180

Major Drumm and Farmer Birchfield
got into the boat, and the bonds, money,
and other valuables, were handed over to
the former. He declared that he did not
miss a single article taken from the safe.
Mr. Birchfield counted his money, and
none of it was gone.

“Lynn, you have done the best morn-
ing’s work for me that ever one did for
another,” said Paul’s father, who had in
his hand all the ready money he had in
the world. “I want to give you a thou-
sand dollars for what you have done.”

“Not a penny, sir! 1 wouldn’t take any
money for doing a little friendly act like
that. Besides, Paul did as much of it as
I did. You have been very kind to me,
Uncle Birchfield, since I have been in
Bearsboro, and 1am as happy to have
done something for you, as you can be at
getting your money back. We will call it
square, if you please, uncle,” replied
Lynn, lightly.

“Hold ont We haven’t got our fish
yet !” interposed Paul, as they were leav-
ing the boat. It is about breakfast-time,
and we shall want them.

Farmer Birchfield. put his money into
the safe of another friend, and they rode
back to the house. Of course the boys
were heroes. The fish were good, and the
boys were hungry enough to devour the
greater part of them.

In the forenoon the farmer and the boys
rode over to the next town, and the
money was deposited in the bank.

The story was told a hundred times of
the capture of the burglars, and those who
heard it agreed that the affair had been
admirably managed.

In due time both of the burglars were
tried, and sentenced to the State prison,
Ben Shannon for five, and Tom Tipton for
three years; for it was clear enough that
the former was the leader in the enter-

rise, while the latter was a simpleton,

ed away by the other.

During the next three weeks the people
were anxious to see the scene of the boys’
exploit, and about every man, woman,
and child visited the Cave on the Island.

(THE END. ]

[Do not fail to read “A BATTLE For His
Own,” by OLIVER OpTic, in the next num-
ber (13) of Goop News. ]

oO

WILD-CAT JIM;

OR,
How My Grandmother Suppressed an

Insurrection.

——@o————~

By M. QUAD.

davtntierepmaicnahis

 

if SHALL not attempt to deny the fact

that my grandmotker, Prudence Has-
call, ‘‘wore the breeches” over my grand-
father, who answered to the name of
Josiah. He was short, fleshy, good-natured,
lazy, and could only be aroused by some sen-
sational event. My grandmother, on the
contrary, was tall, spare, always scolding,
active, and had the ambition of a politician.

Twenty years ago, when almost every
New England family had a turn of ‘‘West-
ern fever,” she looked across the dinner-
table at Josiah one day and commanded:

“« Josiah, sell the’ farm, and we will re-
move to Iowa.”

Just what grandfather said in reply I do
not know, but in two weeks he had sold the
farm, disposed of his personal property,
shaken hands all around, and man and wife
were on their way West.

“Josiah, buy this house and four acres of
ground,” commanded Prudence, as the
couple halted at the county seatof a new
county in the northern part of the State.

Again I do not know what grandfather re-
plied, but he made the purchase. Grand-
mother intended, ultimately, to command
grandfather to purchase a farm, but she saw
a speculation in buying this property, and
besides, knew that nothing would be lost in
waiting to look around a little.

“Josiah, take the nomination for sheriff,”
commanded Prudence, when a delegation
waited upon grandfather one day, a few
oe ete ee and informed him

at he een selected as thei n-
didate for the office named, eae

Now, my ppediotbes was just the wrong
man to make a good sheriff, especially in
that wild district, the home of horse-thieves
counterfeiters, highwaymen and murderers,
and he knew his failings. But, when Pru.
dence commanded, it was Josiah’s duty to
obey, and a week afterward he had been
duly elected county sheriff. ;

There was.some dignity attached to the

osition, the salary was fair, the jailer had | h

is rent and fuel gratis, and the duties were
not so labarious as farm work. My grand-
mother had thought these things all over,
and had planned just how everything should
be carried out. . She knew that her husband
was too good-natured to prosecute a thief,

GrooD

too lazy to catch ono, and so, one day, after
moving into new quarters, she coolly re-
marked:

‘Josiah, appoint John Granger your first
deputy, and also make him assistant jailer.”

