Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-05-15

1 HAONN AAo ASoAS OVOAA ~ SA0y AASSA
not forbidden it.
Moreover, he felt that he would mott
enjoy explaining his motive; he real
lied as he had not before the utter fool
ishness of imagining ven that those,
not care to expose his folly.
He walked around the house, but he
knew the fastenings too we'll to have
any hope of getting in.
He came back, resolved to wait quiet
ly until the servants came down in the
morning, and then go in by the back
door.
He seated himself in a sheltered corr
ner Of the porch, where it was compare
lively warm. The last stragggglors from.
the fire were returning. and it seemed
as if but afew minutes had passed, when
he was startled by the sound of steps
upon the porch. /.
Somebody "a trying softly to open
the front door, then each OF the win
dows.
Richard did not act upon his first inn
pulse, which was to run, o upon his
second, which was to scream, because
he was too frightened to obey any but
his third impulse, which was to remain
perfectly SClll. \
Evidently this was a burglar. Rich
ard knew burglars as members of the
community upon whom society, as q
rule, frowned, but he hal always felt
that they had certain compromising priv
ileges, after all, since they had such a
simple and easy method of getting the
things they wanted.
He was anxious to see how this one
would manage to get into that closely
guarded house, and, after a moment or
two, vcntured to follow him at a safe
distance.
He had heard that burglars preferred
not to kill people who did not molesi
them, and he felt a strong curiosity to
know how they managed.
The man passed around the house,
tried every door and window rapidly,
but not very scientifically, Thought
Richard, who had imagined burglars to
be as skillful as the people in "Arabian
Nights in doing away with slight OBJ
stacles of brick and mortar. :;
This one came back to the outside,
cellar-door, and Richard soon learned
his plan of entrance, for he drew out
a lantern and proceeded to file the lock.
1t was very soon done. The man gave
a quick glance around, saw nothing.
softly put back the door and started
down the steps.
After a moment, Richard followed
him there. He trembled some, for the
burglar seemed closer than when he
was out of doors, but he kept after him,
through the cellar and laundry, up the
stairs and across the kitchen. .
In the hall beyond the man pauseE
and studied the doors, each in turn. He
was aiming for the dining-room, but he
made q mistake, and opened the door
of a long, narrow passage, leading to a
disused conservatory. The ceiling was
low, and a depression in the center,
caused by some unaccountable freak in
the stairs above, made a place where
the unwary always came to grief.
Richard stood still in the hall and
watched tho man feel his way through,
this passage and as he approached the
dangerous place the boys excitement
all found expression in a tremendous
yell, which sounded through the house:
from garnet to cellar.
you'll bump your head! Look out!
look out!" he screamed.
The man did bump his head, but he
did not stop to thank Richard for the
warning. He sprang through the door,
and by the time the startled family had
assembled to demand the cause Of tho
uproar. was we'll outoof the way. i
But for the evidence of the cellar+
door they would have supposed Richard;
to be the victim of adream; but the fled
lock and the lantern dropped in the,
kitchen obliged them to put 18th in his,
disconnected story, for he tried to as:
sumo in the beginning that it was quite
customary for young gentlemen of thir-
teen to be taking promenades at three
o'clock in the morning.
"Such a chance as you had to be .
hero!' said Tom. .Here is the key in
the door. When the fellow was in the
passage you might easily have turned it
and locked him in. / certainly never
heard of a boy, with such a chance to
do a big thing, who did a thing so ut
terly absurd as to yell to a burglar not
to bump his head. You wanted him to
get the spoons, did you?"
II don't wonder that you never heard
of such a thing. If you wait for me to
tell, you'll never hear the whole of
this" answered Richard, rathe:- Grossly.
But the next day Philip came, and
Richard 'gave up" the dog mystery.
II must say that I am disappointed
in you, Dick" said Philip" Il ex-
pected that you would think it out.
sure. Isaid that they barked when
they heard the bell-When, mind you.
But as their ears IRE put on for orna-
ment, 1 don't suppose they heard the
bells the other night; so they couldn't
be expected to bark"
Richards thinking power was a FAM
lily joke for some time. But one day
at dinner he sad, with great serious
ness:
II have been thinking"
'Mother," interrupted Tom, II pro-
test. The last time Richard indulged
in q thinking turn it nearly cost us tho
spoons. Tell him to stop it, mother"
"Thinking about that night" pro-
ceeded Richard, not deigning to notice
Tom. IF I hadn't happened to be u
the burglar would have come in lust the
same, wouldn't hep"
The family admitted that he probably
would have come in.
IsApd pnhodu wor,1I hovo hoorH