The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1906-05-09
A Scheme That Failed.

"As prosperous as you see me
now, two weeks ago I was on the
hog remarked Ferguson, as he
paid the man in the white duck
Jacket and settled his scintillating
scarfpin more securely in his
grass-green necktie. 81 had drift
ed into Sioux City with s2.6s
cents in loose change in my
pocket and blameless reputa-
ton, as far as Sioux City was
concerned. I calculated that be-
fore I got out of there the repu-
tation would get spotted up some
because was hunting Cuff Nil
son, who had agreed to meet at
the Booge-
| I made few cautious inquir-
les in a roundabout way concern
ling friend Cuff and I was finally
directed to a fine sandstone build
ling, where I was informed he
was staying. I didn't call on
him. What was the use? 1 knew
he wouldn't be at liberty to do
me any good-not for 80 days,
anyway.
! | had a good looking valise
with me that 1 found at Missouri
Valley, when we changed cars.
1t was disappointment inside,
as it contained nothing but four
soiled collars, a briar pipe, two
ham sandwiches, razor and a
hairbrush, but it was a dandy ex-
ternally, and I thumped it down
on the marble IN front of the ho-
tel clerk with all the. confidence
in the world.
"I'll be here for few days." l
said, land 1 want a good, light
room with BATH"
1t went. He did ask me if i
had any baggage checks, but 1
took no notice of him. AS soon
as 1 got to the room I threw the
boy half dollar and went down
and bought 25 cent cigar at the
cigar stand so that the clerk
could see me.
| went to bed at a tolerabIy
early hour that night. 1 didn't
want to do any cheap grating ii
1 could help it and 1 had to study
up some plan of campaign. I
finally concluded that / would. do
what I could with the hotel and
hike right out on the early morn
ling train. So about two o'clock
l went softly out in my stocking
feet with my handy little pocket
assortment of tools and stole into
the room next to mine.
That was all / stole. There
came hair-raising yelps from the
bed by the time I had got to the
bureau. IF you ever saw smooth
and swift get away in your life it
was the one 1 made. I went
like a tom-cat out of the pantry
window, and L was in my own
room safe and sound before the
echo of that cry died away on the
startled air and 1 got into bed in
a hurry.
Just at that instant as I heard
the sound of hurrying feet a
bright idea came to me. grab
bed my trousers, took out the
$1.8e 1 had left and slung 'em
out of the open window. Then
l poked my head out of the door
and joined the chorus of alarm up
and down the corridor.
"What was it," I asked the
clerk, whom I recognized in his
Disguise of pyjamas and bathrobe.
SIS IT burglars? I'll bet it is, be-
cause if there wasn't one in my
room ten minutes ago I'm badly
fooled. 1 was three parts asleep
when 1 woke up and 1 thought 1
might be mistaken and dozed off
!again, but I can't find my trousers.
l. Somebody else called him then
and he excused himself and hur-
ried off. I went back and turned
on the electric light and got into
bed. In about ten minutes there
was a knock at the door and the
clerk came in with a stout indi-
vidual he introduced as the pro-
prietor. They asked me to tell
them what l knew about the
recent disturbance, and 1 narrat-