The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-02-08
SELECT STORY.
A BURGLARS STORY.
BY w. s. GILBERT.

"pC'' N'OOS'hSS " p'N'N7S'V''
These were ominous words. Since |
left Eton, nearly year before, / had
spent my time very pleasantly and very
idly, and was sorry to see my long holi-
days drawing to close. My father hadto
have sent me TO Cambridge Cambridge
was a tradition in our family but bus
iness had been very depressed of late,
and sentence of six months hard labor
had considerably Strengthened my poor
| fathers resources.
1t was necessary, highly necessary,
that / should choose a calling. With
sigh of resignation | admitted as
much.
"If you like" said the father 81 will
take you in hand and teach you my
profession, and in a few years, perhaps,
| may take you into partnership but,
to be candid with you, doubt wheth-
er it is satisfactory calling for an ath-
letic young man like you"
81 don't seem to care about it partic-
ularly," said l.
81 am glad to hear of it," said my
father, Its poor calling for 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
a refuge in old age, but young fellow
is likely to make but poor hand at it.
Now, should like to consult your owr
tastes on so important matter as the
choice of profession. What do you
say The army
"No, don't care for the army ?"
Forgery The bar Cornish wreck
ing p
"Father," said I, 81 should like to bc
a 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
should ever be able to forge anybody
else's."
"'Anybody's else,' you should say
not anybody clse's.' It's dreadful
barbarism. Eton English.
No. said /, 81 never should make
a fortune at it. Asto wrecking-why
you know how seasick / am"
"You might get over that. Besides
you would deal with wrecks on shore
not work at sea-
''Most of it is done in small boats
I'm told. A great deal of small boa
work. No, won't be wrecker.
think I should like to be a burglar"
eyes" said my father, considering
the subject; "yes, it's a fine manly pro
fession, but it's dangerous, highly dan
gerous,"
"Just dangerous enough to be excit
ing-no more
"Well," said my father, "if you've 6
dissinct taste for burglary, I'll see wha
can be DONE"
My dear father was always prompt
with pen and ink. That evening he
wrote to his old friend, Ferdinand
Stoneleigh, a burglar of the very high
est professional standing, and in week
l was duly and formally articled to him
with view to ultimate partnership.
had to work hard under Mr.. Stone
leigh.
Burglary is a jealous MISTRESS sale
he. "She will tolerate no rivals. She
exacts the undivided devotion Of hel
worshippers,"
And so found it. Every morning
at 10 o'clock l had to present myself a
Stoneleigh's chambers in New square
Lincoln's Inn, and until 12 assisted
his clerk with the correspondence. Al
II l had to go out prospecting with
Stoneleigh, and from 2 to had tc
devote to finding out all particulars
necessary to scientific burglary in any
given house. At first l did this mere
ly for practice, and with no view to an
actual attempt. lie would tell me of 9
house of which he knew all the partic,
ulars, and order me to ascertain all
about the house and its inmates--theil
coming and going, the number of theil
servants, whether any Of them were
men, and if so, whether they slept il
the basement or not, and other details
necessary to be safely attempted. Ther
he would compare my information
with his own facts, and compliment OF
blame me, as l might deserve. He
was strict master, but always kind
just and courteous, as became a highly
polished gentleman of the old school
He was one OF the last men who habit
ually wore Hessians.
After years probation / accom-
panied him on several expeditions, ant
had the happiness to believe that wa
of some little use to him. | shot hin
eventually in the stomach, mistakinl
him for master of the house into
which we were breaking q had mis-
laid my dark lantern), and he died on
the grand piano, His dying wish was
that His compliments might be convey
ed to me.
l now set up on my own account
and engaged his poor old clerk, who
nearly broke his heart at his late mas
ter's funeral. Stoneleigh left no family
His money, about $4,000, invested fo
the most part in American railways, h,
left to the Society for Providing Bsh
ops, and his ledgers, daybooks, memo
randa and papers generally he bequeath
ed to me.
| AS the chambers required furnishing
| lost no time in commencing my pro,
fessional duties, looked through hi,
books for a suitable house to begir
upon, and found the following attrac
tive entry:
| Thurlow Square-No lO2.
House-Medium.
Occupant-John Davis, bachelor.
Occupation-Designer of dados.
Age-Eighty-six,
| Physical Peculiarities Very feeble
| eccentric drinks Evangelical
snores.
| Servants-Two housemaids, one cook
Sex-All female.
Particulars of Servants-Pretty house
maid called Rachel Jewess opel
| to attentions goes for beer at ap, m,
snores. Elderly cook Primitive Meth
| odist open to attention snores.
Fastenlngs-Chubb's lock on stree
| door chain and bolts, Bars to al
| basement windows practicable ap
| proach third room, ground floor