The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-10-15
MRS. LYTE'S BURGLAR

Mrs. Lyte was widow, gentle. timid,
sensible, and lovely; she had money
enough to be comfortable, and silver
enough to be worried; for in her house
were only her old mother, her young
son, and the late Mr. Lyte's sister; and
the house was q pretentious mansion
outside. looking rs if the owner had
lavished OH it all the caprices of wealth.
And so he had. for Mr.. Lyte's salary
had been large, though with true Amer
lean carelessness he had spent it all, ex-
cept rs much as maintained his life-in-
surance: this, indeed, was all, besides
his house, that was lett to the widow
and Sam; and rs the man had been dea-
con of y church and president of tenn
perance society, besides dying in his own
bed of malignant erysipelas, the company
in which lie was insured made but a
feeble threat of disputing the premium,
and after years delay ten thousand
dollars were put in Pembroke bank to
Mrs. Lyte's account, and she was not
Obliged to sell her silver, which was an
heirloom on both sides OF the house, and
dear from association. But, rs L have
said, she was naturally i timid woman.
and the consciousness OF those forks and
spoons and ladies and tea-sets-for there
were two packed away in her garrett
made her awake to every noise. and sus-
picious of every strange face; yet she
knew that Pembroke had never been a
place attractive to burglars, and her
common sense strove hard to put down
her fears. But after Mr.. Lyte had left
her without protector for several years,
and Sam was a big boy of thirteen, ali
Pembroke was stirred to its depths by
ROBBERY Of the spoon factory. Strange
to say. sixty dozen plated spoons were
carried from the Pembroke plating COM
pany's warehouse, dropped all along the
street, and after weeks excitement dis
covered in the barn of Il prominent cltl-
zen, secreted in his corn bin, under the
corn. If the terrorists could have paused
to consider the situation, they would
have seen at once that no professional
burglar had conducted this robbery; but
terrorists do not reflect, and the women
in Pembroke were in a state of great ex-
citement. Mrs. Lyte trembled tor her
silver, and longed to be able to find some
sure protector for it. She thought OF
the bank vault; but in these days bank
is the first resort of burglars; her garret
was far safer. Then she remembered
her terrier; but how easily a dog could
be poisoned! Sam had q pistol, to be
sure, yet it was questionable what use ne
could or would make of it under direct
alarm. Mrs. Hill, her mother, was
courageous old lady, and laughed at
Emma's fears; Miss Lyte was an invalid.
confined to her room, and not allowed
to hear these outside affairs; and Sam
clustered great deal, as boys will, but
not to much reassuring of his mother,
who found her only sympathizer in the
person of her pretty niece, Annie Grant,
who had come to spend the summer
with her, partly to be out of the way of
an ineligible suitor, partly to take paint
ing lessons in hartford, a city within
easy distance by rail from Pembroke.
Annie was. or professed to be. very ner-
vous about burglars, and kept her aunt's
terrors we'll alive.
About week after the spoons were
stolen, Mrs. Lyte heard that several of
the wealthy residents near the robbed
warehouse had been putting in burglar
alarms.
"I really wish I could afford to do
it, she said, one morning at break
fast.
"Oh, Aunt Em!" screamed Annie,
them in Chicago. Why, they 60 off if
you just wink, and scare you to death for
nothing. Don't think of it.
"WIy do you want to know, when
burglars do get in, Emma?" quietly asks
Mrs. Hill. What could you do about
itp For my part, should let them
rummage the house without stirring
finger; it's much the best way"
"Well, I'd like a burglar-alarm,'
staggered Sam. just want gooc
chance at the fellows with my pistol
I tell you they'd sing small them"
Pepper barked furiously at Sans ex
cited voice, and Annie laughed.
"Between Pepper and Sam, we ART
safe enough, aunty; don't, for goodness
sake, put in a burglar-alarm."
Hardly were the words out of her lip
before the girl came in and said gentle
man wished to see Mrs. Lyte in the par
lor.:
He did seem to be a gentleman: he wa
we'll dressed and rather ;good-looking
with an air of profound self-possession
"Mrs. Lyte, I believer" he inquired
in persuasive tone.
"That is my name," she answered, {
little wondering if she had seen him be
fore.
"My name is Hart. Mr.. Hart. OF tn
Electric Warning Apparatus Company
have been putting in several alarm
into Mr.. Blanks house, Mr.. Damp
family mansion, Mr.. Augustus Dekin'
premises. and others, in view of the re
cent terrifying occurrences in your vii
lage. Twas advised to give you an op
portunity to secure your life and prop
erty in the same manner, and called thi
morning in order to explain to you thi
truly valuable invention, which,"
Thanks, very muchr' said tn
widow, mildly yet firmly, "but I can
not 60 to such an expense at present.
The agent waved his large white hand
as if to clear a cobweb away, and wen