Louisiana capitolian., 1880-02-28
A BURGLARS CONSCIENCE.
STORY OF A PLEASANT OLD GENTLEMAN
AND A COMMON MAN.
Worcester Spy.]

was announced 10 nllll JHdb ~ ColliIlou
Man desired to speak to him.
He gave orders that the Common Man
should be admitted And admitted the
Common Man was.
He was very common man, indeed.
Tall, shambling, Unlocking fellow, with
an irresolute manner and shrinking eye.
He was dressed as cOstcrmongcrs are
dressed when following their calling.
"What is your pleasure, good sir ~
said old Reginald.
"Bcg pardon, guv'nor," said the Com
mon Man. hope you won't be hard on
me-"
"Not at all" replied old Reginald.
'Tm-Tm burglar" said the Com
mon Man.
'Indcedw said Reginald. "Takc a
chair"
"Thank you kindly, guv'nor," said he,
"but I'd rather stand" o
And he did stand.
So far there is nothing very incredible
in my story, But it gets more remark
able as it goes on.
GLOW do you like your profession ?"
said old Reginald.
"Well, guv'nor," said the Common
Man, 81 don't like it nowadays, and
that's it,"
~ thought burglars always worked
in twos Or threes," said old Reginald.
"P'raps ought to know best" sug-
gcsted the burglar.
"Perhaps you are right. Indeed, Pm
sure you ought. What crib do you pro
pose to crack to-nightW
"This here one"
"Minc p
"YOurn."
"Ohw ~
And old Reginald prepared to ring the
bell.
"Plcase don't do that, guv'nor. You
amt never agoin' to give me iuep Gus
tody."
T think lhd better"
"No, no, guv'nor, don't do that. Lis,
ten to me first. l amt agoin' to hurt
you. It's my turn to crack your cril
tonight. Now, will you help lse'"
"Thats what ?"
3f'That's why Pm here. belong to Il
gang Of twelve wot's working these
parts just now. We cracks cribs by
turns. It's-it's my turn tonight"
And the burglar wept like child.
"This, / presume, is remorse," said old
Reginald.
''No, guv'nor, it amt remorse," said
the burglar. 'It's funk"
''The same thing" said Reginald.
'It amt the being a burglar that
object to. It's the having to commit
burglaries. like the credit of it, sir,
it's the danger l object to-"
'I see."
"Now, by the laws of our gang, we're
bound to crack cribs in turn. That is
to say, one of us cracks the cribs while
the other eleven stops outside and gives
the Office"
81 hardly see my way said old Reg
inald, thoughtfully. "Still, if | can be
of any Use"
'Look here, guv'nor, each member OF
our gang is bound to get fifty pounds OF
swag away from each crib he cracks. II
he don't he's shot. Now | see hand
some silver salver and cottee-pot and
creamjug as came in here. Wot might
be the value of that handsome silver
salver and cotfec-potW
''Thc creamjug is electro. The coffee
pot with sugar basin and salver, may be
worth five and forty pounds"
"That's near enough. III take 'em
Here's a ilimsy for fifty quid."
And he handed old Reginald banl;
note for the amount.
''Still | don't quite understand"
81 want you, guv'nor, to be so good as
to leave your bedroom window open to.
night, and place that silver and them
silver traps where can get 'em. shall
have cracked my crib, bagged my swag
and made myself safe until my turn
came round again."
Certainly" said old Reginald, hold
ing up the note to the light. "But let
me ask how you can afford to pay SC
handsomely for your depreciation"
''Therc was dozen on us, SIT. Eacf
OH us cracks crib in four months, anC
each swags at least fifty pounds worth.
often more, but at least that. After
each plant the profits are divided. Last
quarter the twelve cribc cracked brought
us in eleven hundred pOunds-that':
ninety odd pounds apiece. When my
turn comes pay fair price for the fifty
pounds worth of swag (tor | have beer
honorably brought up) and gets forty
pounds to the good And forty pound;
quarter is a hundred and sixty pounds