The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-02-08
NE PLAYED BURGLAR.
A Wealthy New Yorker Breaks
Into His Own House.

Into His Own House.
All the men who are up to tn
times are wearing English ke,
chains. They are made of steel il
this country and of silver or golt
in England. They are made to fas
ten to a suspender button on tn
band of ones trousers, and from
that the chain hangs in the pocke
of the trousers with its bunch o
keys attached by means of a ring
Whoever has q key chain canno
lose his keys or leave them any
where, and yet they are free enough
to be used without being detached
from the chain. A very well-knowr
New York business man, who lives
in Jersey City, has not yet got one
of these chains, but he will buy one
as quickly as he finds out where tc
get it.
He got in a scrape that was SC
funny it will not do to mention his
name. He found himself loc cked
out of his big house on the Heights,
and he had left his keys in New
York in his desk or his Office coat.
He rang and rang and rang and
kicked, and he spent some time
throwing pebbles at the window OF
his wife's bedroom. But the house
is splendid, solid structure, one
in which you could fight a duel in
the basement without awakening
the people in the bedrooms. More
over, his wife is an uncommonly
sound sleeper, and his children
slumber like logs, his servant girls
sleep in the fourth story, and his
man lives over his stable more than
a block away. He thought of all
this as he pounded and rang and
kicked. Then it occurred to him
that he had often told his family
how easily his house could be en-
tered.
"All a burglar needs to do," he
used to say, sis to smash one of the
side windows by the basement door
and put his arm in and unlock the
door and let himself in"
Therefore he went downstairs and
kicked in the window in question,
to be shot at as burglar
by a passing policeman. He put
in his arm and unlocked the door
easily. Then he withdrew his arm
and turned the knob.
But his wife had needed his words
and had added stout bolt at the
top of the door. He gave up that
effort and considered the situation.
He knew that his man was careless
and frequently failed to chain the
gratings over the coal slide; per-
haps he had again forgotten to do
so. He lifted the 150-pound COW
erings of wood and glass off the
grating. 1t was not chained. So
then this wealthy and richly dressed
opened the trap and drop
ped down upon the coal, landing
there on his hands and knees. At
ter this all he thought he had to do
was to walk up to his bedroom.
But the door at the head of the
cellar stairs was locked, and he
could not break it open. He was
40 better off than before. He lighted
and sat down and ponder
ID. He climbed the stairs again
md beat at the door and kicked it.
Then another idea occurred to him.
At great expense, years before, he
lad caused dumb waiter to be
,uiIt in one wall from top to bot
ON of his house. Was it big enough
or him to get in? He would try
t. He could not get in it, but he
the top of it and began to
laul himself up through the build
ng. It was fearfully hard work.
The perspiration rolled off him.
The upward progress was painfully
low. Indeed, once, when he let 60 |
he rope for an instant, he shot
lown a whole story like lump of
cad. But it was his only chance.
he pulled away, and he pulled and
,ulled. The basement door to the
lummy was locked, and SO was the
'ack parlor door. He must toll to
he second floor.
In the mean time the dumb waiter,
lot being built for any such weight
II work, and being sadly in need of
iling, sent forth the most piercing
nd diabolical shrieks and groans.
he upper stories of the house were
lied with the noises of pandemo-
ium. Every sleeper was awakened,
nd all thought that the most des-
crate and audacious burglar OF
aodern times was tearing his way
p stairs by this novel means. 1t
1as q wonder the mistress of the
ouse did not die of heart disease,
o great was her alarm. She and
he servants huddled together with
aces bathed in cold perspiration,
waiting q terrible death. At last
be wife summoned to her aid the
ast fickering spark of courage, and,
oin9 to the door of the dumb wait
+ on that floor, assumed what she
,aan4 An .ha feYrihla voice. and