Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 July 1858 — How the Sun Caught a Thief in the Act. [ARTICLE]

How the Sun Caught a Thief in the Act.

Five or six days ago, says a P arris paper,! Mr. X , n photographer, allured by the! brightness of the sun and the softness of the air, provided himself with necessary baggage and hastened to Fountainebleau to take views of the forest. lie installed himself in very picturesque quarters, erected! his apparatus, prepared'his plates, opened” his object-glass, ahd, enveloping at once his ecsennd-his head in a large dark and fluctuant veil, set himself to the task pf seizing! the objects in view. H e had just taken out liis proof from the dark chamber, and was [ subjecting it to chemical reactions, when a strong hand was placed on his shoulder. He turned round hastily, and found himself in the presence of a species of giant, meanly attired! who, by gesture!and voice, demanded his pufse. ’ ' . ’ ,j X is not a Hercules, and from the first elanee cast toward his adversary, he concluded that all resistance was useless, file, therefore, politely offered his purse, which was accepted with thankfulness. The robber bowed, and, leaving him to his resignation, went into the depths of the forest. Pjoor X . meditating on his sad lot, remained some time motionless; his looks were mechanically set on his phonographic proof; he mused upon it with u diverted and unconcerned eye; suddenly—“ What is this!” exclaimed lie; “what is the human form in this coppice, under the shade of this oak! Heavens! should I believe my eyes’ It is him; it is iny robber perfectly delineated, and very easy to be recognized. O Providence! U" divine s'iin, iny co-laborer, how well you do things!” On his return, he re--paired to the pofwe Commissioner's at Foun-j taineblejui. related iiis adventure, exhibited his pmo.-plate, and the malefactor’s likeness. Iloxt djy, with thfe aid of this singu-, lar description, the rubber was arrested.