Smyrna times., 1874-03-25
MiSceIIUv f as.
That Broadspoon.

set eyes on him. In the first place, what
right has Q man to be named BrOadspoon
1t can't even be called outlardish, but it is
outrageous. Still this might have been
blind, unreasOnIng prejudice on my part, as
my wife said it was but when | saw his face
knew in a moment just what he was There is
q saying to the effect that the world is made
up of fools and knsves, or fats and sharps, as
some one expresses it, but | know one man, at
least that is good deal of both.
When Broadspoon came to me with that
amiable grin of his, a long sight too amabe
to be pleasant, knew he was up to some mis-
| chief, though, of course, it was beyond human
saeacity to fathom it at the time.
"Going to surprise jerks to-night?" said
he. sIapping me familiary on the back
moved away FROM him about three feet.
Surprise Jenks!' said |, surprised myself
| and very much puzzled. "HewP'
80, our crowd expect to go there tonight"
Now, it there is one thing that | despiss
more than another it is surprise party Vul-
gar things at the best-and to be spoken to as
one of our crowd-BrosdspOOn's crowd-was
beyond my patience; so burted out, not so
amishly as BrOadspOon had spoken:
No. | hate such affairs. Besides, Mrs
Jones has cold, and | wouldn't think of
taking her out at night, and L m not quite too
we'll myself" l added that much for the sake
of being civil. Good morning" said he,
and | saw a very curious expression pass over
| his face. | did not understand it at the time,
hut it meant something, as | afterwards found
You see, he had plainly told me that he was
going TO Jenks that evening. That is my first
| point agains. him.
sent word to jerks that Broadspoon and
his crowd we're going to make raid upon him
and that he had better be prepared for them,
and the whole thing passed out OF my mind.
That night Sarah Jane and we're about re
tire;ng We had taken a bowl of onion syrup
\ between us and football apiece, and were
wrapped in flannel up to our noses, when we
heard very singular noiSe-a sound like the
rasping of file-apparently at the back base
ment door. There is an alleyway from our
yard that leads hack to the next street, the
gate of which is always locked, but is only ten
foot high, and nothing would be easier than
for man to climbit
| hunted up an iron bed key we have 1t
| looks exactly like a pistol in its outline, and
opening the window pointed down into the
yard. aud called ont:
"Who is there? Answer orI 6re!''
! The noise ceased, and as it was showing very
hard, AMI blowing harder, | retreated in haste
| 80. John, john come in - called my wife,
cred in our beds. Wen be robbed Of every.
|
steal the baby"
What was l to do? | locked the doors Of
the he'd rooms but all our valuablss we're on
the aOors below. We we're alone 10 the house,
our domestic having gone out for the night.
| Pretty soon we heard the chink of silver and
something fell and shattered. The house was
30 still we could even hear them whisper
Hushi"
looked out Of the front window, hoping a
l h..k l,,oL
There did not seem TO be soul stirring.
I" ! must 90 for the police" | said.
"Dnn't leave me. Don't leave me John.
They'll kill me and the babyl cried my
wife
She couldn't 20 along. What was to do ?
put on the first things that happened TO
come handy. They were, as | aiterward dis
covered. a pair of India.rubber boots and my
wife's water proof cloak. AS for hat, my
hats were on the rack in the hall.
81 must leave you for few moments, Sarah
Jane" l said, only few moments. | will
hasten back Be brave The doors are
locked"
We embraced, and went out on the bal,
cony. There is another balcony below, con-
nscted with it by iron-wUrk uprights, and
from that to the front steps il but a trihe
You'll fall" shrieked Sarah Jane but
did not reached the ground in safety, and
the police station in an incredibly short space
of time.
Ihad on my red flannel night-cap, which
has, | regret to say, a dropping tassel, and
suppose was a rather peculiar object, for
some one at the station laughed at me-some
one who did not know my cause for agitation
and alarm.
IL want pelice oficsr-twO or three Of
them" said 1.
"Sit down and wait FIVE minutes" said the
man spoke to.
Sit down waitl the idea was preposterous.
"Sepd thsm Immediately they come" said
|, giving my address and hurrying away.
Sarah Jane is usually very sensible for a
woman bat | must csnfsss | was provoked
with her for the first thing she said to me
when [ got home was
"Jshn, the house hss been 80 very quiet.
Don't you think it might have been csts?
or course l didn't harbor the idea for q
minute, but the house was very quiet, and
concluded that, on the whole, | had better
6nd out what was really happening. confess
il reouired some courage. / took the bed key
I havs already mentioned and the bedroom
: poker in one hand. and with candle in thu
other went and peeped over the stairs The
parlor floor was quiet. The burglars, whoever
they we're, were still in the basement.
descended cautiously to the kitchen stairs
heard them whispering when | got thar far
| hid my candle and put my head forward
holding the door at the foot Of the stairs on
. crack. Through the glass door Of the kitcheT
| saw them.
Cats, indeed! Sarah James cats we're 81,
feet high at least. One Of them wore ne
gro's NJ ask, and Oae black fur muffin. Boil
were partly pushed back and under the blscl
fur | saw, without the shadow Of a doubt
d Broadspeoa's ioering face-BrOadspoen, VIII
had given me his word that he shouid be a
jerks. They hold between them the silye
tea-urn, presented to me by the X. Z. o. 50
q c;sty. and know not what else shut th'
door softly and hew up stairs on tiptoes.
"What is ii?'' said Sarah Jane.
burglars" said /, with the quiet Of des
:. Aud Broadspson 10 one Of them. thinl
you'll trust me next time. I'm never mis-