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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1874-02-06, Page 2T E HURD ExPosivroft. A NICHT IN A BAKEHOUSE. AN•XPERIENGE OF AN EDINEURGH DE ticrrez. sat night • aibag of flour—a .ivhel big was stolenfrom my • bakehouse It ust have been done by some One ac qua ted with the plate, for not a door or w dow appeared.: to have been tam pere with.' T e speaker was a wizened, little ol man named Skinflint, a master- baker i the igh Street, whe had just paad e hi corn taint, and> been bancIed otret„to m to ' ve the particulars. II now stood before me looking con cer d and excited etiough; demandin my sistance, and in the same breat ma trig anything butflatterieereinaek i " as ' the efficiency of the police force i gen ral. I had neither tiine to waste nor inclin ati to waste it, so I stopped him. ' 'Do you suspect any one—any ef you me for instance?' ' ' hat's just it,' he quickly returned 'The robbery must have been commited by some of the men.' ; 'Why must ?' I dryly inquired... ' Because this is not the first theft that 1 have detected, and a strange dream - stance accompanied each. Two nights ago a box of raisins was taken away, and the night before that einisketof eggs, and 4e strange thing was that each time the thief had deliberately gone to work and s t the sponge for the afternoon bread. • othing was Omitted or bungled—the I Work. was done neatly and tidily, and the place left as if nothing had occurred.' I 'Strange. . How do you -account for . that ? ' • 1 ' I cannot aceount for it at all.. The Mee one and. all denied stoutly any eriowledge of the thing, and. threatened to leave on the instant if I did not retract Ithe charge. I had to do it, too, curse 'them ! for at this season 1:find. it almost 'impossible to get good hands. But last I 'night a whole bag of flonr went at a whip; it is too much. ' I shall be ruined 7,- I shall , be ruined:'. . Who locks up theplice it night ?' i ' I do.' i 'And who opens it intthe morning ?' . 1 'Sometimes myself, but generally lily i son.' - - - I ' - I * 1 • 'Then' you think ' that the :robberies I 'have been ccemmttted between the time when son?' r nstohe,place was locked at night by, yourself and opened in the mortiMg by yo .:CIerwtaoinillidY'l• like to have a look at the , plaee. How do you think the theitres got in.' . `By the door, with false keys. 'Are there no other likely meanS of ad- mittance ?' 'None—at least none that anyone would think of. • - -' Can I see the place now ?' 'You could, but the men would take offence at mice. They would know you were a detective, and. what you were pry- ing about for. Jlourneymett bakers, curse them, are the most, flighty and indepen- dent wretches on the face cl earth. Just!say a cross word t� them, and they • will. put on their caps and walk ,out of , the shop. I cannot afford that just -now.' '' Well, it will do after they are -gone at night; better, too; for it will bellark. When do you shut tip ?' ' About seven.' ., 'That will do. Wait for Me -then. We cued() no more .juat now,' anti I bowed slightly, to intimate that the in- terview was &Van end,tand he took the hint and. left. . After he was gone, I found myself un- consciously giving the'matter a good deal of thought. The stealing of the flour . and ether thinks did not puzzle me much, considering the bard and gripping char- acter of the master, but that the thief should coolly set to work and leave be- hi•nd hini something which said plain- ly, ." The thief is. a - baker, and an expert one, ', was a - circumstance to which I 1 could:find- fit! parallel in the whole range of my experience., Even M'Sweeny when I referred the matter to hied,- admitted that it was 'mighty queer,' but added,' Just ,, wait till the morn', an' we'll be thiek-headed °alma- douns if we don't aee ,through it then. when a thafe could slip through -the key- hole, andget.a 'sack of flour in his pock- et, an' no-one the wisere-he'll not be slow to try it again, if he tries it to -night, we'll be there to help him to carry it,' and. one of his expressive *inks convey- ed. the rest. It 'But . the work — the setting of the sponge ?' ' ' Oeh, we'll help him at that, too. Be - dad, it's myself that won't be idle while he's th-utcpin at the dough;' and he fondledlovingly with a pair of handcuffs. ' I don't mean that, but why should he do- it ?' ' To aize his •mind. Sure, one pod. turn -deserves another. ' if he doesn't -think so, we'll tactic,' him.' . M'Sweeny was never without an an- swer—geod, bad, or indifferent—so I let the matter drop. , But there was mere to come yet. ' About half -past five in the afternoon, a It mare=evidently i journeyman baker; nd fresh from his work—made his ap- 1 pearence at the office, and caetiously ask- ed. to see a deteetive. . He was handed over to me ; and what was my surprise *hen he informed me that he worked With a Mr. -Skinflint, in, the High street, and then went over the details of the Missing property, the sinteular habits of the -thief, and _the -rage of .himself and h's fellow workmen at being suspected; a d finally asked us to take the matter in hand and sift it out, without letting Sitinilint kintself know anything about it. Here was a queer position in the affair. _First the master