Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-10-22


An Cngratefal Burglar.
Mr.. Hayden IS one Of our most promi
nent pllilaLthropists, and is either presi-
dent, secretary, or director of half a
dozen philanthrOpic societies. Neverthe-
less, he is a warm-hearted and liberal man,
who actually carries into practice the gen
erous precepts which he proclaims with so
much elOquence at public meetings. No
one who knows him doubts his sincerity,
and his life affords an unanswerable re-
buke to those who would hastily decide
that professional philanthropist must be
an Objectionable person.
Mr.. Hayden has always shown a warm
sympathy for burglars. He was never a
drunkard-fancier, nor an admirer of muir
derers. but for the burglar he always had
kind and encouraging word. He main
tanned that no man ever broke into house
in order to steal unless he was in distress.
and that instead of arresting or shooting
detected burglars, they should be treated
with the utmost kindness, the effect of
which would he that they would renOuncc
their evil ways and become honest and in
dustrious citizens. 1.-The burglar will
treat US as we treat him." was Mr.. Hay
denis favorite remark. If men would treat
burglars as erring brothers, and would ap
peal to their stOmachs with food and their
nObler natures with kind and afIectionatc
language, it was Mr.. Hayden's firm con
victiOn that burglary would speedily be-
come a lost art.
In accordnaucc with his peculiar theory
of burglars. Mr.. Hayden took small pains
to lock up his house at night, and would
have nothing to do with patent burglar
alarms. He did no. have any very great
amount of valuable plate or portable prop
crty in his house, but what he did have
he felt sure that no burglar would steal.
Over the chimney piece in his dining room
he kept constantly displayed placard
bearing the inscription: "Burglars are
respectfully informed that they will find
plenty of food and bottle of good caret
in the buffers pantry. Mr. Hayden will
be happy to as si,t any deserving burglar
who will call on him at 10 o'clock 4. M.
Please do not wake the ladies and chill
drcn." Such confidence had the good
man in the honor of the average burglars
that he never dreamed of adding to
this inscription a request that burglars
would not steal anything. He refused to
admit the possibility that 4 burglar could
deliberately rob men who had offered
him food, drink, sympathy and help.
1t SO happened that for !. long time 40
burglar visited Mr.. Haydcn's house, but
one night, not very long ago, the philau-
thropist was awakened by noise in his
dining room. lie promptly rose, lit a
dressing gown around him. went down
CT 70 1,af he IN
found wrctched. looking man crouched
and dragged to his feet. The man begged
cold !; that he had not eaten nythiug for
some weeks, and that finding Mr.. Hay
den's window open lie had cr.pt into the
house in hopes of finding crust of bread
and a dry place in which to pass TIC night.
He told Mr.. Hayden that he had seen bet.
ter days, but that he had lost his money
through the fault of others that his wife
had deserted him while he was lying sick
of fever, and that he was alone in the
world without hope and without friend.
Mr.. Hayden made him sit down on !,
comfortable chain, and brought him i,
plentiful supper of cold chicken and cla.et.
Hc went up stairs and brought Gown {:
suit of Clothes which he gave the bur
ylar, and lie handed him !. dollar with
which to pay for a nights lodging at a
hotel. Furthermore, he assured the man
that hencefoTth Ec would be a friend to
him, and within i few days lie would fiId
good situation for linn. Having thus
miEistered to the wants of his distressed
brother, Mr.. Hayden went back to bed.
leaving the burglar at his supper, aud rc-
Iucstins him to close the window care
FULLY on taking his departure.
Conscious that he had done a.good act
and had put in practice lis favorite theory
as to the proper cure for burglary, Mr..
Hayden slept sOundly the rest of the night,
but he was awakened early by the servant,
who told him that she could not find any
spoons or forks. lie hurricGIy dressed
himself and fastened to the dining room.
Not only were the spoons and forks gone.
but every article of silver belonging to the
Hayden household had vanished. Nj.
Haydcn's ncO hat and Overcoat were gone
Il set of silvcr-platcd knives were bent
and broken, and the carpet was stainst.
with kerosene, which had been viciuusly
cmptied out of of bottle which the bur
Slar had evidently mistaken for Il bottle of
wine. Worst Of all, the placard bcarii.
the kind invitation to burglars had been
turned with its face to the wall, and Oh
the back of it were written words intended
to be descriptive of Mr.. Kaydcn's intel
lectual status, which were by no means
flatteriDg and will not bear repetition.
Since that day Mr.. Hayden is Of the
opinion that burglary is q most tctcst able
crime; that burglars arc the worst williams
in existence, and that every de- ectcd bur
glar should be hanged. II. has bought :,
revolver and bull dog, and has hired ii
private watchmaD. In all probability Ia
will resign his connection with cLaritab,"
societies. and if ever L vigilance co.nmit-
tee is organized in his neighbour outi. IL.
will doubtless be its smost prominent
member.
Can't Preach Coed.
No man can do 4 good job of work, plcacil
Il good sermon, try Il law suit well, doctor :.
patient. or write good article when he tn. is