Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-05-18
A conscientious Thief.

who do know me will not. Still it lie
quite true.
Reginald was pleasant old gentleman,
with fine sense of humor. He had con-
siderable property, and lived on Wimble-
dom Common.
He had one beautiful daughter-but
that is not to the point.
One afternoon, as Old Reginald was
reading books in his drawing room. il was
announced to him that Common Man de-
sired to speak with him
He gave orders that the Common Man
should be admitted. And admitted the
Common Man was.
He was a very Common Man, indeed.
A tall, stumbling, Unlocking fellow, nth
an irresolute manner and shrinking eye.
He was dressed as costermongers are dres-
sed when following their calling.
What is your pleasure, good sir 7 said
Old Reginald.
Beg pardon, guv'nor,' said the Common
Man. L hope you won't be hard on me-
Not at ALL replied Old Reginald.
T'm-Im burglar said the Common
Man.
Indeedr said Reginald. Take
chair
Thank you kindly, guv'nor,' said he.
but I'd rather stand
And he did stand.
So far there is nothing very creditable
in my story. But it gets more remarkable
as it goes on.
How do you like your profession ? said
Old Reginald.
We'll, guv'nor,' said the Common Man,
I don't like it nowadays, and that's it,
That's what?
That's why I'm here. / belongs to a
gang of twelve wot's working these parts
lust now. We cracks cribs by turns. It's
its my turn tonight
And the burglar wept like a child.
This, 1 presume, is Remorse, said Old
Reginald.
No. guv'nor, it amt Remorse,' said the
burglar. .It's Funk
The same thing said Reginald.
1T amt the being burglar that l OBJ
ieet to. It's the having to commit bur-
glaries. like the credit of it, sir; it's the
danger object to-
i see.'
Now, by the laws of our gang, were
bound to crack cribs in turn. That Is 10
say, one of US crack the cribs while the
other eleven stops outside and gives the
office
I thought burglars always worked in
twos or tbrees." said Old Reginald.
'P'rsps I ought to know bestF sug-
gested the burglar.
Perhaps you are right Indeed, l am
sure you ought. What crib do you pro-
pose to crack tonight 2
This here ONE
Mine Y
'Yourn.'
'Ohp
And old Reginald prepared to ring the
bell.
Please don't do that. guv'nor. You
amt never ag'in TO give me into custosyT
L think had better
mo, no, guV'nor, don't do that. Li-ten
to me first. l amt agoin' to hurt you
It's my turn to crack your crib tonight
Now, will you help me ?
I hardly see my way said Old Reei-
nald, thoughtfully. Still ii can be of
any use
Look here, guv'nor, each member Of
cur gahg is bound TO get fry p unds
worth of swag from each crib be cracks.
If he don't he's shot. Now sac band
some silver s4lver and coffee-pot and
cream Jug as L came in here. Wot'
might be the value of that handsome ell
yer salver and cnffee-pot 2
The cream ing is electro. The coffee
pot, with sugar basin and salver, may be
worth five and forty pounds
That's near enough. I'll take EN-
Here il fiImsey for fifty quid.'
And be handed Old Reginald a bank
note for the amount.
Still don't quite understand-
Il want you, guv'nor, To be so good as
TO leave your bedroom window open to
night, and place that sslver and them sill
yer Tres where I can get 'em. I shall
have cracked my crib, bagged my swag,
snd made myself safe until my turn csms
round again
Certainly said Old Reginald, holding
up the note to the light. But let me
ask, how can you afford 70 pay so hand
someIy for Your depreciation ?
There YVES a dozen on US, sir. L sch
on US cracks crib once in four menths,
and each swsgs at least fifty pounds
more, but at least that
After each plant the profits are divided
Last quarter the twelve cribs cracked
brought us in eleven hundred pounds
that's ninety pounds odd apiece. When
my turn comes pay fair price for the
fifty pounds worth 1 swag for I have
been honorsbly brought up,) and / gets
forty pounds to the good. And forty
pounds quarter Is hundred and sixty
pounds year And lives on it. Some
times it's more-now and then lis less,
but whatever it is lives on it.
And the honest fellow took a receipt
for note and departed.
Old Reginald was as good as his word
He left his bedroom window open end
placed the salver where the honest urglar
WIS SIS good as his word, and al 2 o'clock
in the morning he c me and found it.
So far. al Was simple and straightfor-
ward e:iough. But now comes the Curl
Ous and Incredible part of the story.
The fifty pound note was part of the
proceeds of the previous burglary. The
number of the note was known and traced
10 old Reginald. who bad to account for
is being in his possession.
Now the twelve burglars in the mean
time had been arrested by the police
his il also Incredibly and were cor
lemned TO penal servitude for life.
So old Reginald had no hesitation 10
stating the facts as l have stated them.
No one believed him as no one will
me-
So be appealed to the honest burglar to
,orroborate his story.
But the honest burglar bad discovered
he whole thing, coffee pot, salver and all,
Vas the commonest electric, was so
hooked at old Reginald's dishonesty that
Tot only did he decline to corrobnrate his
tory, but actually, and L think very
properly, identified him as an accomplice.
And old Reginald was also sentenced
o penal servitude, and he and the honest
burglar worked fer many years together
IN the same works, and had many oppor-
unities of talking the matter over from
is moral. social and political point Of
'iew.-Load0n Fan.
How TO AROUSE HIRED GIRL
)ne night recently DIR. Peck of st. Johns
Jury, and his wife returned TO their house