comes secretly and without the- Knowledge of the workmen, and places the matter in our hands, and the the workmen, in like manner and unknown to the master, send and ask us to ferret (tut the eccentric thief. What was behind. it -all? I thought I Would I try to discover. : The appearencc of the man 'before me was singular, but it took me some time to find out where. the singularity lay. Then I found that it was in his eyeS. At one Moment I thought them dull and stupid, and then in a I:Cement they look- ed bright and flashy—giving him a sort of ' raised look.' - But he was sane enough—as I found out °on questioning him—and quite as ex- cited and indignant as his master had been in the morning. Of course, that Skinflin had been there at -all was a fact • ' that for Several reasons T kept carefully in the background.- • 'Now,- quietly, between ourselved,' I said, soultdingly, after I had. talked with him'a little, 'who do you think is the thief?' The answer came at once, and with- out the slighted hesitation— ' Old Skinflint himself.' He wail wrong—I thought it—knew t --but I vtould. make sure. Was Skinflint ever a baker ?--I meant h he ever "boxed "the trade himself? 'No, lite knows nothing about the Ork--never did—and that's why he's • s eh a tyrant.' 'Thies e know enough about it to be a le to "set -a sponge ?" ' Not e,' and the Man smiled right • -d o t at th idea. Why, to do ;that well 0 to kno how to heat an oven, is what p •oveS a aker. It is the grand test of h s skill. He knows no more about it t an the cat -not so. much, for he does t see it so often.' . Then if he is the thief, how is it that to g t e spon e is always set for the after - n on's eadr The m n looked puzzledt--a little stag - g red- d scratched his head in vain. Ah, hat'sit. That's a funny thing?' • h said but, though" he himself had elation cl the fact, he appeared quite ✓ helpless at a soletion. , I had now prepared the itraY for some - t ing, as d that something I now pro- ceeded ro bring forward. 1 The son—What sort of a character d ea he bear ?' I 'asked. I Ah, he's One of the right Bork', wals the rea y answer. '1 like him—as unlike hi father as day's fronL niglat—a regula good-hearted, generous I r rascal.. D you think he coulkseta sponge at a ch —eh, well, I never thought of that.' eyes had.opened widely—he was evide lay seeing the thing in a new light. N ver thought of what vt--hinxt being t ?' Aly just sq.' . ell,and what do you think now?' \ ell, I don't know ; he might do At, Bu , no'he could never set a sponge like th t, In fact,' and the man blushed sli Fitly, as said it; 'in fact, there's no one about the place could do it So Well ex *A Myself.' I You entry the thief then?' I said, laughingly, for r thought 'there was a sic. of jealousy in his tone and look. —no- --not exactly; but I would like to know who Ile is.' ',Who gene ally sets this particular 1 sponge?' 'Well, to tell you the truth, we've had a gooci many words- abaft that. I have no rig/Lti to do it—ttor the time either, considering the workl haVe, to gett through of a morning= -but for some tin t.6 it has been palmed . upon me and I have to slaire through it— ill this thief todk it inland.' ' Then you're obliged to hie; Thiefship ?' yes in a way; if he didn't take any- thing with him. A sa,ale,, of flour is a good deal for half an -hour's work.' ; Could you tell, from the time at which itwas ready, when it had beeni set?' 'Oh, easily—to within a quarter of an hour,' and he counted back on his fingers.' It must have, been set be- tween one and two o'clock. Of course it was ready too soon for us, from being set so early, but we managed to dodge that.' 'How do you think the thief got in ?' 'Well, I don't know. .But I have of- ten thought of a way by which I could get in, if the key went amissing. An ! how?' The flour room is at the back of the bake -house. You have to getup a stair to it, so you will know that it is a little sepatate building run out &gm the back Of the land, and having al roof of. its own. Two windows in the roof are sup- posed to light the inside, but they are often blocked up with bags of flour ; for Skinflint always buys in a lot vhen it is cheap. One of the windows, though. is at present clear, and, as it has a move- able pane, with a wire catch Which could be opened as easily from the outside as the in, nothing could be easier than to get clown the close Into -the yard behind, din:lb up by some of the empty barrels on to the roof, get in your .1hand by the moveabletpane, unfasten the lower half of the window, and jump in.' But the getting out again?' Oh; that Would be quite as eau.— easier, in fan • . But couldi a sack of flour be taken through the perture ?' No, not i a lump.' I thought or a minute, and then said - This son o Skinflint's—you said he was generon while by your own ac- count his fati er is almost a miser for stinginess—w ere, then, does he get the money to be generous with?' Well, I d n't know that he has much money--onlyit's his nature. 