Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-11-22
A SUCCESSFUL BURGLAR.
ER TELL9 II.

slShcr and tae giris were f.nl'f IN &c
stasies over The new house. / he ElaGcu-
linz facnlbersuf TIN. family were Inclined
to bc dubious as To is advantages The
chief Llection which We had To |. was
that II vas one 81 row Of eight. ell cx-
ectiy alike. and il was extremely Gi.-icult
10 10 SURF Of the right door.
a weeks practice. however made that
oil ri.;ht. ours was the fourth housr from
the south end Of the row. Is / walked
from the office along tac street inn't.i-
ntcly south II us. I sam became accus
toned to taking the exact number Of
steps, after turning the corner. which
would bring me to the doGr.
B.HideA. the hour Of which came home
Il am proof reader ON u morning paper
and ray duties usually Kept me at The
Office until after q a. M made 1t ncces-
cary for me to carry Ltchscy. While
! knew that Of courSc our neisibor3 had
exactly the g2rac conveniences which We
enjoyed. and hooked for light 10 windows
In the same port non Ct exactly similar
rooms. and experienced the Gnnoyanceof
SMOKY chimneys wien the wind WAS IN
the particular quarter which affected
ours. did not dream that the houses
were 10 precisely the same that the ley
Of one would unlock the other.
We had lived here about week vhcn
the street car line near by bean running
owl cars. This was boon for me. rs 1t
saved me n walk II some l,nSth. The
c2r line ran within half q square of the
house. being On the next street north
Of us.
The first night that rode homo vas
30 sleepy when got out Of the car that
scarcely knew what was doing. Eith-
erto the exercise u walking had Ecpt me
wide awake until got iAto nay own room.
! managed to unlock the front Coor,
however. and get upstairs. HALT making
my movements nolUlet's. a. knew that
my mother WIS easily awakened and cid
not readily so 10 sleep again.
The room which occupied was over
the dining room. the door Icing nearly
opposite 20 the head of the stairs some
what 10 my surprise the Cas IVES ret
burning on the landing: the rirl8 hid
probably forgotten 10 light il lelorc 10
ing to led. groped my way carefully
along. and ct lat reached The door Of
my room. lontcrcd; it was Ike tho hall.
Ii,c'i dark. tried IL ind the t-blc. on
which there lhould he limp. and uy
hand came Ia contact viii something
else drew match fruEl my pocket
and ctruc. 1t, IA holI it scrccacd by
my hand saw that the roon v@s e.
strange one. Suddenly. 81 WAS C@r..: il
Was not that the rlc.ch Ecd gone cut,
but tho Ur,i1 was s!I..Gowed: | know
nothing r-ort.
SIZE TELLS IT.
was always rated coura ~cou5; |
seemed to Lack that instructive fear
which causes come to shriak from Car..-
ncs1 aud lone lincss. My ircthCr8 and
sisters oitcl declared that | WOOL never
be frightened. not even. cLGCd Nay,
with sbudder IL n lurglcr were to pre-
sent himself leforc rae and demand my
yaluablos. These would rot tempt my
well regulated LurGlSr. icing email nd
Of little intrinsic value. tut thCuld tot
Ike to LOSE theru. end have alEGys &c
tcrmincd to defend ily property .toutly
Il threatened, providing. Of CoErsc. ta@t
| he'd sufficient warning CT tho ROBBERS
intentions 10 cnaLlc me to act.
cwokc one morning ct that rrovcrlial
darkest hour, just before tie Dawn.
had 10 idea what time 1t GGs. IA tho
whole house was wrapped IL silence cnd
darkness. ii l. FROM GitCr events That !
am abb TO say that it v.ss nearly morn
ilg. hid started suddenly froIl sleep.
but at first ] could hot tell wliat had
sound 10 follow tiSt which h..d recalled
INC from tse -ud of dreams. my thoughts
tlrncd ilstnltivoly to or next door
ncighbors. who had bccn Gouici.ed in
che row for about veeE.