Two hours after the appointment had been
made, and the deputy was in possession of
his office. Granger was almost a giant in
height and weight, was as brave as a lion,
had been deputy under the previous admin-
istration, and had the name of being the best
thief-catcher in the county. My grandmother
knew that grandfather could only hold the
position in name, for reasons before given,
and she had wisely selected Granger, who
was a single man, and could, therefore, be-
come an inmate of the family.

The jail was about the only stone build-
ing in the county, and it was a good one.
The Board of Supervisors had felt the need
of some strong place in which to confine the
desperate characters hovering around Pal-
myra, and had accordingly been liberal with
the county funds. It was a two-story struc-
ture, with a wing for the jailer’s family, the
second story for females and boys, and thir-
teen stout cells on the ground floor. These
cells were all in a row, with a ten-foot corri-
dor in front. An iron door led out into a
large hall, which was also a reception-room.

Stairs led from this hall to the second story,
there was an office at one end, a waste-room
at the other, and then a small hall led into
the wing. The door of this little hall was
very heavy and stout, and was always kept
locked. All the water, provistons, and so
forth, were brought in from the wing through
this door. Taken altogether, the jail was a
strong one, and grandmother and Granger
had their own. way about conducting it.

The building held two or three prisoners
only when my grandfather took possession,
but about a month after that event, eleven
of the ground cells were occupied by as des-
perate a set of men as ever looked through
the grates. Three were there on charges of
murder, four for highway robbery, and the
other four were professional horse-thieves.

All were waiting for the session of court,
which would result in their being sent to a
stronger prison.

One day, while grandfather was wondering
who the twelfth man would be, he came in.

What his real name was no oneknew. He
was known all over the State as ‘“Wild-Cat
Jim,” and was the most daring, reckless,
hardened criminal thatjever entered the State,
which is giving him a hig puff. He was sus-
pected of half a dozen murders, he had been
in prison for highway robbery, he confessed
to having stolen upwards of thirty horses,
and there was a county and State reward on
his head when arrested. He was brought in
by four men, and they had him roped and
chained until there was no chance for him
tomovealimb. They carried him in from
the wagon, laid him down in the corridor,
and after untying him, forced him into a cell
at the muzzle of a revolver.

“‘There’s Wild-Cat Jim!” was shouted by
half a dozen men as they heard the sound of
his voice; and Jim laughed loud and long.

“Ha! ha! ha!” he roared, slapping his leg as
if well pleased. ‘‘I’ll stay and take two or
three meals with you, rest upa bit, and then
[ll walk out of your confounded shanty!”

He really meant what he said, but John
Granger had contrary ideas on the subject of
his walking out. He knew the man, realized
what a desperate villain he was, and pro-
posed to keep an eye on him,

The next day after Wild-Cat Jim came in,
I arrived at the jail, to pay my relatives a
visit. My parents were living in a town about
a dozen miles away, and I had permission to
remain as long as might suit me. I was then
about nine years old, and did not know, and
could not be made to fully understand the
character of the prisoners in the cells. While
I was allowed full liberty to roam about the
building alone, even to going down to the
main hall, I was cautioned by both grand-
mother and Granger not’ to hold any con-
versation with the prisoners, much less to
pass any article to them through the grated
door.

It was Granger’s habit to allow the pris-
oners the freedom of their corridor during
the day, the men walking up and down read-
ing novels, playing cards, and passing the
time as they liked best. There was but one
small window in the corridor, the walls
were very massive, the door firm, and there
was no danger. Wild-Cat Jim was not
allowed to leave his cell at first, Granger
knowing that he would attempt to take some
advantage of the favor. But, “after a week
had passed away without sign that the villain
ad a hope of leaving the place, his appeals
were listened to by my grandfather, who
persuaded Granger into throwing open the
cell door,

“He may not be so bad as people make

 

out,” remarked Josiah, who always pitied
where others condemned. ‘And if he is as

 

NEW S.

desperate a devil as you say he is, I do not
see how he can do any mischief.”