'He'd give the very coat ioff his back,if he thought yoti were cold and needed it. Any one with a plausi le tale- could get round him easily. ut I've heard nim say that, if he anted anything, :and his father held b ck, he wbuld not trouble to ask it again, but just take it.' Ah ! incle d ?' I thought I was be- ginning to get at something now. - Yes. I w aid laugh if it turned out that he had taken the flour and things, or given 'there away, or Something. It would_ serve the old beggar right. I wouldn't care what he said about us then, not though Harry took 'away a sack every night. • Now that the thing had been placed in our hands, I could not see very well, where the laugh would come in. Rob- bery at any titne is a serious matter, btit it becomes donbly serious when a father suddenly awakens to find himself forcecl to prosecute1,his own son, and trebly serious when that son has nothing really criminal in his nature, but is on the contrary, "one of the right sort," brim- ming over with generosity and good. feel- ing,. If things went on in. this way, I began to fear that I would soon find my - set engaged ih a nasty job. How does this young man's genet., osity generally show itself?' 1 gravely pursued; in giving things away?' Yes, oh, in lots cf ways.' Have you noticed hint generous' to any one in paiticalar.' Yes—to his uncle, Skinflint's bre- ther ; but then he's a poor man, and has been long ill, and is struggling hard to keep a very large family. I've seen Harry take out his purse and shove it boldly into his hand. I've seen hirn smuggle six loaves out of a batch and carry them clown to the uncle's shop himself.' You say smuggle.' Am I to under- stand, that the loaves were stolen ?' The man opened his eyes and stared. The idea seemed knew to him. 1 -mean, did Skinflint know of it?' pursued. ‘Jgot he, He'd see them drop dead at his feet before he'd part with a farthing to save them ; ancl yet he owes all he has to them; for the shop and business were all theirs once. He wormed them out of it sontel4w,1 and luck has gor against them ever since.' ' Where is this uncle's place ?' ,. -4, fit -the Comfgate. It's a little shop, ,e, 'kind of provision store, With ,the bout.: at -the back ; but he doesn't seem -to 0tt, on well ; for therthi precious little in 1 'I suppose hetsells all sorts of things —flour, . and eggs, and raisins, for in. starlet: 4--- anything , to turn an honeit penny?' I . ' Just so ; all these sort of things.' I mentally resolved that if nothing turned up I would pay a visit to this 'little provision, hop next morning, and have a look a'the stock of ,flour, voices. for the -s Me, &c. , Yet I must s tr that I sincerely hoped I woiild find in aelf on the wrong track. , The circumstan es of the case were pe- culiar; and m sympathies were now strouglk in favi i of the suspected parties, even though t ey should be guilty. • Some such ought ran through ! m.y mind ; but I rsued the inquiry no fu rther. I to • i' down the man's 'lamer - John Hastie, bade him good night, promising to • o 41 in my power for him and his mates and shortly after, in corn- Pany with M'.weeny, took a walk down to Mr. Skinfli i t'S bakehouse. We found him waiting for us, and amusing hi e self in the meantime by killing ' cloc (8,' ' or cockroaches, which he pathetical y Ih.rnenteci to us, 'ate up half of thetp ofits of his establishment. He showed- s over the place, flour house and all ; 'an then, after drawing out of him a few,- more facts respecting his brother, we: arranged to return at ten o'clock and llow ourselves to be locked un in the pl ce for the night. * ',May he e say that' had it been an ordinary c se of theft or robbery, es- pecially. wi h,such a man for the com- plainer, I ould: not have taken so much pains wit it. But , now my' curiosity - was strong y excited, and I had Veseltrect to watch n t .one night only, but two, three, or a dozefitit necessary. I had noticedin:ny an instance of burglars or thieves do ng work plyingMt their vo- cation, it was generally a work that benefited themsetves, such as consuitung champagne, cigars, ,roast fowl, &c., when they, founithem handy ; but here was a case quite he reverse. The thief, by workipg, • no only. gained nothing, and, endangered his Own safety for the time, but left a ,clue to his identity . as well. 1 After arranging our plans, M'Sweeny and I got to! the .place at, ten o'clock, and were iticeiv!ed- by Skinflint, whose consent to Olittle item we .now pro- ceeded to ask. Pointing to a solitary bag of flour in one corner of the flour house, to which we had invited the pro- prietor, M'Sween.y soundingly began: 'Isn't that the sister of the eine that was stolen ?' , • i 'Yes—'it isthe only one of the lot lett —the finest American flour; by far the most valuable in the place. ' D'ye think, now, and M'Sweeny put on his softest wheedle, .4 d'ye think, now, ye could take out as much flour as would let in me own swat° self.' Skinflint started and stared. .` What do you mean to do ?' he angrily demanded. ' Only to make Myself the most valu- able in the. place. •Sure, I wont be the first (American Anur that's come from Belfast county.' 1 , '1 can't allow it; it would spoil the flour. - , .'