Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-11-09
Haunting u Burg.ar.

A gentleman residing IN the western part
of Detroit had thrilling experience re
Gently, at least it thrilled up and down his
spinal marrow, and caused his stomach to
feel sea-sick. He was awakened by a
sound as of soTe one stumbling against q
chair in the kitchen. There was the
thump, the scraplng OF the chalr-leg on the
floor; all excepting the swear. But the
gentleman thought that, under the circum-
stances, this omission was excusable. No
desirable burglars swear-at such times.
Now, BiIfkms, for that isn't the gentle
mans name, has declared, all through the
twenty years of his wedded life, that the
burglar he caught in his house would he
eteTn9lly thankful for the revision of the
New Testament. 1t was true that Mrs.
Biiikins was away from home, and
couldn't possibly arrive in time for the
funeral, and that there was 10 one TO ap-
plaud his vslorous deed. The burglar had
got to die just the same.
''Now," thought BlIfkins, ''that was
certainly a kitchen char he ran against,
and ne is waiting to see if he has dis
turbed any one. He will wait a few
minutes and if don't move, he will.
don't believe locked the back door when
| came to bed, and that is how he got in.
Then he came into the kitcnen, and cracked
h is shins against chair. HIS next move
will be in this direction for there il moth
ing for him to steal out there. III be
ready for him when be arrives
Then Blifkins slowly slId one foot from
under the coveriei, and protruded the
member outward and downward until il
touched the floor. Then the other foot
noiselessly followed the first inch by
inch be raised his shoulders, his body until
he sat erect on the side of the bed. All
this he had accomplished without sound.
But harki There was slight sound, as il
the burglar was beginning to move. Biif-
kins raised his hips as carefully as If he
had the rheumatism, and stood erect. A
steal,hy, sideways step, and his hand en-.
countered the bureau, glided along the
polished top to one of the small drawers,
drew it out with e very Slight grating
noise, seized a 42-calibrc Smith q; Wesson,
drew back the hammer, and the burglar
was practically dead man.
HI did not come, but Blifkins could
wait, Moreover, BiIfkins did wait.
Waited ten, fifteen, twenty minutes, hall
an hour He waited until he could moi
visit any longer, aid then he struck a
match and lighted lamp. With tie
light held high above his head in his lett
hand, and The revolver ready cooked in lis
rigGt hand, he Started on tour vi inspec-
tion. The first place was the kitchen. No
one was there: not even chair lying ON
its back and thrusting its legs into the air.
ParloF, dining room, bedrooms, summer
kitchen, woodshed, all were visited, but
not burglar could he find. The next
morning Biiikins carried his investigation
TO the cellar and the mystery was explain
ed. Upon the floor lay Mrs. Biitkins'
hanging shelf (or fallen hanging SHELF,
while grouped about in a most pathetic
tableau, was large and costly assortment
Of uncanned t)nIatoes, peaches, pears,
plums, grapes and berries, with here and
there an untumbl,rcd d mass Of jelly, shaking
its sides. BlfkIns laughed, too. He
hasn't got to twist away at the cover of
| single fruit jar ali winter. He says he ls
going to take the garden rake and get the
broken glass out OF that mass, STIR in u
barrel of flour and pail Of yeast, and
bake fruit cake that will last TIL Christ
mas.