The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-01-31

feSSlOnal duties. / tOOKUl thronEh the
books for u suitable house to begin up
on, and found tho following attractive
entry:
Thurow Sluarc-No. l0..
Hu,Isc-McdInm.
Occupant--John Iavis; bachelor.
Occupation Designer OF Dados.
Aee-sb.
Physical Pccnliaritlcs Very feeble. &C.
centric; drinks: evangelical: snorcs.
Servnnts-Two honsgmaids, ono cook.
Sex--Ali female.
called Rac e.; Jcwess. open tn attentions.
Goes out for beer ut 9p. m; snorcs. lply
huusemaid called Bella: Presbyterian. OIcn
to attentions; snofes. Elderly cook; prtmi-
tive Methodist. 0Ien to attentions; snores.
Fasteninys -Chuhbs lock ON street door,
chain and lol's. Bars To all basement win
dows. Practicable approach from third room,
ground i.oor. which is shuttercd and barred.
but the bnr has no catch and can lie raised
with tab be-kni.e.
Valuable contents Of House Presentation
plate from grateful esthc'cs Gold repeater.
Mnlready envelope. Two diamond rings.
Complete edition af bradshaw from 1884
to prescn, time, 5ss vols, bound limp calf.
Gcneral-Mr. Davis sleeps second foor
front; sersnnts On third ioor. Davis goes
To lied 1T IT,. No ono on basement. Swarms
with beetles; otherwise excellent house for
pose.
This seemed to me to he capital
house to try single-handed At II
o'clock that very night l pockcted two
crowbars, bunch Of skeleton keys. n
center-bit, n dark lantern, box Of
silent matches, some putty. life-pre-
server and knife, and set off at once
for Thurlow Square. remember that
it showed heavily. There was Mt least
a foot OF snow on the ground, and there
was more to come. Poor Stoneleigh's
particulars were exact in every detail.
l got into the third room on the g~ound
floor without the least difficulty and
made my way into the dining-room.
There was the presentation plate, sure
enough--about 500 ounces, rs l reck-
oned. l collected this and tied it up
so that l could carry it withou. attract
ing attention.
just as / finished ! heard n slight
cough behind me. ! turned and saw
dear old silver-haired gentleman in a
dressing-gown standing in the doorway.
The venerable gentleman covered me
with revolver.
My first impulse was to rush ut and
brain him with my life-preserver.
Don't move," said he, "or you're n
dead man."
4 rather silly remark to the effect
that il did move it would rather prove
that / was n live man occurred to me.
but dismissed il at once as nnsuited
to the business character Of the inter-
view.
You're a burglar?" said he.
Il have that honor" said l, making
for my pistol-pockct.
Don't move" said he: II have often
wished to have the pleasure of encoun-
tcring burglar in order to bc allie to
test favor.te theory OF mine rs to how
persons Of that class should 10 dealt
with. But You mustn't move"
replied that should he happy to
assist him if could do so consistently
with due regard to- my own safety.
Promise me" said /, that you will
allow me to leave the house unmolested
when your experiment is ut an end?"
IF You will obey me promptly you
shall be ut perfect liberty to leave the
house,"
"1ou will neither give me into Gus
toby nor take any steps to pursue me?"
"On my honor as n Designer Of Da-
dos" sald he.
"Geod." said |. Go on.'
"Stand up" said he, "and stretch out
your arms at right angles 10 your
body"
suppose l don't" said /.
IN send Il bullet through your lef,
ear" said he.
But permit me to observe
said l.
Bang. A ball cut off the lobe of my
left ear.
The ear smarted. and l should have
liked to attend to it. but under the cir.
cumstanc,s thought it better to com,
ply with the whimsical old gentleman's
wishes.
"Nery good," said he. "Now 10 as ]
tell you. promptly and without a mo-
ment's hesitation, or cut off the lobe
of yoar right ear. Throw me that life
preserver."
| But"
"Ah, would youg" said he, cooking
the revolver.
The "click" decided me. Besides
the old gentleman's eccentricity amused
ME, aud was curious to see how far il
would carry him. So tossed my life
pr.server to him. He caught it neatly
Now take of your coat and throw i,
to me-"
l took off my coat and threw it Il
him diagonally across the room.
"Now the waistcoat."
threw the waisteoat to him.
Boots" said he.
| "They are Shoes" said l. in som,
trepidation lest he should take offens,
when no offense was really intended.
"Shoes, them" said he.
l threw my shoes to him.
Trousers, said he.
"Come. come. say" exclaimed l.
Bang. The lobe of the other ca,
came oil. With all his eccentricitv
the old gentleman was man of hi.
word. He had the trousers, and Will
them my revolver, wkich happened Il
he in my right hand pocket.
Now the rest oi Your arapery."
l threw him the rest of my drapery
cloth, and, telling me that he wouldn'
detain me any longer, made for th,
door with the bundle under his arm.
"Stop," said l. What is to beeom,
of me?a
Really. | hardly know" said he.
"ion promised me my liberty,
said |.
Certainly" said he. Don't let M
trespass any further on your time. Yo'
will find the street-door open: or. i
from force of habit you prefer the win
dow, YOU will have no difficulty j,
clearing the area ratings"
"But can't 20 like this. Mont yo,
give me something to put on?"
NO." said he, nothing at all. goo,
night"
The quaint old man left the room
with my bundle. Went after him, bu
l found that he had locked an inne
door that lei upstairs. The position
WAS really n llthrulf one In deal will