-Divil a bit. You can bake it up into chape Joaves for the poor; it'll -look mighty charitable, an' at the same time be a great benefit to yourself. Men of genius like you always kill two birds with the one stone,' and M'Sveeney's look of great simplicity and reverence completely deceived the man before him. Skinflint still deinurred. • 'Sure it's myself that runs *the most risk,' 'pursued, M'Sweeney. ' P'raps the vagabones 'ill Steal me ant bake me up into bread, and. then I'll find me head stickin' out of a loaf, burnt black like a wanderin' currant.? Still it took some talking from us to -convince Skinflintl. It was a - little amusing to watch the struggle between his avarice and his leager desire to cap- ture the robbers ;but at last he con- sented. The moutlh of the sack was undone, arid about a third of the flour scooped out and sto ed away in a bin. Then IM'Sweeny ato d up on an empty cask, and worked his feet down in the flour till he reached the bottom, a draw- ing -at ' g having flret been run into the mouth of the Sack and the ends placed in his hands, so that at any moment he could duck down hi head into the flour, pull the string, and ,look to all appear- ance like an innocent bag of flour. ' Bedad ! it's soft, ianyhow. Aitchoo 1 a—a—tchoo !' he sneezed; it's as good as an ounce of snuff; but it'll take a mighty lot of brushi ' to make Inc prc- sintabl.e at the muster call in the mor- nin'.' -I arranged to hide i.n an empty flour cask close at hand, with an empty sack Skin- flint pit out the light and retired, lock - to draw over as a cov r ; and -then Skin- ing us f securely in. I It Was a clear, froety night, and. by - and bye the bright moonlight stole in at the window of the flonr-house, giving the long resin of flour -bag t rather a ghostly appearance. It was lonesome, but quite comfortable and warm owing to the heat of the bakehouse and oven below. 'I begin to think it's hell!' whispered. M'Sweeny, 'an' them's the white ghosts of the twelve pirates I read aboqt oncet that got hanged. I could fancy I see their heads noddin' at me. The divil ! what's that? Something crawlin' over my' face; it gave me a nip in the ear. Begorra. it can bite. It's nibblin' at me neck now --no, that's not it—it's an- other. There's a lot of ' them. Down, ye (Evils ! They're comin' on me in whole regiments. _ Beda.d ! this beats the bugs, They—oh, s8—s—s! they think I'm flour, an' they're atin' inc! They're only cockroaching,' I said_ ; ' keepttill and they wont hurt you, and for any sake don't speak so loted.' ' That's aisy said ; if you only felt 1 them lnippint Who'd have thought i there was such a los of them? I wonder where they were all hidin' afore the light went out. 'Fool!' 'Yes, I am ,• but it's not with aitin'. The aitin's all on the other side. But I've got as multi). as I want. Two hours' nibblin' should satisfy any man. Bad. luck to them, I didn't know it was them 'that Were ticklin' me. Why d.oesn't owld Skinflint keep his bakehouse dame ? It isn't safe. He'll be makin' curra.nt bread when he doesn't want to.' " Be quiet, can't you. They're in all bakehouses.' Thai's comfortin.', Hush ! I hear a.noise at the back. There's some one among the empty bar- rels in the ya,rd. Do you hear? They're gu on the roof. fouched down in the ca Per:nein:I:tate sack t leaving tlitrthitrugh. •which I coul window above Me. , There, was a dainbe lin g s slates towards the windo man's fako came slowly i was clearly distinguishable light, a d I uttered a sta.' recogniz d John Hastie, th mbalf.rsyewo.euehl told me to be q iet,' geowle y from inside the oor bag, 'in which he had ducked an drawn ti etring, '• but it's yourself ti at's dein' tit talkin' ow. What's up ?' I II ' A man, and he's comin down,' The oveable pane in th window w opened . rorn without and man's han thrust i a,ndthen the fas ening was u done ant' the window let back. ' The very coolly and methodic lly, the ma dropped down before us, raking not th slight* notice of M'S eeny's floar hea.d a d face and gaping mouth whic had ,po ned oat of the bag close to h elbow. i In t e occ• asional-glimp es I got of th intrud r's face I thoughti looked a trifl paler han when I had sen it in the a ternoqn, but I was scarce y prepared fo the discovery that folio ed. Re walk ed forward, without an of the shirkin hesitancy of guilt, str ight to the ga bracket struck a match and lighted it. Not a moment too soo 3, as he thought IVI'SWeeny popped in his head and drew ring of the bag. t he relight have a vedt hiinself the le. . peculiarity about, e man's eyes -t - range. glassy fixed ess—caught my and at once thet uth flashed upon asleep 1 e discovery in a tut he shrank and nk, with his eyes fixed in a sort of upon the somn ',mbulist till his d had nearly vani bed into the bag in. , Sure, he's more 1 ke a dead -ghost kin',' he whisper in return, with ight chatter in hi teeth. '1 don't t all. Luk at him 'a he goin' to do ped off coat and up his sleeves,' and head of the bake - his hand a large hen an idea netted lin turned back. was coming to his d spring out of it; feart-tthe man only then descended to us following on tip. ash 1' and k and drew slight open watch th th and then ict *we A ifl the mooii•,., led:Cry as I journeyman pulled me and peered Och, b pint the s into my face. ad and it's 0 .•f4W of moonshine • WJy edi'yY. e dO.ii t inane it 7' li,e cried exalt- . , f .w , itiiid,yp,igd:et.:,ridt.t. yowffeit:hiaatviw,iimhi .s:it.,Le_. _aoi!,,f:.:ds,vis:67:yat: .fe..