Nobody knew tlcm. although sever
of the older residents led sro-In If C1ll-
ias upon tiem-pcrhaps: tor we Lied
the looks Of the laCigs und they Gct med
inclined to tc fr.cndly 1he rlca. how
ever, cccilcd to Lc here II day and
away I'll night. Ihcy ~crr ret wcrk-
inEcicn-cne could see thct ~ t&Cir
hands. their cioi.li,. their tcariag-Srd
We were afraid tlIcy Nerc rot Just what
thcy rhocll tc We recalled ce~t8il
Crewroac s.c=.ys Ct counie:ISi.c:g. LG..-
rl2rs and Other criminals v5i,o tS..,e il
respectable reiShlcrhoods I'D ely g.
ci.Cl G;:sric.ca ly the unreasonable LEAFS
wh.th tx? Kept
Nas t.!~t step ~ the stairs? | liz
tcaed c1c.e iatsaly, r.y Wandering;
t&o@C 'lts rCc...led from all CtACr sub lCct5.
S;..>.y Il Was. End That vSs Gnolher
'IGsge YES lursl.r il the Lousc.
rpg~.i.g cut Of Ted KID ,nvelOpcd IN self
Ia !: Circular which r..s.2Ced 10 lc l..c.c.,,-
IL; ca . chair. q, l,-i worn il c,.t i2lo
tie rim the psecs~iG, eV e:inc. Il Ives
to receive Lurgl--r / w:.s determined
tast The yro;rie,.Ss s,.oulI not cGi.,r; |
volll have so.lCt,-ag ca lcsidcs NY
Eight dress; While il L. wS.;i 20 any cthIr
roC.I | could seal c.ocS t. G..r... l1Ils to
s....~...:;.l rly lroihcra and l. less noticeable
n is 1--l- wrap llGl IL ~ E4,..t
Covs.
Il spite Of my tccs:ed coura~c. ay
heart tV.t very louGiy - the step was
heard once racsv. Erd this tine u CA the
l.Sl---.; JGst o-sS.~e L-y own CCor. !
Ci-s?sl tas po-er L.laly. however. Try
L:g - i>s-o.S i.ly ~ol.ed courSsc ~ the
pr>ss.re Of L..st i.i1aieaolc weapon In
,uy hand It was n plain. heavy lar Of
iron. at which the others often Laughed.
declaring that it must make ule tirvJ to
axe the tire
The knob Of the door turned slowly
and cautiously and the burglar enters
the NOM What would hr do next. lie
closed the door Us gently As he had
OPENED It, and for IA moment seemed TN
decided. Did he have dark lantern
and pistol | could not imagine d
burglar without such ndluncts both Of
which were unfamiliar Objects 10 the:
and shivcr,'d as | thought of the advan-
ta,,e which he would have oy.r TIE und
my poker.
Evidently the dark lantern was not in
working order. however. for he simply
struck match. The little flame showed
me that our new nei-hbors were not TN
founded upon ruason-this was one Ct
them They werc certainly gang Of
burglars.
he made stcp toward the dresses. To
reach il he niust pass me. lie was within
reach Of my arm. | raised my weapon.
and. uttering the loudest scnzIn Of
which my lungs were capable. ! struck
him o., the side OF the head lie fell Ike
log 10 the floor. Horrors. had kiled
him.
Ny renewed SCREAMS alarmed the
house and the Others were spedily by cay
side. had ALREADY lighted the gas and
was on my knees beside the Inan that
had struck. vainly endeavurin; to neal
life. My assortment of rtstoritives.
was Ifterward ASSURED. was suiiicicn TO
have revived duzen swoonins men.
What in the world lsSan my
brother as he appear,Si upon the scene.
He WAS the iirst To come To The room.
''oh. my burglars GOMEZ" lcxcL.imcd.
half Historically. but I've killed him"
Wholly unnecessary severity ~
marked Tom. "you always overlo the