The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-04-11
From the Flag of our Union.
The Burglary.
BY CHARLES F. RANDALL.

As was sitting, and reading the evenin!
paper, she whom ! am so happy as to cal
1t the pride Of my heart" said to me
Philip, am going out for short time
to call OH Mrs. Jones"
And vino is Mrs Jones ?" / asked
"A schoolmate Of Mary's, who has re
Gently come to the city
who Is going with you:"
Mary and Charley, and YOU if you will,
although | suppose you would prefer to stay
here and read that dry paper, full Of adyer-
tisemsnts"
THAT would, replied |, for / never
saw Mrs Jones, Tor ever heard of her be
fore. and never expect to again, and Charley
and Mary will certainly be escort enough for
YOU
Charley is my wifs's brother, Mary her
sister.
I Wei, you selfish maa, give me kiss
AMI I'll be gone, and she bounded out Of
/ the room.
50 l remained, and read the wants
and " losses" and auctions" and last
/ chances" and selling offs" and dry
! goods and groceries, aud lumber, and
- ways to get rich" which is only Choctaw
! for ways to keep poor, and the thousand
other things which covered the paper, and
" "
pcndous house breaking. which surpassed
any attempt that had been made for a long
period.
Then threw down the paper and applied
myself vigorously to my cigar, for my wife,
dear little soul, allows me to smoke as much
a | plcase-yts, and in the house toe yea.
verify, even IN her best parlor, Il please
but generally choose the library; and Sic
doesn't scoId me about spelling her splendid
dainask curtains, as Mrs. Brown does her
husband
| know that poor Brown cannot smoke in
his house, for as | met him one morning
walking to his Office with cigar in his
mouth, said to him Why, Brown, how
Is it tha, man of your standing smokes in
the street,"
because am 4 great lover 0f cigars"
But why don't you snake at home;
street putting isn't quite the thing -
"Well, the truth Is" said Brown, the
smell Of cigar smoke makes my wife SICK
Although he said i with good deal Of
nonsha,ance, sIw that it was not " the
truts,' bat flo. and | knew that the fact
was, that Mrs. Brown had not the faintcst
idea Of allowing her lord and master to ruin
Ter fine curtains, and that lie vas painfully
aware of the existence of the power which
forbade it,
Now my wife says TO me: Certainly.
you can smoke in the parlor if you choose.
:" But may spo!l your drapcries, my
dear
"Well, yen know if you can give Inc
more when those are ruined"
There's a wife for you,
The consequence is, that having full libcr-
", don't use it once an aCe--l wonder il
the little witch knows the reason-but pre-
fer to fumgate my own library, where a
short distance back you left me with feet as
high my chin, blowing tremendous clouds.
As sat watching the smoke | ran over
in my mind what had been reading, and at
last | came to the robbery.
The greatest one for a series Of months /.
well planned and boldly executed" said the .
paper.
pondsred upon it. | wondered if the .
rogue would be caught-if any one was sus-
pected-if ne was a young or an old man,
and what he would do with the property. /
Finally drew up before me an imaginary
picture Of the scene.
The night was dark and drzzly, not a
rainy night, but thick and fogey one. Not
a solitary star peeped out. Over the city
cloud Of dampness hung, through which
struggled the rays Of the gas lights. ltwas
past midnight; but few persons were abroad.
Only here and there watchman moving
with slow and heavy feet, or couple of
halt-drunken clerks, reeling to their uneasy
beds. Soon the form of man, enveloped
il a large cloak, and wearing souched hat,
passed rapidly down the street, and paused
at last opposite a large five story house. He
rcconnotred it for moment, and tEen dis
from the view of any passer-by,
down an alley between it and the next
l. IF D
ment window, not above sixteen inches
square, consisting Of four panes of glass
He tried it but it would not open. Drawing
from his pocket piece of brown paper he
applied it to one of the squares. and by press
ing it on carefully with his hand caused it
TO stick. Then striking it blow with his
fist, the glass was cracked without noise into
a dozen fragments, and on withdrawing the
paper the pieces came away with it, leaving
a large hole through which he put his arm,
undid the fastening, and opened the window.
Throwing off his cloak he lowered himself
into the room. Here he lighted dark Ian
tern which he drew from his pocket, placed
a revolver in a belt around his waist, and
taking in his hand bunch of keys ascended
the stairs. He found the plate closet, and
after a few unsuccessful attempts succeeded
in unlocking it. In bag which he drew
rom his pocket he placed the silver, and
leaving the package upon the floor, assembled
to the chambers, where he pocketed all the
ewelry, watches, and money of the occu-
pants, rolled up in large bundle quantity
of fine clothing, passed down stairs, and
taking the bag of plate, descended with all
MS SPOTS to the basement. Thrusting his
booty out of the window, he climbed out
lim elf upon it. In about five minutes a
-attling of wheels was heard, wagon drove
ID and low whistle was sounded. He
from the passage, placed his articles
n the team, got in himself, and off it drove.
The thing was done. Calmly and quietly it
lad been gone through with. and the inmates ,
we're still sleeping, unconscious that the
'poiler had been among them. Then the ,
lesire came over me to do some such thing (
myself. l thought how grand and easy it
would be to perform such an operation. l 1
hought of the fun Of reading in the NOR 1
ow's paper some like this: I
Bold AND SUCCESSFUL RoBBKRY Last {
light the house Of ID. Somebody, ESQ.,, No. 4
y, Three hundred and Thirteenth Street,
II =