` t,h,ink • 'I'm af id w'ellitiVe i but I thhilt know one them again,tiand I hii ed a mome t in his 'ear. !, . ' But I d ; Ws a fact,' i returned, and then we w ret down; and lip to the bake- house door and found, as Itbad. expected, that the fl 'rig thieves had, taken tine to lock it afte them. t But We ad no fear of +ern returning so we both got out by the window of the flour-houie, lastened it behind us, and went home to bed. at Next da I Called on S. ' flint, and in- cedentally nquired for his 'n. fre told inn that the y ung rnan had been taken unext pectedly tl that morning team. leaving the -house to open the, bakehouse, and had. return ci when he hadtto get up -and go in his ; ea'd, and was rap a little sur- prised to ,fi • d us gone. I Ke.Ve him a full account Of the 'night's proeeedings, but as it was g'ven without an. f, private com- ments mt uspicions, he id not make much of it, but at once beglin to tell me of a strang occurrence of that day. This was neithe moiettior less than the re- ceipt of a ote stating that he wonld,find the stolen roperty—to w% one bsg of flour, one ox of raisins and a quantity of eggs—Sa ely deposited;ini his yard, to which. pia e the thief ha4 them con- veyed befote writing the note, - A post. 4 SOlipt eta; 1 that he, the thief, had been forced to ake the restitution by a re- markable' o currenee which he could not - relate. without being consi4ered super: - stitious. . -i. Skinflint found the thingsi exactly -at, stated, and now in high gleetfold me to bother no f tther in the matter. I Was secretly gl d of the order, but still wish- ing private y to:satisfy rnyetelf, I man - with me. hen I wrote a d immy note aged to car y the note of therhief away to Skinfliq s brother about some provi- . : . mons, requ sting an answer, and was not at all eurpr ed twtind: the handwriting to be neati identical witl. tilt of the re- pentant th ef. , . f ' It was lo g. ere' I could., gett a sight at Skinflint's :on, and bithat tinte the Old miser. wa,s ead,„ and he -mater of the settabtrIlysIlreinc '1 ilginiz; Obtlu'tthwellfatne Ii'haicliddiseiettinin the flour -house itilien M'Sweenty-- was be- ing lifted fir a bag of. flour. Ifheshould read this, h willSee that detectives are not ' qUite et had as they areimmetimest painted. . As for astie. the • staSatnbulist, *hen told f his part in. the adventure; he appearedoVerwhelmed with confusion, and and took t e first Opportunity ito slip on lig' coat :an walk out of the bakehouse. -He never came :back.; and was etnly heard 'of by chanceMonths after as hiving been - seen in a far distant town. 'I the trou A a 8 eye, me., The man was fas II communicated t wh sper to 1VI'Sweeny, shr aw he agi a like the looks of him notw. What the divi with the flour ?' The man had att.' witietenat and turned was approachingthe henise stair bearing i s oop full of flew, tc trike him, an 'Sweeny, feating b bitg, made an Otcit but he had nothing lowered the gas, ant the bakehouse, with toe at his heel. Then we were witnesses' to a strange scene. lia.stie very deliberately- lit the gas, walked straight to one of the dough bins, and mixed the floor he carried -with a quantity,already there. Then he took a pan of hot water out of the oven and worked away with it a long time, cooling it by adding cold water, and testing it every time with a thermometer till he got it to his liking, when he poured it into the bin, and began working away ' among the .pasty mass with his hands. T * t s done, he scraped his hands clean, d ied. them with some flour, scattered so . e flour over the dough, scraped down , the sides of the bin; an'd goverediever the *hole with R. cloth and a board, ' Well, that's done,' said. heF speaking for the first time; with a sigh of satisfac- tion, and taking no notice of ns as we peeped oat at the foot of the stair; and. then froth a hole in the wall he took out a tobacco pipe and settled himself to a comfortable smoke. 'Sure; it's mcseif that could help him this minute,' muttered M'Sweeny, with an envious look. ' It's a fine time of it ye have over there, never so much as axin' a body to take a draw.' • But the man smoked on; meditatively and quietly, and then resumed his vest and coat. 'He's goin' to pocket a bag of flour now,' said M'Sweeny, as he slipped hastily up to the our room. But le was wrong. Putting out the lights as hewent, the man ascended..the stair, got up on the flour bags,. pulled himself through the window, and closed it as he had entered, and was gone. ' What a big chate of the world; I thought he was the thafe,' grumbled M'Sweeny, as the sounds died away. 'So did I at rat;fibut he's not.' - • ' P'raps the real thafe is to come yet;' was the quick witted. suggestion. ' Sutra- ly we're not to have so much trouble au' bitin' for nuthint' I thotight the idea ae good one, and once Mere we ensconced ourselves in our biding -places. ' , ' But it was well on for three o'cloc efore we were again disturbed, and this inie the sounds came from the bakehouse door. We distinctly heard a key insert- ed. and the door opened, and then two persons—men—entered,• conversing in sabdued whispers. They did,not strike a light, but came softly up the stair to the flour -house, and I could have touched them both with my hand as they passed on towards M'Sweeny's bag. One of them—the younger of the two—turned, and. with out a word pointed to the bag containing M'Sweeny, and as he did so