this time Billy could distinguish
the forms of several men at the gate.
He threw up the sash and leaned out
of the window
Go round To the Kitchen door" lie
cried. There's where he must have
got in. He's in the pantry now"
The man in the pantry heard him.
as we'll MS the men mt the gate. and
Billy heard him scurrying across the
kitchen floor and out Mt the kitchen
door.
But he WAS too late To make his es-
cape. The men from the village came
around the house just as he made a
bolt for the garden fence. and two OF
three shots were fired AT him. One
of them took effect, and with groan
ANA some terrible oaths. he fell among
Mrs. Mason's petunias and hollyhOcks.
Five minutes later they had the thief
securely bound. hand and foot. by Mrs.
Mason'S clotheslinc. The shot had
struck him i'm the leg and quite dis.
abled him. but the party from the vii.
lurrA hn1 tttt ,,f 10 Ia,
get away, and, being unused to deal
ing with burglars and that cm,.s of
t-to-be-depended-on persons. and
feeling rather insecure as long as he
had the use OF hands and feet. they
determined TO he on tho safe side.
'I'll bet he don't get them knots
loose very easy" declared the man
who did the tying. Il guess there
hain't much danger q his gittin'
away
The tin box in which Mr. Mason
kept his valuableS was found i'm the
flower bed. where the man had
dropped it. when the pistol ball struck
him. Some articles of old-fashioned
jewelry and trinkets of some little
value were found in his pockets and
turned over to Billy. Then they took
him to the village with them, and he
was lodged in jail for safe keeping
You may be quite sure that Mr.. and
Mrs. Mason were greatly excited
when they found out what had hap
pened.
why, l had over two hundred dol
lars in that box" cried Mr. Mason
I've been saving it up to make a
payment on the wood lot with, next
week / don't know what I'd have
done if the man had got off with it,"
Now. what do YOU think of my
fooiishness| cried Billy. IF it
hadn't been for our telegraph you'd
have lost your money, as sure as you
live"
Il wouldn't wonder if you are right
about that" answered Mr.. Mason
Billy's father went TO town the next
week, and when ne came back he had
something for Billy
ITS brand new" he said. as Billy
unwrapped the box, eager to see the
contents Of it, Nothing secondhand
about that. my SON
"Oh. my gracious" cried Billy. his
eyes almost rs big as dollars with sur
prise ana delight, as the last paper
fell of. disclosing telegraph outfit.
bright with enamel and gilt ornamen.
tation. Isn't it daisy: say.
father. YOU couldn't have brought me
anything I'd rather have had than this.
It's good deal nicer than the one the
operator has down at the station"
Glad you like it," said his father
You've earned it. hope all your
foolishncss will turn out as this one
has"
The thief never came to trial in
Brownsville ii was discovered that
he was an old offender. who was want
ed in several other places for serious
mlsdcmeanors. and hc was turned over
To the proper authorities. ana ! be
lieVc he is still in States prison. Per
hapS. had It not been for Billy Ma
sons 'foOlishncSs." ne might still he
az large. Ledger Monthly.