The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-02-05
THE BURGLARS STORY.


poster, said to me: '.Reginald, l think
it is time that you began to think about
ohoosinga professions"
These were ominous words. Since / i
left Elton, nearly a year before, I bad
spent my time very pleasantly and very
idlfj and ] was sorryito see my long
holiday drawing to aelose. My father
had hoped TO have sent me to Cambridge
Cambridge was tradition in our fam
lily J, butthe business has Teen very de- |
pressed OF late, and sentence OF elk
months hard labor had considerahlyt
straightened my spoor fathers ress3ureess
II was necessary, highly necessary,
that should choose calling. With a
sigh OF resignation ! admitted as much.
''If you like" said MY father, 81 will
take you in hand and teach you my pros
tession, and, in few years, perhaps l
may take you into partnership; but, to
be candid with you, doubt whether it
is satisfactory calling for an athletic
young fellow like you."'
IL don't seem to care about it partic.
ularly," said l.
"l'm glad to hear it," said nv father,
'it's poor calling fer a young man of
spirit. Besides, you have to grow gray
in the service before people will listen
to you. It's all very well as refuge in
old age, but young fellow Is likely to
make but a poor hand at 1t. Now,
should like to consult your own tastes
on so important matter as the choice
of profession. What do you say p
The army1'
"No, i don't care for the army"
Forgery The bar9 Cornish wreck
lng?'
"Father," said I, 81 should like to be
forger, but / write such an internal
hand"
ga regular Eton hand" said he. "Not
plastic enough for forgery. but you
could have a writing master"
"It's as much as can do to forge my
own name. don't believe I should ev
er be able to forge anybody else's.
"Auybody's else,' you should say.
not anybody else's' LISA dreadful
UdtUdTisu0, EbOu EQOIlSu. .t{
mo-" said l, 81 should never make q
fortune at it AS 10 wrecking-why you
know how sea-sick / am"
"You might get over that. Besides,
you would deal with wrecks ashore, not
wrecks at sea-"
"Most of it is done in small boats,
Tn tbld. A deal of small boat work.
No, I won't be wrecker. / think
should like to be burglar"
Yes" said my father, considering the
subject, "yes, it's fine manly profess
sion, but it's dangerous it's highly dan
gerous.
"Just dangerous enough to be excl
ting, no more"
"Well," said my father, "if you've a
distinct taste for burglary I'll see what
can be done."
My dear father was always prompt
with pen and ink. That evening he
wrote to his old friend Ferdinand Stone
leigh, a burglar of the very highest pro
fessional standing, and in week was
duly and formally articled to him, with
view to ultimate partnership. ;.
had to work hard under Mr.. Stone
leigh.
sBurglary is jealous MISTRESS" said
he. "She will tolerate no rivals. She
exacts the undivided devotion of her
worshippers
And so / found it. Every morning
at 10 o'clock l had to present myself al
Stoneleigh's chambers in New Square,
Lincoln's Inn, and until II l assisted his
clerk with the correspondents Atl2 /
had to go out prospecting with Stone
leigh, and from Ito / had to devote
to finding out all particulars necessary
to scientific burglary in any given
house. At first / did this merely for
practice, and with no view to an actual
attempt, He would tell me of a house
Of which be knew all the particulars,
and order me to ascertain all about the
house and its inmates-their coming and
going, the number of their servants,
whether any of them were men, and, if
so, whether they slept on 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, ami com
pliment or blame me as l might deserve.
He was a strict master, but always kind,
just and courteous, as became highly
polished gentleman of the old school =
He was one OF the last men who habit
ualy wore hessians.
After years probation / accompa.
MED him on several expeditions, and
had the happiness to believe that l was
of some little use to him. / shot him
eventually in the stomach, mistaking
him for master of a house into which
we were breaking II had mislaid my
dark lantern) and he died on the grand
piano. His dying wish was that his
compliments might he convened TO me-
now set up on nay own account, aad
engaged his poor old clerk, who nearly
broke his heartat his late masters funer
al Stoneleigh left no family. His
money-ab about fl2,000. invested for the
most part in American railwavs-he left
to the Society for Providing More Bish-
ops, and his ledgers, davbooks, memo-
randa and papers generally he beg qlea.h-
ed to me
AS the chambers required furnishing
lost no time in commencing my pro-
fessional duties. / looked through his
books for suitable house to begin. up-
on, and found the following attractive
entry:
THURLoE SoUARE.-No. 102
HOUSE Medium. -
OcCUPANT.zJohn Davis, bachelor.
OCCUPATION -Desigaer of dados.
AGE -Eighty.six.
PHYSICAL PEcuLIARITIEs Very feeble (;
eccentric; drinks; Evangelical; snores
SERVANTS Two housemaids, one cook.
SEx.-All female.
PARTICULARS OF FSERvANrs-Pretty house
maid called Rachel; Jewess Open
to attentions. Goes out for beer al
4 8 p. m snores. Ugly housemaid
called Bellai Presbyterian. Open to
attentions; snores. Elderly cook
Primitive Methodist. Open to atten.
tlons: snores.
FAsTENlNas.-Chubb's lock on stree,
/ .dO0r. chain and h0lta Rara tn al