Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-01-11
THE BURGLARS STORY.
An Enter tanning Sketch by the Author
Of"PIuafore."

NV. S. Gilbert in the London Dramatic News.l
When 1 became eighteen years of age,
my father, distinguished begglng-letter
impostor, said to me, Reginald, think
it is time that you began to think about
choosing n profession.
These were ominous words. Since
left Eton, nearly year before, / had
spent my time very pleasantly and very
idly, and was sorry to see my long holi-
day drawing to close. My father had
Cambridge was a tradition in our family,
but business had been very depressed OF
late, and sentence of six months hard
labor had considerably strengthened my
poor fathers resources
1t was necessary highly necessary, that
I should choose calling. With sigh OF
resignation 1 admitted as much.
"If you like" said the father, II will
take you in hand and teach you my pro-
fession, and in few years, perhaps,
may take you into partnership but, to be
candid with you, 1 doubt whether it is a
satisfactory calling for an athletic young
man like you"
81 don't seem to care about it particu
larly." said I.
I'm glad to hear it, said my father
"It's poor calling for young man o.
spirit Besides, you have to grow gray il
the service before people will listen t.
you. It's all very we'll as refuge in ole
age, but young fellow is likely to make
but a poor hand at it. Now, 1 SHOULD
like to consult your own tastes on 50 i'm
portant matter as the choice of pro
fession. What do you say? The ar
my?"
mo, don't care for the army"
Forgery? The bar? Cornish wreck
ing?"
"Father," said I, "I should like to b.
a forger, but write such an inferna
hand"
"A regular Eton hand" said he. "No
plastic enough for forgery, but you coul'
have II writing master"
"It's as much as can do to forge m,
own name. don't believe should eve
be able to forge any body else's."
'Anybody's else, you should say, 10
anybody else's. It's a dreadful barbaI
ism. Eton English"
"No," said /, 81 should never make
fortune at 1t. AS to wrecking-wh yo
know how seasick | am.
!, "You might get over that. Besides
you would deal with wrecks on shore, nc
wrecks at sea-"
"Most of it done in small boats, II
> told. A deal of small-boat work. No,
won't be wrecker. think should lik
to be burglar"
: Eyes, said my father, considering tn
subject Eyes, it's fine, manly profel
4 sion, but it's dangerous, it's highly dar
9 gerous."
e "Just dangerous enough to be excitin
c no more"
: "Well," said my father, "if you've
p distinct taste for burglary I'll see whe
D can be done.
l Ny dear father was always prompt wit
s pen and ink. That evening he wrote I
0 his old friend Ferdinand Stoneleigh,
e burglar of the very highest profession,
: standing, and in q week was duly an
y formally articled to him, with view
: ultimate partnership.
s l had to work hard under Mr.. Ston,
leigh.
+ Burglary is n jealous mistress" sal
II he. "She will tolerate no rivals. ST
exacts the undivided devotion Of her wo
e shippers"
g And so found it. Every morning,
!, ten o'clock, ! had to present myself
d Stoneleigh's chambers, in New squar
IS Lincoln's Inn, and until twelve I assiste
e his clerk with the correspondence.
Is twelve had to go out prospecting wit
;. Stoneleigh, and from two to four had
1t devote TO finding out all particulars ne
+, eesary, to scientific burglary in al
n given house At first did this mere
for practice, and with no view to an a
Is tual attempt, He would tell me of
d house OF which he know all the partic
:. lars, and order me to ascertain all abo
N that house and its inmates-tneir comir
+ and going, the number OF their servant
re whether any of them were men, and if s
Dt whether they slept in the basement OF nc
n and other details necessary TO be know
II before burglary could be safely atteml
% ed. Then he would compare my info
y nation with his own facts, and comp