Year: 1878

uduSud0fSs albO, III bu0lT OWu fOOul, CdSh of the parlor, on the other side of the hall. The window had been broken open with some instrument, but he could not tell what, for the burglars had taken pains to batter the frame all about the marks made by the instrument, so that the true marks could not be found. The thieves had then taken small tin trunk containing several hundred dollars in and small Bible containing the family record. With this booty they fled, leaving the remainder of the house un- touched, evidently fearing thst the farmer and his son would soon return to consciousness.

 The old gentleman paused here for moment to breathe, for he had been talking very fast. had just taken my eyes off his face, and was looking again at the bolted door, when l was startled by an exclamation from the Herald man, half under his breath i: ~~ ,'f

 "Good God p +'''

 I looked at him, and hls face was as white as marble. He was gazing stead fly at the door leading into the hall, and had one hand in his pistol pocket. He did not look frightened, but had more the appearance of great astonishment.

 I quickly followed his eyes with mine, at the same time getting the butt of my revolver in my hand. Before I could turn my head, the idea struck me that the burglars had returned. When I looked around and saw what had startled my friend I know I turned as pale as he still was. ..-a ....... .-.ss .... ..'.l.

 There, half in the doorway, and slow ly advancing into the room, was the most horrible-looking creature had ever seen. Rising from my chair, as we all did at once, and retreating to the further side of the room, I could not first determine whether it was 8 dog in clothes or & human being, hideous, distorted one, on his hands and knees. As soon as the creature was wholly in the room, how ever, saw that it was 8 man, or being with the shape of man, a very large, stout man, more than six feet tall, cer- tainly, if he had stood up, and larger in the body, I think, than any man ever saw. He walked on his hands and knees, slowly and painfully. keeping both hands closed, and leaning his weight more on his wrists than on his hands. His head and face, which were both unusually large, were so covered with shaggy, matted brown hair that nothing of his features could be seen nothing but q pair of shining black eyes. His clothes were in tatters, and the backs of his hands were covered with the same shaggy hair. Every time he stepped forward with one of his hands he uttered 8 short exclamation, "Eh, eh, eh, eh, !" and almost before we were out of our seats he was half way across the room, standing in front of my companion, looking up at him and raising his left hand.

 All this passed very quickly, and we had just time to see that in the hand he raised was 8 small bar of iron, when the farmer sprang toward the table and blew out the light 4atea a.s7 H sin .

 We were in the thickest darkness, and could hear the creature as he stepped forward, with his, En-" ''eh," "eh, |" and rattled the iron bar upon the floor.

 heard my companion's revolver click twice as he cooked it, and followed suit. The family must have heard it, too, for one of the daughters began to shriek Before any one had time to speak, the farmer opened the door of the bedroom, where light was still burning, and, seizing me by the shoulder, hustled me into it before I had time to speak. He then turned, quickly to my companion, who was some feet away, saying "Here, quick, come in here"

 My companion came into the room with me, and our extraordinary host shut the door from the outside, leaving I us practically alone in the chamber, for the injured young man was in sound sleep.

 | The situation was such queer one that we could not help laughing. If the old farmer meant us any harm, which we hardly believed, we were two to his one, with reserve force of two more out in the carriage. So we were not al all afraid of him. -t ## efa .t.-. l There was a little scufle in the room

 we had just left, and in minute or two the farmer opened the door again, and

 said, quite calmly:

 l Now, gentlemen, will you walk out

 and be seated?''

 We re-entered the sitting-room. The

 light was burning, and the two daugh

 ters were seated in their old places, look

 ing as if nothing had happened.

 | "This is curious bit of iron," sait

 the farmer, showing us the bar that tht

 huge creature had held in his hand.

 | To the innocent old farmer it was

 curious bit of iron. To the two report

 CTS it was burglars jimmy, small, bu

 of exquisite workmanship. We carried

 it to the window, and the edges core

 sponded with the indentations in tn,

 soft wooden frame. It was the instru

 ment with which the window had beer

 opened. st.. .s...g.s. ..... Il The old man would hardly believed u

 when we told him that he had clue t.

 the burglars. And when we told hin

 that if he took the jimmy to New York

 and left it with Superintendent Walling

 the police would almost certainly trao the thieves, he was overioyed. When we asked him where the jimm I was found, and hinted that we woul like to know something about the ma,