The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-01-17
A Burglar Robs Long-Lost Brothers
House.

Some ten years ago two brothers left
their home in Illinois and came 10 Cali
fornia. The elder was man of the
most steady habits, who had received
thorough business education in his native
State, and who had made up his mind to
prosper IN the new country he had chosen.
The other was inclined TO be dissipated,
and had figured in so many scrapes at
home that he stood in very bad odOr in
his village. The brothers lived together
for some time in San Francisco, while
both looked for situations. The younger
brother fell into bad company and bad
habits, and after few months they sepa-
rated by mutual consent. The elder OBJ
tanned situation in wholesale store as
porter, and by his diligence and steadi-
ness soon worked himself into the conf
dence of his employers. OF his brother
he saw little. One day note reached
him from his wild relative, who was con-
fined IN the city prison on II charge of
petit larceny. He bailed him out and
employed counsel to defend him. Though
circumstantially evident that the prison
er had committed the crime alleged, vet
the actual proof was 80 meager that in
his trial at the Municipal Court he was
acquitted. The elder brother now re-
nounced the criminal altogether, and I'M
til Christmas eve they had not met for
nearly ten years. Advancing rapidly in
the esteem OF his employers the indus
trious young man soon found himself in
the receipt Of a good salary, and gradu-
ally rose to partnership in the firm
which he had entered as store porter
He purchased house on Bush street,
married a lady with considerable fortune
of her own, and on last Christmas he saw
three beautiful childrenaround him to en-
JOY the wonders of the Christmas tree.
That night the family retired about mid
night. Toward 2 o'clock in the morn
ing the gentleman heard noise below
stairs, and moving quietly out OF bed,
stood ut the head of the stairs 10 assure
himself that his suspicious of burglars
being III the house were correct. The
CLEAN Of candle III the parlor assured
him, and returning to his bedroom and
arming himself, he crept down stairs to
capture the thief He had proceeded so
cautiously that the burglar was not
aware of any one stirring in the house
hold, and when he reached the parlor
N''t ho saw a. man CIlAttdNOIluR W IJIN
open the buffet where he kept his silver.
Leveling his revolver at the thief, he
shouted, Stop, or you are dead man,
and he had the burglar completely at
his mercy.
The Jimmy" dropped from his
nervous hands, and the gentleman was
advancing to secure him, when to his III
finite horror he perceived that it was his
younger brother whom he had thus de-
tected III the act of crime. Both stood
motionless for a moment, and then the
unfortunate wretch, dropping on his
knees, cried out: :" As God is my Judge,
Robert, / did not know that you lived
here y The other believed him, and
bidding him sit down, asked him what
could have led to the commission of
such crime. Twas the old story
Liquor and evil companions. That
night the would-be burglar slept under
the roof of his forgiving brother, who,
when he told this strange story to our
reporter, declared with tears III his ewes
that he intended to save him, if possible,
and was going to give him employment
III his own store. He said If he could
only reclaim his erring brother it would
be the best and dearest Christmas pres
ent he could expect. The reckless man
appears to be truly penitent, and this
extraordinary meeting may be the means
of saving him from the States prison or
even the gallows. San Francisco Bulle-
tim