Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-04-03
THE STORIES
-oF THE
THREE BURGLARS.
BY FRANK R. STOCKTON.
[CoPYRIGHT, 1891
TCoNTINUED.l

CONTINUED.
hoped that my wife would put herself
on my side, and would say that we had
had enough of this sort of thing, but fe-
male curiosity is an unknown quantity,
and she unhesitatingly replied that she
would like TO hear the young mans
story. / sat down in despair. 1t was
useless to endeavor TO Withstand this
yearning for personal information-one
of the curses, / may say, Of our present
civilization. The young man gave no
time for change Of opinion, but immedi-
atcly began. His voice was rich and
rather low, and his manner exceedingly
pleasing and gentle.
ST wish to state in the first place"
said he, "that am reporter for the
press. In the exercise of my vocation l
have frequently found myself in
peculiar and unpleasant positions, but
never before have been in situation
so embarrassing, so humiliating, as this.
In the course of my studies and expert
.ences / have found that in literature
and journalism, as well as in art, one
can make true picture only of what
one has seen. Imagination is all very
well, often grand and beautiful, but
imaginative authors show us their inner
selves and not our outer world; there Is
to-day demand for the real, and 1t is
demand which will be satisfied with
nothing but the truth. / have deter
mined, as far as in me lies, to endeavor
to supply this demand, and have de-
voted myself to the study of Realism.
''With this end in view, | have made
ST. rule never to describe any thing
have not personally seen and examined.
If we would thoroughly understand and
appreciate our fellow beings we must
know what they do and how they do 1t,
otherwise we can not give them credit
for their virtues, nor Judge them proper
ay for their faults. If could prevent
crime would annihilate it, and when
It ceased to exist the necessity for de-
scribing it would also cease. But itdoes
exist 1t is powerful element in the
life of the human race. Being known
and acknowledged everywhere, itshould
be understood, therefore 1t should be de-
scribed. The grand reality Of which we
arc part can never be truly compre-
hended until we comprehend all its
parts. But l will not philosopher.
I have devoted myself to Real
asm, and in order to be a conscientious
student study 1t in all its branches.
4 am frequently called upon to
write accounts of burglars and burg
1aries, and in order to thoroughly un-
derstand these people and their method
OF action l determined, as soon as the
opportunity should offer itself, to &C
company O burglarious expedition. My
sole object was the acquisition of
knowledge of the subject-knowledge
which to me would be valuable and, l
may say, essential. l engaged this
man, James Barlow, to take me with
him the first time he should have on
hand an affair of this kind, and thus II
is that you find me here tonight in this
company. AS / came here for the pur-
pose of earnest and thorough investiga-
tion will frankly admit that l would
not have interfered with his processes,
but, at the same time, would have
made it my business to see that no
material injuries should result to any
members of this family"
''That was very kind of you" said. at
which my wife looked at me somewhat
reproachingly.
'sIf he really intended it." she re-
marked, s'and do not see why that was
not the case, it was kind in him."
GAS for me- said Aunt Martha, very
alphabetically, 81 think that the study
of Realism may be carried great deal
too far. do not think that there is the
slightest necessity for people to know
any thing about burglars. If people
keep talking and reading about diseases
they will get them, and If they keep
talking and reading about crimes they
will find the iniquity is catching, the
same as some other things. Besides,
this realistic description gets to be very
tiresome. If you really want to be a
writer, young man, why don't you try
your hand on some original compost
ton? Then you might write something
which would be interesting"
sAh, madam" said the young man
casting his eyes on the floor, sit would
be far beyond my power to write any
thing more wonderful than what have
known or seen. If l may tell you somC
of the things which happened to me
YOU will understand why have become
convinced that in this world of amazing
realities imagination must always take
. second place"
ssOf course we want to hear you
story" said Aunt Mart shats wha
~s have been staying ere for