New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-02-24

been pursued by murderer in the nightmare
| at length got into the room, CROPPED for chair
and sat down No more hurry now o. no
There was plenty Of time, and plenty to do il
it, for had to wipe away the perspiration thai
ran DOWN my face in streams.
What was to be done What had done q
n trife, mere trihe. ! had only sneaked into
gentlemnn's house by the area window, and
pocketed his tablespoons; and here | was
locked aud belled in, sitting very comfortably
IN the dark and alone, in his drawing room.
Very particularly comfortable; what capital
follow to be sure What an amusing person
age Wouldn't the baronet laugh in the morn
ing Wouldn't he ask me TO stay to break
| fast And wouldn't eat heartily out Of the
spoon J had stolen But what name is that
Who calls me householder Who gives me in
charge Who lugs me off by the neck will
| not stand it. ] am innocent except of breaking
into baronet's house | am gentleman, with
another gnntlemans spoons in my pocket.
claim the protection Of the law. Police POI
| lice
| My brain was wandering. | pressed my hand
upon my wet forehead, to keep down the thick
coming iancies, aud determined, for the first
time in my life, to hold deliberate consulta-
! ton with myself | was in an awkward predic
| ament--it was impossible to deny the fact but
was there any thing really serious in the case
| had unqucstionably descended into the wrono
area, the right hand one; but was | notactually
| the relation-the distant relalJn-the very dis
tant relation--of the next door neighbor |
hal been four years absent from his house, and
was there any thing more natural than that |
| should desire to pay my next visit through n
subterranean window ! had appropriated, it
y true, Iuahtlty Of SILVER plate ! ilad FOUND ;
but with what other intention could have done
this than TO present it to my very distant rell-
tons daughter, aud T4proach her with her
! carelessncss in leaving it next door
ihtily, was snafel, cagel' trapped--do3r
ana "lhdoW had been bolted upon me without
any femonstrance ON my part-and was now
/ some considerable time IN the house, unsus-
| Pected' yet a prisoner The position was serious;
uu' come pPose ule worst that l was actu-
| ally lall hold oil as malefactor, and command
/ ell e give an account Of myself
Well, was, as aforesaid, n distant relation of
| the individual next floor. belonged to nobody
| in the world II not to him bore but an indif-
| ferent reputation in regard to steadness and
! after four years absence in a foreign country,
! had returned idle, penniless, and objectless-
| just in time to find an area window open in the
| dusk Of the evening, and n heap Of plate lying
behind ii, within view Of the street
This sclf-eyamination was not encouraging ::
the case was decidedly queer and ms I sat thus
4 bordering in the dark, with the spoon in my
hand, am quite sure that ne malefactor in a
| dungeon could have enyied my reflections
In fact, the evidence was 50 dead against me-
that | began to doubt my own innocence. What
was here for, if my intentions had really been
honest3 Why should desire to come into any
individuals window instead Of the door
And how came it that all this slyer-plate had
found its way into my pockets: ] was angry as
Well as terrified; was Judge and criminal in
one ; but the instincts Of nature got the better
Of my sense Of judgement, and rose suddenly
up, to ascertain whether it was not possible to
get from the window into the street
As | moved, however, the horrible booty
had in my pockets moved likewise, appearing to
Inc 10 Shrek. Ike a score Of fends--.. Police ,
Police I" and the next instant heard a Quick
fjrtst6 assembling the stair. Now was the fatal
moment come | was on my feet my eyes
glared upon the door my hands were clcnched
! the perspiration had dried suddenly upon my
skin; and my tongue Glove to the roof of my
mouth But the footstcp, accompanied by a
glcam Of light, passci--passed and from very
weakness J at down again, with dreadful in
difference % the screams Of the plate in my
pockets
Presently tlare were more footsteps along the
hail; tAcn voices then drawing Of bolts md
creaElHE OF locks, then utter darhnes tiIen 81
lence-l3stlng. terrible, profound. The house
had gone 70 bed the house would quickly he
asleep r. WIS time to be up and doing.
But. inst ami foremost, must get rid d the
plate. without that hideous cOrpUs deflcti, l
-Houd have some chance. ! must, at all iaz-
atAs, creep down into Inc hail. find my way %
ne lower regions and replace the accursed
tang where found 1t. II required nerve to
attempt tins but was thoroughly wound up;
anu after allowing reasonable tlnle 70 eapse,
TO give nay eneHles an opportunity OF falling
asleep, set out upon the adventure
Inc door creaked as ! went out; the plate
graiel against my very soul rs descended the
s. eI- but slowly sJedIt4lly, crept aie'g u79
wall anu 1t length louni myself On the level
lJor J here was but enc door on that side u
tAe nat4' ne door Whleh lei 70 the area-room--l
recolieetei the TACT qistinctiy-and 1t was with
lns%lfessiolg rehei reached It IN safety ana
graspe1 me KNOB IN my manu- Inc knob turned;
ont the 4oor dla not open It was locked 1t was
my late 10 ne thlefi anu oiter a moment o.
ne" usmay, turned again doggedly, reached
tAe star any fe-ehtered the apartment hat
left.
IL WAS IKE getting nome, 1t was snug and
private. haa "A char there waiting me. l
Thought TO myself That many a man would take
the trouble to break INTO such house had
MY sheaEed- l'Wonaered how Jack sheppard
lei On such occasions had seen HIM at the
AHelphl IN the person Of Mrs. Keel y, anu da-
llhs little deg ne was lie would make Moth
ing Of getting down INTO the street from the
window, spoons ana All. tired TINS the shut
,ets Meig ny engn cIsgu Hno ale s'!sh moving
T. .t''', ~ - III
Vt' oi' ele anu iooN9u o1el,