Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-02-20

use in objecting, ! consented. one
hastily dressed herself, making me wall
for her, and when she left the room sne
locked the door on the sleeping George
William, in order that no one should
get at him during her absence. AS we
passed the head of the stairs the door
of my Aunt Martha's room opened, and
there she stood completely dressed with
her bonnet on and little leather bag
in her hand.
81 heard so much talking and SO much
going up and downstairs that thought
l had better be ready to do whatever
had to be done. Is it fire?"
"No, said my wife; sits three burglars
tied in bunch in the library. l am go
ing down to see them"
My Aunt Martha gasped and looked as
IL she were going to sit down on the
floor.
Goodness graciousl" she said, "if
you're going I'll go too. ! can't let you
90 alone, and l never did see burglar"
hurried down and left the two ladies
on the stairs until was sure every thing
was still safe, and when saw that there
had been no change in the state of af-
fairs told them to come down.
Wher my wife and Aunt Martha
timidly looked in at the library door the
effect upon them and the burglars was
equally interesting. The ladies each
gave start and little1 scream and
huddled themselves close to me, and the
three burglars gazed at them with faces
that expressed more establishment than
any / had ever seen before. The stout
fellow gave vent to a smothered ex-
clamation and the face of the young
man flushed, but not one Of them spoke.
"Are you sure they are tied fast?'
whispered my Aunt Martha to me.
Perfectly" answered; ''if | had not
been sure / should not have allowed you
to come down"
Thereupon the ladies picked up cour-
age and stepped further into the room.
"Did you and David catch them2"
asked my aunt, ''and how in the world
did you do it?"
"I'll tell you all about that another
time" said, "and you had better 60 up
stairs as soon as you two have seen what
sort of people are these cowardly burg
lars who sneak or break into the houses
of respectable people at night and rob
and steal and ruin other peoples prop
erty with no more conscience or human
feeling than is possessed by the rats
which steal your corn, or the polecats
which kill your chickens"
~ can scarcely believe" said Aunt
Martha, shat that young man is real
burglar"
At these words the eyes of the fellow
spoken of glowed as he fixed them on
Aunt Martha, but he did not saya word,
and the paleness which had returned to
his face did not change.
"Have they told you who they are?"
asked my wife.
81 haven't asked them" said, ''and
now don't you think you had better go
upstairs?"
at seems to me-" said Aunt Martha,
"that those ropes must hurt them"
The tall man now spoke. Indeed
they do, madam" he said, in low
voice and very respectful manner, ''they
are very tight"
told David to look at all the cords
and see If any of them were too tightly
drawn.
It's all nonsense, sir" said he, when
he had finished the examination; mot
one of the ropes is bit too tight. All
they want is a chance to pull out their
ugly hands"
"0f course, said Aunt Martha, s'if it
would be unsafe to loosen the knots !
do it. Are they to be sent TO
prison?"
yes" said 1; "as soon as the day
breaks shall send down for the POI
ice."
l now heard slight sound at the
ioor, and, turning, saw Alice, our maid
If the house, who was peeping in at the |
loor. Alice was a modest girl and quite
pretty.
81 heard the noise and the talking,
ir," she said, land when / found the
aides had gone down to see what it was
thought would come, too"
"And where is the cook?" asked my
wife; don't she want to see burglars?"
mot bit of II" answered Alice, very
alphabetically; ''as soon as l told her