Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-11-02
Clever RASCALS.
Robbers of Naples as Daring. as
They Are ReSourcefuI.
SCHEME OF ONE LONE THIEF.

daeious Rogue FILTERED a Church
Furnishing Shop and Corded Up Its
Too confidins Proprietor.
His name was Signor DOmcnico Doc
tor Dolchineti. and he was host in
Rome. For n scholar with n degree
nc enjoyed his meals rather unre-
STRANGELY. but after the spaghetti and
capretto had disappeared he used to
slow his pace over the fnocchio con
vino and 20 straighten his back, wipe
his mustacbe and begin his stories.
"Napoi? 81. ST, Naples? Bella cit
IN, beautiful. beautiful And what
thieves are they in Naples, II is the
one city where you cannot lead n dom
key through the streets"
There did not seem 10 be much con-
nection between these. and our puzzled
looks said so.
"Perche? You dare not lead. You
must take him by the tail. for when
the unsuspectinC peasant leads an ass
laden with panniers or onions or wood
into Naples before long he happens 10
glance back. and. behold all is gone
produce. panniers. pack saddle, all
filched. Thereafter he takes the ass
10y the tail and steers him through the
streets that he may watch constantly.
"Poi-it is al organized. Some years
ago the leader Of the robbers was the
captain. Everybody knew him. When
anything was stolen from one. one
went not TO the police. but TO the cap
tain.
There was little music master
came home one day and found his pi-
ano gone. n whole piano. and no one in
the house could say how. when or
where It went. The little man was
distracted
Then he took heart and went TO the
captain and stood before him with his
hat in his hands. He was Just 4 poor
music teacher. His piano was all he had
in the world. He Go said the cap
tain. AT 6 this evening YOU have your
plano And about the time Of the
service that afternoon wagon came
TO the little mans door. and four men
heaved out n piano. which they set in
its accustomed corner: then they drove
OF without Il word.
Poi. the music man. went again 10
the captains house and began 20 thank
him and 10 tumble about I'm his peck
cts. saying that he did not have much.
about 20 lire. all his savings-22 lire
perhaps. "What-twenty-tw lirew'
yelled the other I. who am rich.
whom men call the captain-22 lire TO
me. You poor And he kicked him
down the stairs.
But the most remarkable robbery
was done not 10y the band. but by
Neapolitan single handed.
"One day there drove up 20 a church
furnishing shop an eQuipage with two
prancing horses and a liveried coach
man and halted before the big win
dows full OF precious inery. 4 beau
tifully dressed little signor alighted
and asked TO see the proprietor. He
said he had a cousin who would the
next day be ordained bishop and he
desired 10 purchase appropriate gifts.
First he would see a crozier. The pro-
prietor fetched a superb crozier Of sill
yer. the crook OF it gold. wonderfully
chased and overwrought with carving.
"'How much = asked the wen dressed
man.
Five thousand lire signor'
"'Goodl Tie il up and put it in
the carriage. And let me see also a
inter. And again he chose the costli-
est. one frosted with silver arabesques
and beaded with pearls He sat
down 10 write check for 5000 lire
altogether. But. no; he would see also
n bishops ring. How much was this
oneg
1.-Two thousand lire. signor.'
'Goodr And that. too, went into the
carriage with the inter and crozier.
Finally this prlncely customer would
buy complete veSture and decided on
a figured alb broldered with cloth Of
gold from shoulder TO foot only be
doubted, will il tit? But stay be
said 20 the shopman; you are a big
man. almost as large as my cousin
See If the garment will fit you So
the proprietor put il on and stood
clothed in magnilcence from cravat to
ankle.
"'Goodl Beautiful! Only the waist
My cousin happens to be enormous OF
girth. Suppose you put your arms al
your sides. and l shall fix the girdle
10 include them. That will about eQua
my cousins waist SO he buckled the
belt tight about the proprietor's wrists
and moved back TO survey the effect
'Boun. Bellissima. Most beautiful be
cried. And now. signor-buOn giornoi
He skipped through the door, into
his carriage and whirled downtown.
''At that Good day the proprietor
let out one awful yell and bounded
into the street. Thief ne screeched
he crashed into astounded people
tripped in his golden skirts. rolled an(
could not get up again.
people would not touch him. kick
ing and frothing and trying to poin
Thief. thief-wOuld not even look IL
the direction Of the vanishing carriage
Finally the police grabbed him. dis
covered that be was insane and a rob
Der and hustled him 10 prison. Poi
they let him go next morning."-Phila
delphia Ledger.
Not Worthless.
Ashley always thought that Bees
ling was leading worthless life