Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-02-08

penei, and to ponder on what she
ought TO do next,
Her nerves were somewhat unslrung,
and she would have liked to indulge In
tho feminine lusury.of good cry but
surmountIng this weak temptation, she
decided that tho best thing for her to
do would be to 60 OF to the police
station and give information against
the burglar, Accordingly she dressed,
stole quietly out Of the house, and un'
deferred by tho fear ofwalking through
the streets alone at night she betook
herself TO the station and made u full
statement Of her adventure to the Of
aclals on duty, Now, II :" h"rr."sa
that about half an hour before police
man on his beat had noticed man
answering to the description OF the
burglar counting some sovere'gns nn'
der lamp-post, and he had afterwards
seen this man enter u low lodging
house, presumably to sleep there SO
II was suggested that Miss Brindleton
should remain at the station-housc.-
Miss Brindlcton, consenling, was ac-
commodated with u scat and q cup OF
coffee in the inspectors room, ana IN
about forty minutes had the satiiaclion
of seeing her burglar brought in secure
" handcuaed between two constables'
The man gave start when he saw
her, and as she dictated her charge in
clear, composed voice, he muttered !
81 shouldn't have expected this Of you'
miss; no, shouldn't
"You did not expect that ! would
leave you unpunisled for breaking into
my house, did your" asked Miss Brind'
Teton, with some scorn.
81 have acted square by you' MISS
said the burglar. ~ might have took
yer watches aud other things, but |
went off quietly with the money you
gave me and ! never laid finger on
her. 'Taint handsome OF YER mss
thought you was better Sort"
For the burglars good opinion OF
her Miss Brindlcton cared little. She
turned her back on him and, accepting
the politcly-proferrcd escort of the in
spector who offered to see her home'
returned to her house, rejoicing that
she had done a very clever thing in
prompt, satisfactory manner. Not a
soul in the house except herself had
been disturbed by the nights events,
and. as Miss Brindleton lot herself in
with latch-key, the first intlmatlon
which her sister and servants got OF
the burglary was when she told them
of the facts herself at breakfast.
The servants uttered cxclamations,
trembling, and the younger Miss Brind'
Teton screamed, but presently, when
Phoebe had become more composed,
she fell to thinking, and all at once
said: "Sophie, do you think it was
quite right to give that burglar in
charge, after he had behaved so well !"
"Do you call it good behavior to
break into my house and steal t2o
from mc?" inquired Miss Brindleton,
in grave surprise.
"Well, but Sophie, he had your lite
in his hands, you know, and if he had
stunned you and then made oft with oil
your things he might never have been
caught, whereas now he will be sent to
prison for years.
"That is weak sentiment" retort-
cd Sophie, in. her primest tone. 81
was bound to get this man apprehended
for the protection of others"
Phoebe said nothing just then, but
she remained unconvinced, and often
afterwards she alluded to the burglar
in plying terms. The mans name
turned out to be Raggles, and Phoebe
would speak of him as ''poor Raggles.' W
This poor Raggles was in time ar
raigned at the Old Bailey and sentenc'
ed to penal servitude for seven years.
As he left the dock he once more turn
ed to Miss Brindleton, who was in
court with her sister, and said: sit
warn't kind o you, miss: you don't
help a chap to be honest, you don T.
| If YOU had lot me alone after giving
me them ere twenty pounds, should
never have forgotten it, and it might a
been the saving of me-.
ooh, Sophie, how dreadful" NUT
tered the soft-hearted Phoebe, nesting
closer to her sister. "Don't you think
you might ask the judge to take off
some part Of the poor mans punish
ment?"
''He has not got day more than he
deserves, replied Sophie, with her
/ lips set. Her heart was quite as