The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1890-09-05
DURSTON'S BURGLAR.

been AFRAID OF burglars and susceptible
Of old maids He could not remember
the time when the dread Of being robbed
or sued for breach Of promise was not
upon him. In other respects he was
quite courageous. He never seemed ia
feel nervous about dogs, lightnihg, OF
fire. He even dared TO do right now and
then, On the whole he was as plucky q
the average man in spite Of his convic.
ton that the time would come when be
would have trouble with q burglar and q
suit at law with an old maid.
Durston, as you know, lives in hand.
some house on an up town cross street.
He has always held that the majority Of
burglaries arc effected through the
trcachery of servants. He has, there.
fore. kept bachelors hall for many years
with the aid Of only one nssistant--an
old woman-a kind Of heirloom in his
family. As he generally dimes ut his
club he has managed TO live very com.
fortably without keeping 4 boarding
house for men and women who might be
III league with robbers. His aged house.
keeper is not ambitious. He feels conf.
dent that she will never sue him for
breach of promise nor permit a burglar
to make u breach in the house.
Durston's library and bedroom arc on
the second floor. Tic old woman sleeps
in a back room on the floor above. She
Is very deaf, so when lSlrston wishes to
cali her lie touches q button at the head
of his he'd. This sends mild electric
current through the reclining form Of
the housckeeper up stairs, She approves
of this process In the belief that 1t tends
TO hold her rheumatism in check. II
seems very shocking way TO treat mn
old woman, however. And then Dur
ston must find II unpleasant to discharge
servant two or three times day.
But revenons n nos burglar. One hight
last winter Durston reached home rather
earlier than usual. As was his custom
he examined the doors and windows in
the lower part Of the house and then
went to the library. He found his smok-
ing jacket and slippers in their sccus-
tonfed place. a wood fire was crack
ling in tho crate and q dccanter Of
whisky and n box Of cigars tempted
him from the center table,. Durston
milei contentedly a. he drew an easy
chair toward the fire. Life was very
pleasant to him. lie was one Of those
happy bachelors who have no regrets
Not that Durton lacked sentiment. Far
from il. In fact, he was not at all what
the world calls practical mnn.
No; Durston was inclined 10 look At
the romantic side Of life, and AS he
smoked perfecto and slipped his whisky
and settler In front OF the blaze that
night lie INDUCED in imaginings that
would have shocked the hard headed
housekecper up stairs worse than did her
private electric current the day tho bat.
terry was overcharged.
Durston had for the moment forgotten
all abou, old maids and burglars lie
was in condition Of bodily and mental
repose that drove into outer darkness all
the unpleasant things of life. Finally
the conviction came Upon him slowly
that IL was time to 60 Ia bed. Hefought
lizard against the proposition. but there
was no escape for him. Looking Mt his
watch he found that II was long after
o'clock. Turning out The lights In the
library he entered his bedrooan. He was
still In u state OF sleepy pntentmcnt
just as he was about TO put out the gas
he was startled by slight noise that
seemed to come from tho cellar lie
listened iniently. Five minutes passed.
but there wero no further sounds from
Lelow. Durston surrounded himself by
perfect darkness anil cfawled into bed.
But lie cH,ld no. sleep That nnlucky
noise had rendered him fcverisll The
thought Of burglars had destroyed hi,
serenity OF mind His revolver lay on q
chair by the bedside. and le kept his
hand on it for sonc time The weapon
fccmcd 10 whisper TO him; Pence. Dur.
ston: 60 To slccl. my child. will not
go of until The ln,rglnr comes. "
This assurance an the part ~ the pistol
auiatcd DnI,tpu somewhat. and hc wa
beginning To sol very sleepy again when
he heard n lgat,tcp on tho stairs. There
wns no mistake q >out II. After keeping
sullenly nloof TO- years Durstons bur
glnr had come at last. Atfirst our bach
elor felt cold chill creeping up his
spinal column. Then. ns the burglar
cnrcfully stole through tho hall and on
tered the library. Durrton WINS astonishcd
10 realize that he was lying In bed with
n pistol In his hand. u house breaker In
tho next room. and that he WINS begin.
ming N enjoy the adventure. The
thought flashed through his mind thai
oven breach Of promise case might not
bc M horrible o. hc had imagined.
-T'hc fccklcsstcllow s.cms TO think tina,
there's nobody In tho house. chucklctI
Durrton ~ he heard his visitor light q
burner In tho library. Then getting gu,
If bed aud stopping gently 70 the door
Of his lcdfoom Durrton pointed ,fs RI,
volvcr at asmall dark rather well drcssc,l
man who stood In tie center Of the u.
brnry looking Aismt him eagerly.
-Put up your hands. or III scnd . ball
through YOU. cried Durston sternly.
The dnppcr little burglar snw at n
glance thnt his game waa up.
Don't do anything rash.- no 70.
marked calmly, helping himself 10 n
stiff dose of Durstoa'a whisky aud thcn
lighting onr Of his unwilling hosts
cigars.
Durrton WIS astonisbcd and amused.
Now that I've got my burglar after
waiting for him M many ycnrs, ] might
- well make little pleasure out Of him.
he said 10 himself. Then 10 the bur.