the moon- light strack full on his face, and I saw uistinctly the features of a rather good- looking young man. The other obeyed in silence, and at once seized the bag and endeavored, with a lift from the other, to get it on his back. The position must have been anything but an agreeable one to M'Sweeny, but he bore it unflinchingly. As bad luck would have it, however, the moment he was raised into the air a quantity of the flour was drawn iii with his breath, and he emitted a sudden and energetic double sneeze. The effect was instantaneons.. He was dropped. with a yell, which._ the thump, he received caused him to echo,' and then loosening the string, he sprung out before them like a frightful white apparition. I made a grasp at one as they whiskecl past me like swift shadows; but I was only drawn forward, cask and all, on my face, and then lay sprawling while the were fiymg like the wind. At the same moment M'Sweeny made a dash forward, tumbled over me grap- pled with me, and tugged Inc up by the hair of the head. 'So I've got ye, ye 4gabone !' he cried, giving me a thump in the ribs be- fore I could find my voice. 'You let me fall on purpose in the sack, did. ye? to try an' break the small of me back, 'an' then 14 down there that I mtght break me neck --there, there and there !' He was thumping me with a vengeance but I conld do nothing but laugh; which 'did till I was powerless. Then he SPIliCIAIi NOTIOZS , 1 — t t, BREA.ICP4 T.—EPPS'S POCOA.Z---eii R ATE - FUL it.elD.COMFORTING.—' '13y aithorough knowleclge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digeetiori and nutrition, aid by a carefulapplicationof the fine properties.of well-eeleceed. coeoa, Mr. Epps hi,s provided our breakfast ta- bles with a elicately flavoured beverage which may aye ulmaity heavy doctors' bilis. "--Givil Service Gazqtte.i Made :simply- wiiJ Boiling Water Or Milk. Each. packet is 1abe11ed-4mA Es & CO., :lloutcec atliie Chemists, LkidOnt" MINUFAG URE OF COCOA.— "We 'will now give an ccount of the process adept - ed by itleesrl. James Epps & Co., iaare. ufaxturers of dietetic articles, at their . works in thi Euston Road, Lotidon"-i- Cassell's Rol sehold Guide. _. 1 BH WISE..-- Too often a coldor slight oonttli is c nsidered a very ordinary, trifling affair just as well left totgo as it came, and he:1 ue systematically neglected until a simple e curable -affection --: is con- verted into a serious pulmonarydisea.se. The more pendent, aware that a cough or cold §13.0p.lcl never be trill* with, promptly use "Bryan's Pulmonic Wa- ers," which iavc sustained their repu- tation for oyr 30 years.---Theyi are al - Ways efficacious, and exert a most bene- ficial influenc on all the bronchial and pulmonary o ans. Sold by all drug- gists and ccn try merchants. Price 25 cents per bo .., VERY NAT nth,: ---When a perion.-- has proved an art' le and found it 'ciod, and answering the purpose for whic fit is in- tended, he wit not readily abandon it for _ one Ot dolibtf 1 reputation,. or Concern- ing which he nOWS nothing. NNTe are led to make th se remarks owing! to the course alway pursued. by those who have used tha • celebrated.and truly val- uable horse -m clicirie known as ley's ConditiO Powders and Arabian Heave Rented . " All are so welltpleased with it that th y Will not Use any other ; many have wa ted eseyeral weeks / until the agent co d Obtain a new supply. There is nothii g equal to it as a! condi- tion medicine, or for any complaint af- fecting the wind of horses-. Itte' ember the name, and 4ee that the signature of Eurd & Co.', is bit each package!. Nor- throp and Lym u, Newcastle, Onft., Pro- prietors for Canada. Sold, by all mecli- , ,, eine dealers. 1- . MANY peed() s, apparently healthy on retiring, die durtngthe enervating hours from 3 to 5 in the morning. The life force being lowest . at that time, nature more readily su ' limbs ! Indite. uals on the shady aide, o forty, and whose vital- ity has been imuiaired, are most .suseep- tible. Fellows' Compound Syrup of Hy- pophosphites , will sustain and tone the nervous system, and its use is a -necessary precaution again t PREMATURE nuitality. DISTINGIJIFJI ED PHYSIOLOGI§T HAS said that N eur igia is the cry of the hungry nerves for their fine 'al food, -which is the Phos- phorous contained in the blood. This panful dis- ease is usually font) d by general prostiation on aecount of the great este of nerve assure and in- sufficient supply of nerve force to maintain the functions of the vital lorgans. The emunten cause of Neuralgic and Rheumatic Pains la depnived Nu- trition arising froniperangements of the Stom- ach, Mal-assimilatior of Food, and Pear Blood. Dr. Wheelers CompoUnd Elixir of Phosphates and Calisaya supplies Ph4sphorous for the t nervous - system, Lime is an extant of mitrition4 Iron for the blood, and Calisaya for promoting trength. No preparation in existence it, so reliable io main- tain the vital forces and energize all th ie organs and tissues of the -body. Thomas' Eclectric Oil - WORTH TEN TINES ITS WEIOUT IN OOLD. DO YOU KNOW ANYTHDTG OF rr ? IF NOT, Ilia =MR YOU DID. There are but few preparations of iriedicine_ which have withstood the impartial judgment of the people for any great length of time; One of these if; THOMAS' ELECTRIC OIL, purely