The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-31
A BURGLARS STORY.
Brought Up With Care. He Early
Distinguishes Himself

time very pleasantly and very idly, aud / was
sorry TO sec my long holidays drawing TO a
close. My father had hope to have sent pe to
Cambridge Cambridge was tradition in our
family, but business had been very depressed
Of late and sentence OF six months hard
labor had considerably straitened my poor
fathers resources
1t was necessary highly necessary. that /
should choose a calling With sigh Of resig-
nation ] admitted as much.
f" II ven like" said my father, !" VIII take
you in hand and teach you my profession, and
in q few years, perhaps, l may take you into
partnership: but, to be candid with you.
doubt whether it is a satisfactory calling for
an athletic young man Ike yea.
/ doa't seem to care about il particularly,
said j.
I'm glad to hear it," said my father It's
poor calling fer young man Of spirit. Be-
sides, YOU have to glow gray in the service
before people viii listen to you It's all very
well lis q refuge in cd age. bat young fellow
is likely to make but q POOR hand at il. Aow.
] should like q consult your own tastes on 50
important lnaticr Us the cllSics Of profession.
What DO you say The army"
No; ] dOa't care foT The army
Iorperv2 The bar? Cornish wrecking?"
Father, said ], . j shoul6 like 10 be q for
ger, hut I write such ain internal hand
"A regular Eton hand, said he; not plastic
enosgh sor forgery; but yon could have writ
ing master"
lis as much as can do 10 forge my oHn
name don't believe / should ever be able TO
forge anybody cise's"
Anybody IS else you should say. not any
body clses It's a dreadful barbarism. Elton
English"
no, said ], !" neyer should make fortune
at it. As 10 wrccking-wh you know how
seasici ! am?
You might get over that Besides. yen
would deal with wrecks on shore, not wrecks
at sea-
Most of it is done in small boats, Tn told.
A great deal Of s:isail-boat work No; ] won't
be wrccker. l think ] should like 10 be Il
burglar.
Yes, said my father, considering the sub
iect; yes, its fine. manly profession; but its
dangerous, highly dangerous.
just dangerous enough to be e2citing-no
more"
Wei, said my father, q if you've distinct
taste for burglary, Ill see what can be done"
NY dear father was always prompt with pen
and ink That evening he wrote 10 his old
friend Ferdinand Stoneleigh, a burglar Of the
very highest professional standing. and in
week was duly and formally articled TO him,
with view to ultimate partnership.
had to work hard under Mr.. Stoncleigh.
Burglary il a jealous mistress, said he.
She VIII tolerate 80 rivals. She exacts the
undivided devotion Of her worshipersr
And 80 j found it, Every morning at 10
O'Clock ] had TO present myself at Schoolgirls
chambers in New Square, Jincoln's Inn, and
until IL assisted his clerk with the correspond
ence- Al " ] had to 60 out prospecting with
StoneiCigh, and from to 4 had to devote TO
finding ont All particulars necessary 10 a scien-
tific burglary in any given house. AT first /
did this merely for practice, and with no view
&c an Actual attempt He would tell me # a
house Of which he knew all the particulars and
order me to ascertain ali about that&bouse and
its inElatcs-theiT coming and going, the num-
her Of their servants; whether any Of them
were Inen, and if SO, whether they slept in the
basement or not, and other details necessary TO
be known before a burglary could be safely at
tempted. Then lie would compare my infor-
matlen with his own facts, and compliment or
blame me, as I might deserve. lie was strict
master but always kind, just and courteous, as
became llighly polished gentleman Of the old
school lie was one Of the last men who hab-
ituaily wore Hessians.
After years probation accompanied him
on several expeditions, and had the happiness
10 believe that was Of some little use to him.
4 shot him eventually in the stomach, nistak-
ing ham for the master Of q house into which we
were breaking ] had mislaid my dark lantern !,
and lie died on the grand piano His dying
wish was that bis compliments might be con-
Feyea TO me.
now set up on my own account and en-
gagged lis poor Old clerk, who nearly broke his
heart III bis late masters funeral Stoneleigh
left no family. His money about $4,000 in
vested Tor the most part III American railways.
be left to the Society for Providing More
Bishops, aud Ais leagers, day books, meEoran-
da, and papers generally. he beqReathed to me.
As tie chambers required furnishing I lost
no time in commencing my professional duties
looked through his books for a suitable house
70 begin upon, add found the following attract
i've entry:
Thurlow SaEare-No. IG2
Hnnse-Meduln.
0ccGPaut-J0hn Davis. bachelor
9ecupai .un- Designer Of dados.
hGe-l-.ghGv-slE
Physical Feeuiiarlties Very feeble; eccentric;
drinks; Evangelical: snores.
5eisali;s-lAgo houseIDaids, one cook.
scz-hl female
Particulars - Seryaats-Pretty housemaid called
Rachel Jewess. Open to satentions Goes cut
Tor beer AT p Rs; snoFes. Ugly honseInaid
called Bella; Presbyterian Open to attentions,
to attentions SHORES
FasteHings-t iiui5fs lock on street door. chain
and bolts. ISars 10 ali basement windows Prac.
tiea1ie approach third roona. ground floor which
j. suffered and barred but bar has no catch
and can be raised viii table-knife
Valuable Contents Of Ioase-PF Presentation plate
from grateful aesthetics. Gold repeater Mul.
ready envelope Two diamond rings Complete
edition CT Bradshaw {" from 1884 TO present
shines o. volumes. bound limp calf
Generai-1ir. Davis sleeps second floor front ser
=
one on basement. Swafms with beetles; other
wise e1eclIeLi house fUr purpose.
This seemed TO be a capital house to try sin.
Ele-handed At IL o'clock that very night
poclzeled two cs0wbaTs, a bunch Of skeleton
keys center-bit, a dark-lantern. a box o.
silent matches, some putty, fe-preserver
and kai4e and off ] SET at once for ThurIoH
Square. Remember that il showed heavily
There WIS az least a fe0t Of snow on Tho
ground and there was more to come. Poor
Stoneleighs particulars were exact IN eyery
detail
j got into the third room OF the ground fool
without the least difficulty. and made my way
into the dining-rOom. There was the presen
fatiOn plate, sure enough-abont 500 ounces
reckOned. j collected this and tied It up. &
that ] could carry it without attracting atten
ton.
just as ] finished heard slight cough be
hind me- j turned and saw dear old silver
haired gentleman in dressing gown sfandin,
In the doorway. The venerable gentleman
covered me with revolver.
My FIRST impulse was to rush at him ani
brain him with nay liie-preseryer.
Don't move" said he, "or you're q dea'
man"
a rather silly remark TO the effect that If
did move il would rather prove / was a liv
man occurred to me- but dismissed il at one
a. unsuited to the business character of tn
interview
You ne burglar he said.
! have the honor, said /, making for m,
pistol pocket
Don't move said ne q X 10 ~. ~,