Therefore, Jim’s cell door was unlocked,
and he was allowed to mingle with the rest.
As grandfather said nothing in opposition,
Granger insisted that the villain should con-
tinue to wear his shackles, which were of
course something of a safeguard against his
escaping. He seemed to have no care whether
the shackles were on or off, having assumed
the role of a penitent, declaring his intention
to reform.

“Look out for that man, John Granger!’
cautioned my grandmother, as she looked
through the door jand caughta glance from
the desperado.

The man had been in jail about ten days,
and his conduct so far had been all that could
be desired. Granger believed that he was
plotting mischief; grandfather thought him a
much-abused man, and grandmother gave no
opinion. One Monday morning it became
necessary for Granger to make a day’s journey
into another county, and this would leave no
one but my two relatives as a guard. My
grandfather was cautioned to look out, as
the prisoners might attempt an insurrection
and an escapade; and, for a wonder, he gave
the warning attention. He had two revolvers
and two rifles in the jail, and he loaded them
all, One of the revolvers he put into his
pocket, and the other arms were left in the
sitting-room,

During the forenoon it was discovered that
the corridor door was out of order, and
grandfather set to work to fix it. Taking a
small saw, two files and a hammer, he went
at the difficulty, and soon had the door in
repair. When through, he placed the tools
on a stool in the hall, and went about his
work, leaving them there.

Near the middle of the afternoon, having
seen that everything was all quiet with the
prisoners, Josiah laid down for anap, telling
his wife to take an occasional look into the
hall, Left to myself, 1 wandered into the
hall, and, boy-like, began using the tools.
The attention of the prisoners was soon at-
tracted, and a voice called me to the door.

“Bub, do you want a whole pound of
candy?” inquired Jim, smiling, and trying to
look sweet.

Of course I did; whoever saw a boy that
didn’t? I had entirely forgotten the oft-
repeated warning not to talk with the pris-
oners, and leaned against the door, in hopes
to see the candy.

“Well; sonny,” continued Jim, “if you
will be a good boy, you shall have all the
candy you can carry. You see, you are too
small a boy to have those tools, and if your
grandfather knew of it, he would whip you
to death. Just hand them to me through the
door, and then he won’t know that you have
been dulling them, And besides, I'll go down
town to-morrow and get you all the candy
you can eat.”

I hesitated for a time, but, convinced that
my grandfather would scold, if not whip, and,
being bribed by the candy ‘bait.’ I passed in
the tools. I yetremember how the prisoners
crowded around Jim, shook hands, laughed
and danced, but I did not then see any occa-
sion for their demonstrations.

“Now, bub,” said Jim, returning to the
door, ‘“‘you have completely spoiled these
tools, and your grandfather will skin you and
hang your hide on the fence, if he finds it
out. If hé asks you where they went to, tell
him you don’t know.”

I never had had cause to fear either of my
kind-hearted relatives, but Jim’s words really
frightened me, He made further promises
about the candy, and I finally went away to
the sitting-room, determined to tell grand-
father a lie if he asked me about the articles.

But he did not ask. He went about. his
duties after his nap without once thinking
of the tools, and so I of course did not broach
the subject. Granger did not return at night,
as intended, but word came from him
that it would take another day to conclude
his business,

‘As you will be alone all night,” the note
read, “let me warn you again to look out for
Wild-Cat Jim. He will take this opportunity
to make you trouble.”

“Pooh! pooh!” replied my grandfather, as
he read the note; “Granger is a very active
officer, but he is a regular old woman with
his whims. I guess I sha’n’t have any trouble
with Jim.”

And the guess was as correct as his guesses
usually were.

The night wore away without any disturb-
ance tocreate alarm. Josiah had taken pains
to see that the locks, doors, and bars were all
right, and he slept as soundly as a soldier.
Each man had been locked in his cell, and
the corridor door was a mountain in the path
of any attempted escape.

‘‘Josiah,’’ said Prudence, as we were seated
at breakfast, ‘‘did you hear any noise during
the night?”

“Not so much as the sigh of a mouse,” re-

a

plied Josiah,
night.”

“Well, Josiah,” continued my grand-
mother, ‘‘ heard noises, and plenty of them.
‘There was some deviltry going on among the
prisoners. I heard a grating sound, as if
they were filing off the bars. I want to go
down with you and see what it was.”

