The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-06-11

IMAM SNCA bhSA ulu' % OdltD ne jest
made up his mind he'd fix a way to
find out who it was that was walkin'
off with his mutton, and put a stop
to it,
Actin on his idee he drove what
sheep was left into an old cabin he
had in the woods, about a mile from
his clearin', and shut 'em up. Then he
went home and told his poor old ia
ther, who was sufferin' tremendous
with the rheumytiz that day, what he
had done with the sheep.
'"That's a good idee," says Abner.
IF they won't be safe now" says he,
you mowt jest as well turn 'em loose
and let EN- run from Dan to Beershe-
by" says he.
And more than that" says Caleb,
I'm go:nter TO set the bar trap right
in front o the cabin door" says he.
Poor old Abner he WINGED with a
twang o the rheumytiz. and when he
got over it he says to Caleb:
That's another good idee." says
he. Only don't set the trap in front
o The door. Set it under the window.
If the thief comes he'll be sure you've
got The door locked and he'll go to the
winGer to climb in" says Abner. Set
the trap under the winGer." says he
"'CaIeb said he would, and along in
the afternoon he started with the
trap for the cabin. On the way there
he got another idee He wouldn't set
the bar trap at the cabin. He'd rig
up dead fall door that'd come down
with bang and ketch on the bottom
the minute the thief opened the real
door to the cabin and stepped inside.
Then he'd nail the winder down
ana as the dead fall door couldn't be
opened from the inside, he'd have the
thief snug in the cabin and his leg
wouldn't be all smashed by a trap.
Caleb rugged up setch door.
1.-The work took so long that Caleb
didn't git back home till way after
dark, and his suiferin' old father had
gone to bed, so Caleb didn't disturb him
to tell him about it.
Next mornin' bright and early,
Caleb went over to the cabin to see if
anybody had been circumvented in try
in to walk off with a sheep or two o.
hisn, and sure enough the dead-fall
door was down.
"'"Ha, ha.". says Caleb. I've got
the sheep-stealin' citizen, have ~"
He yanked the ketch Of the door
open and riz the deadfall. Josiah, who
DO you spose walked out o. the cabin?
Caleb's poor old father!
Nov, most fathers. after being
treated like that, would have been 50
tremendous mad that they'd have
made the fur fly around there and no
mistake, but suiferin' old Abner wasn't
mad. He was jest hurt.
Ills poor old heart was banged He
looked in sorrow at Caleb, and he
says:
Caleb" says he, I'D never "a
thunk it of you. An only son, tool"
he says. And trappin' for his poor old
father as sheep thief! IF you didn't
want me around no longer, Caleb" he
says, I'D "a gone fur, fur away, if
you'd only give me hint. But, no mat
ter. You needn't git no warrant III
90 give myself up. You've cooked the
evidence ag'in me, all right, and my
gray hairs'll go down in sorrow to the
county seat and rest in the Jail"
"'Caleb he jest bellered and bellered,
to think that Abner should imagine
for minute that he s'pected him O.
bein' a sheep thief.
s." 'Tain't so much what you've
done to me, Caleb" says poor old Alb
ner. but what'll jimmy say? VIII
JIMMY be likely to take up with the son
of a sufferin' father that you've gone
and made out to be sheep thief? She
won't do it, Caleb! In amin at your
-poor old father I'm afeerd that you've
pat the ball under your own foreshoul-
der, Caleb" he says.
"'This made Caleb feel worse and
worse to see what terrible thing he
had gone and done, and he begged Of
his sutferin' parent to tell him what he
could do to undo it.
Wei" says Abner the tears run
min down his cheeks. 81 can't never feel
the same lords you as use to. Caleb"
says he, but seem as you're CON
sc.ence-struck, | won't disgrace you BIZ
eXposin' what you've done. provided
you give me $1C0 in cash and paw nv
stagin' to Sprout Hill, over in jersey,
where I've wanted to spend my closin'
days for long time back" says Alb
ner.
And Caleb, sorrowin'. done it. And
he never sot no more traps for sheen
thieves. And the funny part Of it was
that he never lost no more sheen nor
chickens. which he said was more than
he deserved. after treatin' his poor old
father the way he did, when he had
got up and gone way over to the cab
in in the night, sufferin' as he was
with the rheumatic, to watch ag'in
the comm o thieves and chase 'em
away, not wantin' 'em to git in the laws
o the big bar trap that he thought
was sot under the winder.
"'Caleb and jimmy got married. but
see what narrow escape Caleb had
from losin' her, jest by trappin' for
sheep thieves!
"'Of course says 7, there hahn no
setch danger in your tryin' bar tran
in your chicken coop, if you want |