Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-03-27


you would deal with wrecks ashore, not
wrecks at sea-"
"Most of it done in small boats, Pm
told. a deal of small boat work. No, /
won't be a wrecker. I think I should
like to be a burglar"
"Yes," said my father, considering the
subject, ''pes, it's fine, manly profession
but it's dangerous"
"Just dangerous enough to be exciting,
no more"
distinct taste for burglary, I'll see what
can be done"
NV dear father was always prompt
with pen and ink. That evening he
wrote to his old friend Ferdinand Stone
leigh, a burglar of the highest professional
standing, and in a week was duly and
formally articled to him, with view to
ultimate partnership.
had to work hard under Mr.. Stone
leigh,
he. ''She will tolerate no rivals. She ex-
acts the undivided devotion of her wOr-
shippers"
And sol found it. Every morning at
8 o'clock I had to present myself at
Stoneleigh's chambers in New Square,
Lincoln's Inn, and until 10 assisted his
clerk with the correspondence. At II 1
had to 60 out prospecting with Stone
leigh, and from 2 to l had to devote to
finding out all the particulars necessary
to scientific burglary of any given
house. At first I did this merely for
practice, and with no view to an actual
attempt. He would tell me of a house of
which he knew all the particulars, and
order me to ascertain all about that
house and its inmates-their coming and
going, the number of their servants;
whether they slept in the basement or
not, and other details necessary to be
known before burglary could be safely
attempted. Then he would compare my
information with his own facts, and COM
pliment or blame as I might deserve. He
was a strict master, but always kind, just
and courteous, as became a highly pol
! ished gentleman of the old school. He
was one Of the last men who habitualIy
wore hessians.
After years probation accompanied
him on several expeditions, and had the
! happiness to believe that I was Of some
little use to him. [ shot him eventually
in the stomach, mistaking MIN for mas
ter of house into which we were break
ing [ had mislaid my dark lantern), and
he died on the grand piano. His dying
wish was that his compliments might be
conveyed to me.
l now set up on my own account, and
engaged his poor old clerk, who nearly
broke his heart at his late masters fu-
neral. His money-about &l2,000-in-
vested for the most part in American
railways, he left to the Society for Pro
viding More Bishops, and his ledgers
daybOOks, memoranda and papers gener-
ally he bequeathed to me.
AS the chambers required furnishing,
lost no time in commencing my profess
sional dut es. looked through his books
for suitable house so begin upon, and
found the following attractive entry:
ThurlOe Square-NO. 1O2.
HOuse-Mediuln.
Occupant, hn Davis, bachelor.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of dadOs.
pRysical Peculiarities-very feeble, eccentric
drinks Evangelical, >nOres
Servanls-rwo housemaids, one cook.
SeX-All female.
Particulars Servants-Pretty homsemaid call
ed Rachel, JeWess. Open to attentions. Goes
out for neer at 8 p. m, SHORES. Ugly housemai6
ca led Bel a, Presbyterian. Open to attentions
Elderly c1Ok. Primitive Methodist Open to at
Islenimgs-Chubbs lock on str ct door, chair
and bGls. Bars to all basement windows. Prac
ticable approach from third room, ground floor
which is shuttle cd and barred, but bar has nc
catch and can e easily raised with a table knife
from grateful aesthetics. Gold repeater. Mulready
euvelOp-. Two diamond rings. Complete edition
of Bradshaw from le3 to present time, 5oS vol
umes. bound in limp calf.
GeneraI-Mr. Davis sleeps second floor front
servants on third floor Davis goes to bed at 10
No one on basement. swarms with beetles other
wise excellent house for purpose.
This seemed to me to be a capita
house to try single handed. At twelve
o'clock that very night pocketed two
crowbars, a bunch of skeleton keys, {
center-bit, dark lantern, box of silen
matches, some putty, q life-preserver
of - 60
Thurloe square. remember that i
showed heavily. There was at least {
foot of snow on the ground, and there
was more to come. Poor StOneleighi
particulars were exact in every detail
got into the third room on the grounC
floor without difficulty, and made M
way to the dining-room. There was tn
presentation plate, sure enough-abou
800 ounces as 1 reckoned. l collected
this and tied it up so that could carry
without attracting attention.
Just as l finished [ heard a Sigh
cough behind me. 1 turned and saw
E dear, old, silver haired gentleman, in
r dressing gown, standing IN the doorway
{ with a revolver.
My first impulse was to rush at am
I brain him with my life-preserver.
/ Don't you move" said he, cor your
' a dead man."
: A rather silly remark to the effect tina
! if I did move it would rather prove tina
o was live man occurred to me, but
! dismissed it at once as unsuited to tn
+ business character of the interview.
! you're burglar?" said he.
' az have that honor" said 1, making 70
my pistol pocket.
+ Don't move" said he. "I have oftel
4 wished to have the pleasure of encour
tering burglar, in order to be able
i test favorite theory of mine as to hoy
: persons of that class should be dealt with
I But you mustn't move"
e replied that should be happy to a:
a sist him, if 1 could do so consistent
o with a due regard TO my own safety.
Promise me-" said !, that you wi
l. allow me to leave the house unmOleste