Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-08-22
VOL. 3.----NO. 43.

OF doing business, Tor don choose W
be interrupted"
"Go on, Mr.. Wood" said the editor.
And he threw himself back in his chair,
half watched all the motions of his COM
pany. "a
My name is Wood. am celebrated
as aburglar. The police know it, Bn'
we have mutual interest in supporting
each other, IL there were no burglars
society would need no police, burglars
! would be too abundant. All world be
come burglars, and the business would
be improbable. /"
"Curious philosophy"
.Good as any other, sir, besides being
practical and founded upon acknowledg-
ed social facts instead of intellectual the
ories.
@Well, weli--go on" 9k
IL robbed Mr.. --'s store in Market
street the other night. You must have
heard of it. Seventeen thousand dollars
worth of goods missing in three hours!
hater myself that was a neat Job
creditable even TO my handiwork.
{ Our editor started.
'.Oh it's all right, sir. The police
know it very well. But'they have not
ihe proof. They put therefore, one half
The reward offered in one private spot.
and in anoiher the next day they find all
the missing goods. This you'll per-
ceiye, is fair transaction. And the law
mus, have victim, green horn, whom
took into the speculation with me- to
watch the door, gets nabbed by the po-
lice, and goes to the pc enitentisry, TO
keep him out Of farther bad association. +"
"Is i, possible!" mused the editor.
s.Bul die not come here to boast.
And now after this preface, which yor
will find was necessary, 10 enable you
fully to comprehend my position. sir, Jet
+ me explain the purpose OF nv visit. l
have lamily-a wife and three daugh-
iers. They are respectable. as the world
, calls it. They eat well, drink well,
. tdress well, and were happy, until you,
. sir, inierfered with their felicity, and
tried 10 lender them miserable ".s
/ IL, sir, pooh" said the startled editor.
, "les, sir, you-my family did not
! share in ny ignominy. they passed
, in society by another name, and having
, comfortable means, were always well
, coined by troops of friends, in every
quarter. Yes, sir, they were happy
/ And if ever enjoyed myself in my life
, il was those moments when, having
completed some professional job ina ira
| ly artistic manner, have gone home con
, tented, and listened TO The endearing pratt
J lie of my light. hearted anu innocent
: children"
/ Here the burglar wiped away tear
r and continued:
: you, sir, have put an end 10 all this
: felicity. You have snatched from me
my only cup of consolation You have
) plunged four guiliess unsuspecling crea-
/ lures into anguish and distress. and !
: have now come, sir, to see If you have
!, the heart Of man, or are disposed 10
strew with poison the life path OF these
helpless beings, as an atonement for what
; you may conceive my depredations upon
the community"
IL don't understand you, sir.
IL was temporarily arrested the other
day and discharged The next day
/, started off to Wilmington, to place my
daughters at an elegant school, TO I'll
them with the accomplishments that So
ciety deems indispensable. left them
; ihere--went 10 Baltimore-leturned 10
Wilmington. AT the school | found
your paper, sir; and your reporter, not
conten. with publishing my arrest, and
, speaking of me in terms calculated TO
induce everybody TO look upon me as a
leper, gave my aiias-the name under
which my family had lived SO long and
) so happily, uniainted with my profes-
sional reputa,ion! My daughters were
J courleously turned on, of the school.
.When arrived here / discovered
that my wife had been compelled to aban-
don our home. The band was uponns!
/, We had no friends-no home! The
} finger Of scorn pointed at US every foot.
step! Aud though / could have well
borne this mystlf,it almost breaks my
/, heart to see my innocent wife and chill
dren thus stricken down as it were, by
, the lightning Of the press, at my feet"
Upon my soul, ills hard" exclaim-
cd the editor.
s.Hard, sir! Icould hare killed you
} but murder is not in my line, and is
seldom profitable. My family is about
TO take up new residence, under new
i name. Let that name be sacred and
they may again be happy. Expose IL
; and as life will be no longer valuable to
me, yours will have. certainly, tenure
: limited only by mysown. You under
, stand, sir. 8K
!, .sPerfectly. Their names shall never
! be mentoned--not on account of yonI
) threats. however, but on the score Of hu-
mainly" ~
Mr.. Wood bowed his head and with
drew.
; This incident is truth--every word o
it--although i, may resemble romance.
=, U Place basin of colo water be.
side your bed. When you first awake
| h... in tho ha.