The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-02-20
A BURGLAR SCARE.
what Startled the muIIigon House-
hold. and How MIR. muitigau
showed HIS Pluck.

u
the night ?" said Mulligan, as he started
from his slumbers Wednesday night last
and endeavorcd to penetrate tho inky
darkness that enveloped the connublal
couch.
81 amt making any racket, at ALL"
said Marian, as she lifted her head from
her pillow, as the sharp end of her lord aud
masters elbow came In close contact with
her fifth rib. ooh oh What did you
punch me like that for p
"Sch-h-hu-s-h !" came in a sepulchral
whisper from Mulligan, as he bent his
lips close to her ear. "Not word, as you
value yourlfe There are burglars in the
house |"
'For mercy sake What shall wo do p"
| whispered the startled woman, trembling
| at this awful announcements.
Listen and I'll tell you, and mind you
| do just as say" Missed Mulligan in her
ear. "You slip quietly out of bed, as you
are on the front side, and get down and
feel IL there is anyone under tho bed. If
there isn't, then they are in some other
room. Then light the lamp and go in the
library and bring me my revolver from my
| desk. BE quick, now"
"But, Thomas-I'm afraid. They might
shoot, you known
Nonsense there's not the least danger
| for you, being woman They don't touch
| women. And when my revolver is in my
| right hand then let them bewaro! Go,
| tell you, at once"
Mrs. Mullgan, trembling with cold aud
| fright, crept from the bed, and, holding her
breath from fear, cautiously felt around
beneath it. She found nothing more for
| midable, however, than o pair of Multi
| gan's brogans, but when her hand came in
contact with them, she could not repress
little cry Of terror.
Whats the matter, Mariar2 Have you
found anything" gasped Mulligau from
beneath the bed-clothes.
"No, Thomas; nothing but your shoes !;
but it's awfully cold out here"
Light tho lamp you fool What
arc you doing so long?'
~ can't find MATCH" said Mrs. NJ,
plaintively.
"Oh, look in my vest pocket, and don't
be all night about IT," said Mulligan in a
fierce whisper.
Finally Mrs. NJ. succeeded in lighting the
lamp, and in obedience to her lords COM
mand proceeded to the library for the
deadly weapon peacefully reposing in the
right hand cerner of the loft hand drawer
of that valiant warriors desk. With fear.
full chances toward all the dark corners she
soon returned with the murderous instru-
ment firmly grasped by the muzzle and
held at arms length. She informed Null.
ligan that she saw nothing anywhere to
indicate burglars, and piteously besought
him to allow her to come to bed.
ITO bed with burglars in the house
Never" and Mulligan, grasping the re.
| volver, leaped to the floor. His red flannel
night-shirt, shrunken from many washings
futtered in the chill air, as he waved the
deadly Smith g. Wesson aloft aud whis-
pered:
NOW, Marian, you 60 ahead with the
lamp. will come behind you-so-with
the pistol just over your shoulder, and well
soon rout these midnight marauders."
"But, Thomas, Pm afraid to go ahead
they might shoot"
"Shoot with me here. No, no. Go on
Marian, and be careful when you open the
dining-room door, for it is there they are
undoubtedly concealed. Twas the rattle
of crockery that awakened me. Perhap:
they are feasting on our cold turkey"
"And my fresh mince pies are in the
pantry" gasped Marian, as she grasped thu
lamp with both hands.
An artist should have portrayed tina
scene that it might have become lmmor
talized. Mrs. Mulligan, in robe de NUT
trembling with cold and fear, bearing In
her shaking hands the lamp, crept alon
the hall toward the dining-room. Imme
diately in the rear, with cooked revolve
held Just over her shoulder, crouched Null
ligan, the shrunken night-garment scarcely
, concealing the rheumatic protuberances o
his no less shrunken limbs.
The dining-room was reached and thu
door cautiously opened by Mrs. Mulligan
who, after gazing timorously around an
seeing nothing unusual, resumed he
wonted courage, and turning on the val
liant Mulligan apostrophized him thus;
"Thomas you're fool. / don't believ
there's burglar in the house. I'm tired Q
running around in the cold, and am goin
, back to bed, and placing the lamp on th
table, Marian returned to the slumber
from which she had been so unceremo
niously aroused.
"Maybe they're in the pantry" sal
Mulligan to himself, somewhat disconcerte
by the disaffection Of his chief lieutenan
"Mariar, come back minute, while loo
t in the pantry" he whispered, putting h
, head within the bedroom door.
An indignant sniff was the only repl
vouchsafed by the disguised Mrs. Null
gan.
Forced to resume his warfare alon
Mulligan was returning disconsolately
the kitchen, where he had left the ligl
= burning, when his watchful eye detected
. the recess of the bay-window a heap
debris and white object glided arour
behind the sofa. 1t was Mrs. Mulligan
y cat, and the debris was the remains of q p,
It of begonias that the cat in his play hi
4 knocked from its stand.
n When Mulligan had kicked tho cat, pI
!: out the light and crept shivering into be-
= Marian was shocked to hear, in reply to Ii
3 innocent question of ibid you catch ii
8 burglars, Thomas2'' "D-n the burglars
Z from the depths of the blankets aud
y hasn't been safe to say burglars" in Il
presence of Mulligan since.
o. How It All Happened. .sS%
70 "Why, Willie, how In this world dlaky0u Ia
L ~ hnEX In