My grandfather made no objections, know-
ing that words could not alter the decision,
and so after breakfast we passed through
into the main hall. Just asJosiah was about
to open the corridor door, there was a loud
shouting from a female occupying a cell up
stairs, and Prudence went up to learn the
cause. She was hardly out of sight when
Josiah opened the door and went in. I saw
him feeling about his person, heard him say
“ Pshaw!” but did not then know that he
had forgotten his revolver. While I remained
by the door, he went down to cell No. 12, un-
locked the padlock, but left itin the staple.

He then came along back, serving each
door in the same way. This was one of
Granger’s ideas, he letting out the occupant
of céll No. 1,and making him let out the rest.
Before the second man was out, the turn-
key would be outside the hall door. Well,
Josiah pulled the padlock from the staple of
No. 1, threw open the door, and the next
moment was knocked clear across the corri-
dor, while all the prisoners set up a yelling
and shouting. Had grandfather been armed,
he would have been all right, as the pris-
oners waited to open the next cell before
further attack. He then leaped upon grand-
father, held him down, and the other man
ran from cell to cell to throw off the pad-
locks.

“Shut the door and lock it, Frank!” shouted
Josiah, as he saw that an insurrection was
to occur; ‘and then run and tell grand-
mother.”

I obeyed him, though terribly frightened,
and then hastened up stairs, meeting grand-
mother at the head, carrying one of the rifles.
She had heard the struggle, and knew what
it meant. Just as she stepped upon the
stairs, there was a wild yell, a great smash,
and the corridor door was taken off its hinges.
As afterward ascertained, the rascals ha
used the tools with such vigor that the hinges
of the door had been almost filed off, and
any other man except grandfather must have
noticed the work.

Well, the whole twelve came bounding into
the hall, having secured my grandfather in 4
cell, feeling confident that they had only to
force the front door to make their escape.
Prudence stood on the stairs, in plain view
of the villains, and they yelled again as they
saw her.

“Hold on, there!” she shouted, bringing
the rifle to her shoulder as a sportsman does
when about to make an off-hand shot.

“The first man who comes a step nearer
will get a bullet in his heart!”

Tall, fierce-looking, and armed with 4
deadly weapon, the woman must have seemed
like a determined obstacle in the path 0
escape, for the rascals halted in an instant.
Still keeping the gun leveled at the crowd,
and never once looking at me, my gram-
mother whispered:

“Frank, go down to the sitting-room, and
bring me up that big revolver. You'll find
it in the bottom drawer of the bureau, Be
os and get the big one, and run for your

ife!”

The brave woman, while looking the des-
peradoes in the face, and expecting a rush
every moment, had noticed that the percus-
sion cap had dropped from the nipple, an
_ was yet cool enough to whisper what she

id.

I ran with all my might, jerked open the
drawer, laid hold of the ‘‘Colt,” which was #
heavy six-shooter, and in a moment was
back again. I came justin time. The gang
had recovered from their surprise, and hay-
ing but little fear of the rifle (in the hands
of a faint-away female, they thought), they
made a rush for the stairs just as I hande
grandmother the weapon. ‘Click! click! went
the hammer, there was a yell, a report, aD
the man who was one-third the way up stair§
went rolling down, killed dead by a bullet
through his head.

As the smoke lifted, I caught a glimpse of
grandmother's face, and it frightened mé
more than the yells and the shooting. Het
eyes were blazing, her teeth shut hard, het
hair down, blood oozing from her mouth,
coming from her bitten lips, and I neve?
since have seen such a sight.

“Tt was a remarkably still

 

“Go back!
moment!’ she shouted, descending a step %

two, and aiming the revolver at the head

the nearest man.

The gang fell back, back until they wet?
half way down the hall, and then they
stopped. Wild-Cat Jim had given the wor
and they were going to try it again. j

“See here, old woman,” shouted Jim, ral%
ing his fist at her, ‘we'll murder you for this

Go back to your cells this —

 

    
  

    

     

oe met ee aft kt Se

ae rr ee he ee Oe Oem, oh

Oo =e 2 a fmD = —_—

erermoo a on

tm

So

errr sd shied poet 2B OD woo