Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-03-15

Servants-Two housemaids, one cook.
Sex-Au female.
Particulars OF Servants-Pretty housemaid
| called Rachel Jewess. Open 10 attentions. Goes
| ont for beer at p.m.; snores. Ugly housemsd
| called Bella; Presbyterian. Open 10 attentions;
snores Elderly cook: Primitive Methodist
| open 10 attentions snores.
| Fastcnings-Chubbs lock OH street door,
I chain and bolts. Bars 10 all basement windows.
| Practicable approach from third room, ground
floor, which is shuttered and barred, but the bar
| las no catch and can be raised with table-kniie
Valuable contents OF honse-Presentation
I plate from grateful esthetes. Gold repeater
! Mulready envelope. Two diamond rings. Com
pletc edition OF bradshaw" from lS5ito present
time, 5SS vols, bound limp calf.
General-afr. Davis sleeps second floor front;
servants on third floor. Davis goes to bed at u.
No one on basement. Swarms with beetles;
otherwise excellent house for purpose.
This seemed to me TO be capital house
to try single-handed. At u o'clecS that
very night I pocketed two crowoars,
bunch Of skeleton keys, center-bit, a
dark lantern, box Of silent matches,
some putty, lifc-preserver and knife
and set out at once for Thurlow Square. |
remember that it showed heavily. There
was ut least a foot of snow OH the ground.
and there was more to come. Poor Stone
leigh's particulars were exact in every
detail. got into the third room on tho
ground-noor without the least difficulty
and made nv way into tho dining-room.
There was the presentation plate, sure
enough-about 500 ounces rs | reckoned.
| collected this and tied it up so tina: l
could carry it without attracting atten-
| ton.
Just rs finished heard slight cough
behind me. turned and saw dear old
silycr-haired gentleman in dressing
gown standing in the doorway. The ven
erable gentleman covered me with re-
volver.
Ny first impulse was TO rush at and
brain him with my life-preserver.
eDon't moye," said lie, cor you're q
dead man."
3 A rather silly remark TO the effect that
if did move it would rather prove that
was live man occurred me, but dis
missed it ut once as unsuitcd to the busl-
| ness character of the interview.
"You're Il burglar?" said he.
81 have that honor" said making for
my pistol-pocket.
"Don't move" said he, az have often
wished to have the pleasure of encounter
ing burglar in order to be able to test
fayorite theory of mine as to how persons
of that class should be dealt with. But
you mustn't move"
replied that should be happy to as
sist him if could do so consistently with
q due regard to my own safety.
"Promise me, said [, "that you will
allow me to leave the house unmolested
when your experiment is at ~ end2"
"If you will obey me promptly you shall
be at perfect liberty TO leave the house,
"You wfll neither give me into custody
nor take any steps to pursue me!"
son my honor as Designer of Dados, "
said he.
"Good," said |. $50 on"
"Stand up" said he, "and stretch ont
your arms at right angles to your body"
"Suppose DON'T" said /.
"T'll send bullet through your left
ear" said he.
"But permit me to Observe" said ].
Bang. A ball cut of the lobe OF my left
| ear.
The car smartcd, and should have
| liked to attend to it, but under the circum-
stances thought it better to comply with
the whimsical old gentleman's wishes.
''yery good" said he. "Now do as ]
tell you, promptly and without a mo-
ment's hesitation, or cut OF the lobe OF
your right ear. Throw me that life-prc-
server.'' 10 ri
"But-''r
"Ah, would your said he, cooking the
revolver.
The 'tclick" decided me. Besides the
old gentleman's ecoentricity amused me,
and I was curious to see how far it would
carry him. So tossed my life-prcserver
to him. lie caught it neatly.
"Now take of your coat and throw it tc
me-"
L took of my coat and threw it TO him
diagonally across the room.
"Now the waistcoat."
l threw the waistcoat to him.
"Boots," said he.
"They are Shoes" said /, in some trcp-
idation lest he should take oirensc when
no offepse was really intended.
"Shoes, them" said he.
l threw my shoes to him..
Trousers" said he.
"Come, come, say! ~ exclaimed /.
Bang. The lobe Of the other ear came
of. With all his eecentricity, the old
gentleman was man of his word. lie
had the trousers, and with them my re-
volyer, which happened to be in my right
hand pocket.
."Now the rest Of your drapcry."
l threw him the rest of my drapery. lie
tied up my clothes in the tablecloth, and,
telling me that he wouldn't detain me any
longer, made for the door with the bundle
under his arm. a, .a:.fE
"Stop," said /. "what is to become OF
me-" .s.l.-
Really, hardly know said he.
"You promised me my liberty" said !.
Certainly" said be. "Don't let me
trespass any'further on your time. You
will find the strect-door open; or, II from