The Washington herald., 1915-09-19

/ The gas fixtures and water pipes coulc
be torn out and carried out bv even :
small boy; and they would bring hin
many a dollar when sold to the junl
, man; These were what he was after He
would tear them out by day and lus
them off at night
Il got a description of the bow. said
casey, and then got leave of duty fol
Two Two or three days. Then I locked my.
self into the house, with a basket of food
| and drink. and 1 was ready for any one
| who came prowling around. It was
o'clock at night. when 1 entered the
mouse. mouse and l watched the whole nigh,
light however, and before many people
We're stirring. I heard a noise of win
COW sash being pried up. I was in the
parior and l took care to remain there
while the thief made good his entrance
ana partial inspection of some of the
rooms. BY his step, l knew it was a
ooy' put / made no move. until heard
m MN twisting at the water pipes in the
kitchen. Then l came upon him so softly
that he continued to work away for a
long five minutes
And it was your innocent boyo" was
asked.
Sure Mike He had tackled a big Job,
but he was going at it like a man when
I spoke to him
and he jumped out of his shoes"
out of yours. He turned and saw me
and uttered laugh. He was as cool as
il sitting on his own mothers doorstep.
He said he thought he had heard the
water running and had run in to see
about it. had the young rascal dead to
rights, with the goods on but he didn't
seem to be worried in the least / took
MIN to the station and locked him up. but
he smiled and whistled His mother heard
OF his arrest pretty soon. and she came
10 the station to express her surprise
and TO say that she would have him out
OF there before noon. We were not sure
lTr'f f0. 81 -
with three or four men higher up.
eho" '"is 'iihe
1T did until we got the case into court
iheh there was lying. perjury and all
that. and we seemed about to lose our
case, when we got hold of a boy witness
who had helped this bad boy in numer-
Gus other crimes; 1t was the turning
On the way out of the court his old herri-
dan of mother said to me-
Casey. You have sent an innocent boy
TO- prison and I will have your life for
Some men might have taken it for a
boastful threat. but didn't. l knew that
woman would strike my trail and hang
TO it until she could do me up. She had
many friends among the tough element.
and my idea was that some of them
would put knife into me, or fling a cob
BILE stone that would stretch me out. and
was worried for the next year"
But what happened" | asked
Nothing of account. The old woman
moved away after a few months and it
was understood that she had gone to Ell
mira to live. With her out of town III
felt easier. but did not neglect any pre-
caution. Something over a year had
passed. when a woman came running up
TO me one night. and said there was a
thief in her house. It was the widow
herself l ought to have spotted her
identity at once. but. in the excitement. !
did not. When We arrived at the house |
! ought to have known it at a glance. i
for l had been there at least ten times |
hut again. / didn't You may call it for
getfulness, or abstraction. or whatever |
YOU will, but the fact remains that l !
web. just as her boy had walked into
mine. She flung the front door open and +!
:. Go right in. you brave man. and I
will follow and strike light. The thieI
is upstairs.
And of course you went in Mr..
Casey"
! took one. two. three steps, son.
And what"
And the floor gave way beneath nv
feet, and I went to the bottom of an old
we'll. twenty feet deep. The woman had
Us work l brought up at the bottom
with a jolt that shook me all over. and
he woman knelt down and peercd over
he trap and called to me:
No. no. I replied. What has hap
,ened?'
''Ye are down among the smells. spi-
iers and bugs and yell stay there until
ife is out of ye' Didn't l warn We that
would have nv revenge? Casey. We are
brave man, when II comes to sending .
10Y to prison. but how will it be when We
lave been without food and water for
week? I'll come back to see
With that she fixed the trap doors.
md / heard her leave the house and
ock the door behind her. I knew the
voman. and knew the fix I was in and
m not passing myself off as a brave
nan-not then. I tell you. son. I was a
cared man. and 1 stand here to admit
t."
But you got out. Mr.. Casey?'
Yes. after five days of 1t, and when
mother day would have been the end of
Ne a policeman. looking for boy. who
ad committed a theft, kicked the door
4 and heard my means, and / was soon
rousht out of that. though II was a
ortnight before I could take my post
gain !
And the old woman?' !
She never came back and has never
cen heard of since
And her boy?"
He is still UP at E;rnira and laughed
leefully when 1 told him. few months
90, what sort of a trick his mother had a
layed on me. And YOU may take this S
tory. my son. as an answer to your
uestion II brave man is ever made r
fraid.'' d