It prepar- ation of eix of some of the best oils that arh known, each one possessing -virtues of its own. Scientific physicians know that medicines may be fOrmed of several in gredients in certain fixed propeitions of greater power, and producing effects whiph could never result from the use of any one of them, or in different combinations. Thus in the preparation of this oil a chemical change takes place Pformin pip w c co not by any poss ilk be ED. 1874. made from anytiler combination or proportion of the same ing edients, or any other ingredients .. pnd entirely di orent from Anything -ever bifer, laid°, one which produces ttteinastaetoniehingii lults,- and havi g a wider range of applicatioi I than any medicine ever before discovered. It ton tains no aleohog -or other volatile liquids, cerise guently loses n thing by evaperation. Whereve applied yon get e benefit of every drop, where& with other pre, : rations nearly all the alcoholli lost in that way, and you get -only the small quail tity Of on.li wide . they may contain. . S. N. THOMAS, PuBLrs, N. Y. And NOR 's OR & LYMAN, Newcastle, Ont. , Sold in Seafo teh—D8boeyinieEient.eillodniaz.nkaso7nice&triCzoe.dand R SoleLruNnl::::11;:ni-11111:3tioes_131;a3critr:t) SES'iIirtpitI Pera :IL: niittibliillisc",i Lan nic,fiamni iniesi;g1 1.1'n thi -A- cure of all th se painful anddinagerous diseasei to which the lei ale constitution j.#3 subjeet. I moderates all ex • .ss and removes_all obstructions and a speedy cur : may be relied on. To married lad es, it is peculiarly suited, It wil In a short time, .ring on the monthly period wit] regularity. - 1 , These .Pills ah uld not be taken by Female' during the first hree months of Pregnacy, as the, are sure to firing on Miscarriage, but at any ot,h, time they.are sal . iallcases -o andSihmlAfections te; pansintteikanaimbs,fagueonaiightex ertion, palpitation of the helut, hyateries, an whites, these pills will effect a cure when all othel means have failed; and although a powerfn remedy, do not contam ir4m, calomel, antiTROUY, Jai anything hurtful to the constitution. Full directiona in the pamphlet around eaci .package, which sl ould be carefully preserved. Job Moses, Ne York, Sele Proprietor. 81.00 and 121 cents for post ge, enclosed toNorthop &Lyman, Newcastle, Out., eneralngents for the Doininion will insure a, bo tle, containing 'over .50 _pills b3 return mail. Sold in Se forth y . Hickson & Co., an R. Lurnsden. , 1974 4 .1E41iGAOL, _T M. LEET, t-' • pointed Agen pany of England, veto Capitalists • very reaeonable Charges moderat Wingc. hain, De --• - eCAUGHET 4t- torneys at Iaw, lAsoivency, Not! Solicitors for the t the Canada Life N. B.-30,000 ouses and Lots ENSON & MEYER, at Law, Solid onveyancers, No t rth and Wroxete 1 vest at once, at early. • JAS. H. )3ENSOig. olicitor, Wingliana, has been ap. for the Colonial Securities Cora- he is also Agent for several pri, f 'Tqronto, who loan Money al ates. Interest payable- year), . 15-, 1.871. 213 HOLMESTED, Barristers, At Solicitors in Chancery and ies Ptiblic and Conveyancers. LC. Bank, Seaforth. Agents for urance Company, 0 •lend at 8 per cent. Farms, sr sale. 53 , Biaristeri and Attorneys os in Chancery and Insolveney, Dries Publie, ete. Offices—Sea- . • $28,000 a Private Funds to iiht per cent. Interest, payable 53 1t, 'W. C. MEYER. ' R. SQUIE • ery, &c.'G. Detlor & Co.'s Em . . Saute BARRI S TERS, &c, . Brussels, the Post +Office. W. ll_SQT.J.LER,,, 271 G-oderi ...1_,„ ,Barrister, Attorney In Chan& deriell, Ont. Oilice--aver 3.0. iritun, Market Square. 269 I & McDonald, , Etorneys, Solicitors in Chence.ry, nt. Office—two doors lima of t , - DANIEL MoDONALD.,1 li. __ Brussel. 11110TELS. KNOX'S HOTEL, Knox begs 'AO and the travelling Hotel lately- occir:ded formerly known at; hopes to receive a' so liberally bestowimi years in the hotel convenience will lid' choicestl,iquors and A careful and reliablekostler 291 ., , T4HO1AS . SEAFORTII. — Thomas state to ibisold friends and imblic, that he has leased the by Mr. MIIRRAY, and tlie DewNEY noneE, end continuance of the patronage upon hira during his many business. Every conifortand provided for travellers. The Cigars only kept in the Bar. alt aye in attendance. KNOX, Proprietor. ROYAL HOTEL, Seaforth, Ontario. SIMON POWELL, .Propriator, The subscriber has thorougbay ,reuovated and newly furnished the abol•e house, SO thilt it now affords_ good accommo- dation for the travelling public. - Choice liquors and cigars in the ber. The table is supplied with the , delieacies in season.. Oysters in season. Large stabling aild an attentive hostler in con- nection. 251-1 • pRINOg OF NY, C. J. 11cCUTC accommodation for plied with the'very stabling attached., every day for Win, ES HOTEL, Clinton, Ont, 1 ON, Proprietor. First-elass travellers. The Bar is sup- I) st liqncrs and <agars- Geed he stage leaves this House , : •• . 204-4t FOSTER'S nOTEL, SEAFORTH. rimoNr&s FOSE I.