Year: 1860

The Messrs. Herbert kept q very extensive
jswelry establishment In New York city, and
for the better security Of their store against
fire and other casualties they employed one Of
their clerks to sleepin It At night. The idea
Of the store being attacked by robbers was not
for q moment entertained, but it was for other
objects, such as security from fire, and the like,
that young Loring, the clerk, slept there; for
be was not supplied with any weapons to repel
an attack Of thieves. But one dark, dreary
which resembled that which party Of burg
lars might produce in an attempt to enter the
building, and looking towards the back win
dows he soon satisfied himself that one or more
persons were endeavoring, as quietly as pos
sible, to effect an entrance at that quarter.
They had already removes part of the sash
and shutters with their cunningly devised in
struments, and must have been at work some
time before he was awakened.


Now young Loring regretted that he had no
weapon, but not through fear-that was not q
characteristic of the young gentleman-but
that be might pepper the rogues little. At


first he determined to cry out and arouse the


watch, but as they had advanced so far before


he was awake, he thought he would drive them
off by stratagems He slipped on his clothes
quietly, and, approaching the spot where the
thieves were busy, he saw the hand of one of


them passed inside Of the shutter into the
store in its owner g endeavors to guide small
handsaw with which he was cutting an aper-
ture for his body to pass through.


Young Loring felt inclined to chop off the


hand with small hatchet that lay hard by,


but he refrained, and bethought himself of q


powerful acid that was used in the testing of


the purity of silver and other metals. One


drop Of this would eat instantly into the flesh,
and produce poisonous sore in ten minutes


time. He cautiously dropped little upon the
burglars hand and awaited the result.
Bill, )" at length exclaimed the burglar to
his comrade, .I've got q cursed burning on the


back of my hand. It's 50 sore 1 can hardly
work this saw. Phew, how it smarts,


guess I've cut it with the saw-hold the dark


lantern here . .


Fudge" replied his companion, "change


hands then, but don't stop


Take the saw yourself, then. can't


stand this pain ~ ...r


And while the discomftted burglar withdrew


to groan over the supposed cut, the other took
his place with the saw, and in a moment after
received few drops of the fiery liquid upon the
back part Of his hand, and was soon groaning
with agony.
Course this saw, it has cut me, too ~
groansd the second thief.


And after sundry oaths, mutually exchanged
until the first and worst attack of pain was
over, they renewed the attempt to make an
entrance. 80


The clerk permitted them to go on a while
uninterruptedly, knowing that at any moment
he could stop their efforts by crying out, but
he hoped to hear some watchman passing in
front OF the store, upon whom he could call to
secure the rogues, and he resolved to wait for
this until it would do to wait no longer. Blu,
soon the burglars had so much enlarged the
hole that they would shortly be able to enter
il by themselves.


Seeing that he must do something to stop


them, the clerk crept in the dark closet al one


sids OF the window, and uttered a low but
fierce growl, in imitation of a dog. Both OF


the rogues stepped back at this unexpected in
terruption.


Hang it, Bill, there's cursed dog in there


didn't know that the Herberts kept one, VI


said one to the other.


GA dog that's bad. Curse 'em, if it was d


man, why shot or a dirk stroke would fz
him-but dog is quite another thing, for il


we shot him, he'd be sure to half kill one Of
US ="


.. Bow, WOW, WOW :" cried the clerk, with
all has power, as he saw them preparing to re-
sume their work


ConfOund the dog" exclaimed both.
"Never mind; 90 ahead Bill, and get it open
now. I'll Gx him when we get in.''
The burglar addressed as Bill thrust his h and
in once more to wrench off the last piece oi
wood that obstructed their entrance, when the
clerk, having already armed himself with q
large pair Of pincers, seized the robbers hand
as though in vice, and set ap such barking
that the whole neighborhood was alarmed.
For Heavens sake, Jack, lend us a hand
here; the cursed animal is biting my hand hall
OFF, said the burglar to his confederate.
Pull II sway-pull it away, quick"
Il can't" -. -
"Give it jerku said the other. 81


5000. can't. Murder, murder"
This cry. added to the believing of the sup
posed dog, soon brought the watch in earnest


and the thief who was at liberty to do so, ran
| for his life.


The watchman's light showed Bill Skies that
he had been bitten by pair Of pincers,
This is fact; it occurred in New York city
during the winter of lS4l; and Bill Skies served
out his imprisonment at Blackwell's Island.