The National tribune., 1881-12-24

the leaves had fallen off early, and our friends
had followed their example, and l had been sit
ting up alone into the small hours resolute to
read my favOrite author to the bitter end-hls
third volume, wherein all the chief characters
Except the comic ones) are slain save one who
is left sound in wind and limb, but with an
hereditary disposition to commit suicide. Some
what depressed by its perusal and exceedingly
sleepy went about my usual task of seeing all
was right in somewhat careless and perfume
tory manner All was right apparently in the
dining room, all right in the drawing room, all
right certainly in the study (where had myself
been sitting, and all right-nO, not quite all
right in our little back hall or vestibule, where,
upon the round table the very largest and
thickest pair of navvy's boots | ever saw were
standing between my wite's neat little umbrella
and pair of her gardening gloves. Even In
that awful moment | remember the sense OF
contrast and incongruity struck me almost as
forcibly as the presence of the boots themselves,
and they astonished and alarmed me as much as
the sight of the famous footprints did Robinson
Crusoe, and for precisely the same reason. The
boots and the print were nothing in themselves,
but nay intelligence, now awfully awakened at
once flew to the conclusion that somebody must
have been there to have left them, and was
probably in the neghborhoed, and indeed under
my roof, at that very moment. If you give
Professor Owen a foot of any creature just as OF
less scientific persons we say: Give them an
inch they will take an ell he will build up the
whole animal out of his own head; and some
thing of the Professors marvellous instinct was
on this occasion mine | pictured to myself
and as it turned out, correctly a monster more
than six feet high, broad in the shoulders, heavy
in the iowl, with legs like stone balustrades and
hands. but too often clenched, of the size of
pumpkins The vestibule led into the pantry
where no doubt this giant, with his one idea, or
half a one would conclude the chief part of our
plate to be, whereas it was lying-unless he had
already taken it, terrible thought that flashed
through my mind followed by cluster of others,
like comet with its tal-under our bed.
OF course [ could have gone into the pantry
at once, but | felt ayerse to be precipitate; per-
haps upon finding nothing to steal this poor
wretch would feel remorse for what he had done
and go away. 1t would be wicked thing to
deprive him of the opportunity of repentance.
Moreover, it struck me that he might not be a
"removed'l Of one Of the maid-servants 1t
would have been very wrong of her to have let
him into the house at such an hour, but it was
just possible that she had done so, and that he
was at that moment supping in the kitchen upon
certain cold grouse which / knew were in the
larder Such a state Of things | repeat, would
have been reprehensible, but | most sincerely
hoped that it had occurred. 4 clandeStine at
tachment, however misplaced, is better than bur
glary with possible violence. Coughing rather
loudly, to give the gentleman notice that /
about, and to suggest that he had better take
himself off in my temporary absence, [ went up
to the attics TO make inquiries
And here am tempted to depression concern
ing the excessive somnolency of female domestics.
As regards own, at least they remind me,
except in number, of the Seven Sleepers. !
knocked at their door about a quarter of an
hour before attracting their attention, and it took
me another quarter to convince them Through
the keyhOle) that it was not fire If it had been,
they must all have been burnt in their beds.
Relieved upon this point, they were scarcely
less excited and put out" by the cOmmunica-
ton ! was compelled to make to them, though
conveyed with the utmost delicacy and refine
ment of which language is capable. | asked
them whether by any accident one Of them
chanced to have a male relative who wore excep-
tionably thick highlOws; and if he was likely to
have called recently-that very evening, for
example?
They all replied in indignant chorus that they
had never heard of such thing-by which they
meant the suggestiOn-and that no cousins of
theirs ever did wear highlows, being all females
without exception.
Satisfied as to this (and greatly disappointed),
| felt that it was now incumbent upon me to
pursue my researches. Candle in hand and
pistol in pocket therefore explored the pantry
To my great relief, it way empty. Was it pos
sible that the thief had departed? Ifso, he had
gone without his highlows, for there they stood
on the vestibule table as large as life, and, from
the necessity OF the case, size or two larger
Their build and bulk, indeed, impressed ME more
than ever. Was it possible that only one burglar
had come in those boots?
entered the kitchen; not mouse was STIR
ring; on the other hand, there was a legion Of
blackbeetles, who scuttled away in all directions
except one. They avoided the dresser-beneath
which lay the gentleman was looking for, curled
up in space much too small for him, but affect
ing TO be asleep. Indeed, though previously |
had not even heard him breathe, no sooner did
the light from my candle fall upon him than he
hn.To tfS Sta fa1t hot