Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-09-14
NEW SERIES, vol. 3, NO. As
TALES AND SKETCHES.
MRS. HOUGHTON,s car.
w HO WAS THELB URGLAR
BY CAROLINE r. PRESTON.

small party, at late hour in the evening.
1t was very dark night ht--darkness solid
enough to cut, as somebody has expressed
it. Under the circumstances it was not per
haps strange that Mr.. Jones found consider
able difficulty in finding the way home, ia.
miliar as it was. 'NNh i.'lt 'at
At length, with feeling of relief, he turn
ed into the street which be lived.
should say into the street which he suppose
he lived. The fact was that he mistook the
street, and turned into one running parallel
to it. .#s .aa n n .H..
"Now where's my house ~ thought Jones.
It was rather hard to tell He tried with
his eyes to peer through the darkness, but
not very successfully. At last he discerned
an outline that looked like the front of No.
60, which he occupied.
"Yes,p said he confidently, and with a
feeling of decided relief, "that's it." ..a
But he was mistaken. ..-
1t was the residence of Mr. Houghton, a
dry goods merchant. .iG.I .ul
But how should Jones know9 He couldn't
read the name on the door plate. However
he felt SO confident he was right, that he
probably wouldn't have done so if he could.
He took out his latch-key, and inserted
it in the proper place.
BY very curious coincidence, and unfor
tunately for Mr.. Jones, as it proved, his
latch-key fitted Mr.. Houghton's door, The
door few open, as if to its lawful proprietor,
and Jones entirely unconscious that he was
committing grave offence in the eye of the
law, stepped TRANQUILITY inside.
1t was about twelve o'clock. Every soul
was in bed and asleep l ought to except
Mrs. Houghton, who had been kept awake
by a severe tooth ache .
Jones CROPPED his way along until he came
to the hat stand, which happened to occu-
py position similar to that in his own hall,
and quietly took off his coat and hung it
up. His hat ditto. He then thought he
would make his way out into the dining
room opening out of the hall at the end, and
light the gas.
II should think Mrs. Jones might have
kept the hall burners lighted" he said to
himself
"She knew was going to stay out late.
Confound it."
This last exclamation WAS elected by a
stumble over an article of furniture in the
dining room, which he had already entered.
Jones fell over it with considerable violence,
producing confusion on the knee, and a
trifing pain in that bone sometimes denom-
mated the crazy.bone.
Its a regular man trap" muttered Jones,
picking himself up somewhat irritaby.-
"What is it have stumbled over2"
He felt about, thinking it might be chair,
but his astonishment may be conceived
when he discovered, by his sense of feeling,
the offending article was cradle.
"a cradle in my house |" he exclaimed
"What can it mean ?"
Mr.. Jones' youngest child was ten years
old, so that he had some ground for his sur
prise.
"a cradle!N he repeated. "Good hea-
vens Has Mrs. Jones been entertaining
babies during my absence Even if she
has, she might have the good sense to put
away the cradle, 80 that needn't break my
shins over it,"
He made stride forward-an unfortu-
nate step it proved. The table was laid for
breakfast-the custom in that household,
but not in that of Mr. Jones. Coming into
violent collision with it, the table was tipped
| over and there was tremendous smashing
of crockery, making a hideous racket.
Good gracious!' thought Jones, "what
on earth induced Mrs. Jones to set the ia
BILE over night, on this particular occasion.
| She never has done so before. I suppose
have destroyed ten or fifteen dollars worth
deduct it out of her pin money"
Meanwhile in the chamber above, Mrs
| Houghton had striven in vain to find relief
from her tooth-ache, She tried cloves she
tried tooth ache drops, and various other
remedies, but all to no purpose. The dsa.
greeable pain would not be exercised. She
envied Mr.. Houghton, who lay in tranquil
| slumber unheeding her torments.
Ill af once she thpupht sha heard the
outer door open Still she could hardly
believe it. 1t must be her Imagination. She
| thought, however, she would listen again.
| No; she was not mistaken. She certainly
| did hear step in the hall.
Mrs. Houghton began to be frightened.
"Could it be burglars Z"
Next came the sound of Jones, stumbling
over the cradle.
"It must be somebody" thought Mrs
| Houghton, neryously. "Shall wake Mr.
Houghton2 Il. do, and he goes down, and
if burglars. they will very likely shoot him
I'll wait minute"
She did wait a minute.
I Then came the fearful crash of crockery
a sound which Mrs. Houghton heard with
degree of terror which quite cured the tooth
ache She felt that she could no longer
stand it alone So she gave her husband q
vigorous shake.
whats wanted2" demanded he, drowsiy
more than half asleep.
"Wake upl"
'Is it morning2"
"No, but you must wake up at once !"
"What for2 what's the matter Z"
| "There's matter enough |" exclaimed Mrs
Houghton, in an energetic whisper. 'ThereI
afburglar in the house !" r.....
"a what ~ ."
"a burglar! heard him come in. He'
making tremendous noise below. thinl
there may be two or three of them"
Whats to be done2" said Houghton, nov
fairly awake.
they'll carry off my silver. I forgot t.
bring it up tonight"
"pve got pistol" said Mr.. Houghton
"and believe it is loaded
"Then you'd better go down stairs an,
use it," said his wife, her anxiety about he
silver getting the better of her anxiet
for her husbands safety.
There was another crash, and loud ex
elamation from Jones, as he stepped on
dish which had thus far lay uninjured, an
demolished it.
"He's swearing" said Mrs. Houghton.-
sob, do 60 down quick, before he gets O
the silver"