-• begs to inform his old -a- friends and the traveling public that he has opened WS 11CW hote ,adjoining the Post Office Seaforth, 'where he has the very best accommoda- tion for man and beabt. The best of liquors land cigars at the bar. THOMAS FOSTER. Di DDICAL • . r tit. CAMPBELL, ( raduate of McGill Iliaiver- eity, Montreal,) Coroner for the County of Efuron... Office—Nex door to • Calder 13rothers'i MarbIe 'Works, and pposite McCallum's Hetei; Main -street, Seaforth, neer the Railway Station. JAMES STEWART, M. D., C.. M., Graduate ef McGill, Universit Montreal, Physician, Sur - eon, etc. Office itad esidence-13rucefield. To. RING, Beef° Coroner for tile C resi•lenee over Johns° Main-st. Calls at DR. tended to - day or nigh h, (late of Cairoubrook,) unty of Perth. Office anti Brothers' Hardware Store, KING'S office will be at- . 287 ., C. tat Physician; Sur - r for the -County of Huron. i nun of Market and High ing Mill. IT L. VERCOE, • geon, etc., Coron Office and Residence, streets, next to the Pia- - VETERINARY SUR v V. S., bees to auno Seatolth and surroun been awarded the diplo ary College, and is now otHorses and Cattle and. has opened an office inc shoeing ehop, where he tend to calls. Diseases tended to. Residence, p of Killoran & Ryan's rre exinary Medicines kap titarges reasonable: EON.—D. MeNA.DGIIT, nice to the inhabitants of 'lag country that he has of the 'Ontario Veterin- repared to treat diseases all domestie animals. He maection -with his horse - ill be found ready to at - of the feet specially at- te and shop in the .res,r store. All kinds of Vet - constantly on hand. 229 11 J. G. BII L, L.D.S., "URGE , D &c., Seaforth o. :Plate work, latest atly executed. All sur- ations performed 'with ees as low as can be ob- hours from S. A. M. to 5 G.- McDougall's Store, 270 Onta stylea,' n gical ope care and promptitude. tained else*here. Office P. M. Rooms over Mr. Main-st. rr J. CHURCHILL, V -a- • ber of the Ontario to intimate that he has r his professipn in Seafort consulted on the diseas Veterinary medicines c calls promptly attended House, Sealorth.. tarinary Surgeon., (mem- eterinary Co)lege,) begs turned to the practiee of , au&may -at all times be 0.5!" Horses, Cattle, ece. nstantly on hand. All to. Oilice, at Mansion 278 rri A. 'SHARP'S LIVERYSiND SALE STABLES. 44" Office-7,kt Murray's Hotel, Seaforth. Good Horses andifirst-class Coniveyances always onhand. lgELL S IIVBRY STAELES, ShAFORTII, Ont. Good Bfrses and Conitfortable Vehicles, always on hand. Faorabie Mrangemcnts made with Comnaerciarrravellers. 431 orders left at KNOX'S HOTEL, Will be promptly ittended to. OFFICE AIND STADLES —Tidrd door North el Knox's Hotel, Main Stree • 221 T11031/1i3S BELL, Proprietor. EXTII.ACTI,NG T It'ETH WITHOUT PA N. tit! CART WRIGHT, L. D. S„ Surgeon Dentist- \--'• attends in Seaforth, it Knox'e Hotel, the first 'Tuesday and Wednesday o each month; in Clinton, at the Commercial Hotel, on the following Thurs- days and Fridpys. The r mainder of the time at his Stratford office. Parties requiring new itieth are requested to call" if at Seaforth and Clintoni, on tne first days a at- tendance. Testimonials of ever 500 patients who have had their teeth extracted by the use of the Gas, may be seen at my office office in Stratford. Teeth inserted in the most substantial and im- proved styles. Filling done in gold, Ac., in a manner which annot be surpassed. 287; • FRB Dont I me, bo , . yon, Come hei You're thi, stead, Don't bel TT.ii:Eheeuoitwintytosinsa.il , YOU talk Oil i They'ruli. But ah, thel If only yti The merean The gee& tter risk I I Don't be 1 ,. i he great, bi And so Ini But wealth i . Don't be The banker 1 . They takAl A -h, think of • DMAI be il h 1 T e farm is J The orcha N ou are as : tain, And Men, 1 So stay on t i Though 141 ! ItemeMber til Delft be t A Capta passengers 4) ed, they had —"D 01-17t to any pne, "If he don't how does hel —Out in man down his appearan —An emb' close observe " Tinte mar measured tr day.' .—Dobson mined to giv butcher, ba,k but they put ; of before it. —Postal general use t ladies have ; —It isn't a their right n. called. a eoac and was info he could not lier pre.seriee strangem 1100Sie apolis &Wine old impertine --Quilt) an tention the you have me the woman, judgment." choice in Ina was informed =A young eently said talking ahem town—always- and yet theY while here we po that ao Eastern wome —A -wretc bright little through a pie when she and into her moth shone ireher e beyond her haven't forgo —There is 1 to a Villagen up a complime hibition, performers wI _of the paper News. —Not Iong s , took passage 'White .1,1ounta I most perpendi were apparent ; lowing dialOgu , and the cond .ti.u.etor, how do 'you want to rt iltIadame, weal •see there. - !ductor, that What would' yo tqadante, we tb ing brake, whi -end of the ea duetor,'suppos euffiCient to ch. We go then? depends sotiri lived in this wo ed, but subaiAle Priteedo But who en mond's private portion of the from it by a lig the Prince an heir apparent -young wife, the bridge and her Teck, the Duke mow) family An ladies. The Pi Ozarevnalook Arnerican vivac rather pretty, wore a train d trimmed with o; evna and the Pr the same dress figure, and Vic equally well.- iiiiLk trillmed wi from the colors and were the saw. The 'zart, her sister, and, (-irt/ti&ftc. he. ' rather stormy will, They sa's influence over amiable sister ha Hove both stat rather live with the princess. Ai lies the atmospl not only clogs bi Reversing the ezarOWitth to hi. The Prince of N mon and snobbis -on his good beh ' of his knowing fi- th prince vome four-in-han unehes with