The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-02-28
Selett Starr.
CLOSE YOUR SHUTTERS,

NV sister anu uleCtb udu BOho w r. ~
and the servants had retired, the kitchen
being, as is generally the case IN me
South, a building detached from the
house, nv
I had been very busy settling some
bousehold and other accounts, ana CouhC-
inc money Just collected, to be next DAY
denoaited in the bank, Having now con-
clnded this business, / put away my
hooks and papers, carefully locked the
money in private drawer in my secre-
farv. then producing decanter and a
small brass kettle, was presently calmly
imbibing steaming beverage OF sugar
n.iuCe, water and one or TWO QUIET
Ingredients sovereign remedy against
cold. Not that | was affected WIN thsV
complaint, but am believer IN the ad-
ACE that an ounce of prevention is worth
a pound of cure, 5o,.--.
I was Just falling into state OF luxurl-
ous drowsiness, when a slight noise at
INV window aroused me. listened and
the sound was repeated. The library, l
may observe, was on the first floor OF the
house, and the window was about elght
feet from the pavement.
Rising. | opened the window and saw
two figures standing on the portico OF the
adjoining house, which, by-the-b by, had
been unoccupied. The dim light OF the
nearest street lamp showed one OF these
men muffled in a great coat whilst from
beneath loose cloak of the other caught
a CLEAN of the belt and buttons OF po-
liCeman's uniform. o-.
Il want to speak to you, said the latter,
leaning forward and speaking In low
voice; | am officer Perrin of the Third
district. Open the door, but do it with
as little noise as possible
Iobeved, and found the two men stand
inV on the threshold. Officer Perrin, as
/ confronted him, looked not at me but
beyond me, over my shoulder into the
farthest corner of the hall, as though
searching for some one. Then, with a
silent salute, he entered, followed rather
reluctantly, it seemed-by the other man,
and both tiptoed noislessly across the
hall into the library. But first, to my
surprise, the policeman, on turning the
kew in the door, tried sthe bolt, and re-
moving the key, silently handed 1t to
me.
In the library Perrin turned to me.
'You are Mr.. Saunders, presume he
said in the same low voice as before,
whilst be carefully shook the raindrops
from his oilskin cap,
'Yes.'
'have you, or has any one OF your
household, admitted any person at the
front door within the last quarter OF an
hourp
mo, I am alone in the house. No one
but yourselves has entered
The two exchanged glauCes and signi-
ficant mods.
Then; resumed Perrin impressively,
Il have to inform you-don't be startled
or make any exclamation-that there is
probably at this moment a burglar in the
house.
"A burg
He checked me with movemenEof his
finger, and at the same time turned his
ear in a listening attitude towards the
door of the dining room adjoining.
told him. He turned on full blaze
of gas, went to the door, drawing pistol
as he did so, listened a moment or two,
then opening the door wide, gazed around
with keen, searching eyes.
is the farthest door locked and those
closets"
believed so, but he proceeded toinves.
tigate for himself, still holding the cooked
pistol in his hand, and said, as he nod
ded toward the plate on the closet shelves,
st is here that they will naturally try.
No doubt it is this that they are after,
unless you have other valuables in the
house,
Nothing, except the ladies' jewelry.'
That is up stairs suppose. We will
first search this floor thoroughly and then
proceed above
But said |, a little nervously, what
leads you to suppose there are burglars
in the house|
Il was coming up Foushee street just
now-not on duty tonight, you see
when l met this gentleman here, Mr.
-, ell" "
Goodman, James Goodman, Belvin
furniture factory said the man in the
great coat, speaking for the first time.
'Ah He stopped me and said he had
Just seen something suspiCious-a man
standing in the portico of the next house
here, leaning over and stealthily looking
in at a lighted window-this window you
see.'
Good graciousp said I, remembering
the money l had been counting. -,
That led me to watching him. said
Goodman, taking up the narrative. L
stepped into a dark doorway and saw
him come down and go up the front steps
of this house, He stood there a consld-
erable time, now and then STOPPING
down, as if doing something to the lock,
then the door opened and he went in
But the door was locked in the inside
/ said.
The policeman shrugged his shoulders.
Not much of an obstacle to this class Of
citizens. When you examine the lock
tomorrow you'll find something wrong
with it,
What's to be done?' I inquired in
some agitation. -
Capture the fellow returned Perrin
coolly, as he examined the lock Of his
revolver, and carefully placed on it new
III can count on you two, the thing
can be done at once
But am not used to this kind OF bu-
siness you see,' said Goodman, hesita-
tingly.
Your part, my friend, will be easy
enough. The thief is probably at this
moment up stairs. All you have to do is
to take your stand at the foot OF the
stairs, and shoot him if he attempts to
escape that way. Look here he added,
more earnestly, I'll not mind giving you
five, ten or fifteen dollars out of my own
pocket, if you'll only stand by me in this
matter. It's thing have been partlc-
ularly wishing fol- and now that have
the chance Pm bound to do it. They
are accusing me of hanging back in the
Ryan burglary, and if / can capture this
fellow without calling in professional as
sistance, it will be worth to me more
than the money I'll owe you
L i o.nJ hso V,loV,