Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-12-13
A LUCKY BURGLAR.
Warm Reception He Was Ac-
corded and What Game Of It.
HE TELLS TT.

HE TELLS IT.
Mother and the girls were quite in
ecstacies over the new house, The
masculine members of the family we're
lnclired to be dubious as to it's advan-
tages. The chief objection which we
Md to it was that it was one of row
0f eight all exactly alike, and II was
extremely difficult to be sure of the
right dolk.
a wNS's practice, however, made
that ali right; ours was the fourth
house1rom the south end of the row;
~ walked from the office along the
street INN ediatcly south of us. soon
became accustomed to taking the exact
number OF steps, after turning the COR
ner, which would bring me to the door.
Besides the hour at which came
home q am proof-reader on a morn
ing paper and my duties usually kept
me at the office until after three a. m.
made 1t necessary for me to carry
atch-key. While l knew that of
course our neighbors had exactly the
same convenienccs which we enioved.
and looked for light to windows in the
same portion OF exactly similar rooms,
and experienced the annoyance of
smoky chimneys when the wind was in
the particular quarter which affected
ours. l did not dream that the houses
were SO precisely the same that the
key of one would unlock the other.
We had lived here about a week
when the street-car line near by began
running owl cars. This was boon
for me, as it saved me walk of some
length. The car line ran within half
a square of the house, being on the
next street north of us.
The first night that l rode home |
was SO sleepy when 1 got out of the
car that | scarcely knew what was
doing. Hitherto the exercise OF walk
ing had kept me wide awake until
got into my own room. ] managed to
unlock the front door, however, and
get upstairs. habit making my move
ments noiseless, as knew that my
mother was easily awakened and did
not readily go to sleep again.
The room which l occupied was
over the dining-room, the door being
nearly opposite to the head OF
the stairs. Somewhat to my sur
prise the gas was not burning on the
landing; the girls had probably for
gotten to light it before going to bed.
CROPPED my way carefully along, and
at last reached the door ofmy room.
entered; it was like the hall, pitch
dark. ltried to find the table, on which
there should be lamp. and my hand
came in contact with something else.
/ drew match from my pocket and
struck it. AS / held it screened by nv
hand | saw that the room was strange
one. Suddenly, all was dark; it wa:
not that the match had gone out, but
the brain was shadowed; knew moth
Ing more
SHE TELLS 1T.
was always rated courageous;
seemed to lack that instructive feal
which causes some to shrink from
darkness and loneliness. My brother.
and sisters often declared that never
would be frightened; not even, added
May. with shudder, if a burglar wer,
10 present himself before me and de
mand my valuables. These would no
tempt any well-regulated burglar
being small and of little intrinsic value
but should not like to lose them, anl
had always determined to defend my
property stoutly If threatened, provid
ing, of course that | had sufficien
warning of the robbers intentions t,
enable me to act
awoke one morning at that pro
verbal darkest hour, just before tn,
dawn. had nc idea what time it was
as the whole house was wrapped il
silence and darkness; it is from afte
events that am able to say that it wa
nearly morning. | had started sud
denly from sleep, but at first coul'
not tell what had aroused me. As
lay listening for some sound to follow
that which had recalled me from tn
land of dreams, my thoughts turue'
instinctively to our next door neigh
bors. who had been domiciled in th
row for about week.
Nobody knew them. although sevcrs
of the older residents had spoken Q
calling upon them-perhaps; for W
liked the looks of the ladies and the
ID inclined to be friendly. Tn
however. seemed to be home a
"a away all night. They wer
vkingmen--oae could see, hs