The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-12-06
DURSTON'S BURGLAR.

Richard Durston. bachelor. had al
lways been afraid OF burglars aud sus-
yccpfiblc of old maids. He could not
remember the time when the dread OF
Aring robbed or sued for breach OF
pmise was not upon him. In other
poets he was quite courageous. lie
er seemed to feel nervous about
Is. lightning. or fire. He even dared
do right now and then. On the
Ehole he was Ms plucky as the average
IMAM In spite of his conviction that the
time would come when he would have
trouble with burglar and suit At
law with AN old maid.
Durston. rs YOU know. lives In n
handsome house on an uptown cross
street. lie has always held that the
majority Of burglaries are Effected
through the treachery OF servants. He
has. therefore. kept bachelors hall for
many years with the aid of only one
assistant-ap old woman-a kind OF
heirloom In his family. AS he gem
orally dimes ut his club he has managed
TO live very comfortably without keep
ing clearinghouse for men and wo-
men who might be in league with rob
bers. His aged housekecper is not
ambitious. He feels confident that she
will never sue him for breach OF
promise nor permit Il burglar 10 make
breach in the house.
Durston's library and bedroom arc
on the second floor The old woman
sleeps In back room on the floor
above. She is very deaf SO when
Durston wishes TO call her he touches
n button at the head of his bed. This
sends mild electric current through
the reclining form of the houSekceper
upstairs. She approves Of this process
in the belief that it tends to hold her
rheumatism IN check. IL seems very
shocking way TO treat an old woman.
however. And then Durston must
find il unpleasant to discharge a SER
want two or three times Il day.
But revenons nos burglar. One
night last winter Durston reached
home rather earlier than usual. AS
was his custom he examined the doors
aud windows in the lower part Of the
house and then went 10 the library.
He found his smoking jacket and Slip
pers In their accustomed place. A
wood fire was cracking in the CRATE
aud decantcr of whisky aud box of
cigars tempted him from the center
table. Durston smiled contentedly rs
he drew an easy-chair toward the fire.
Life was very pleasant TO him. He
vas one OF those happy bachelors who
have no regrets. Not that Durston
lacked sentiment Far from il. In
fact. he was not at all what the world
calls n practical man.
ts...l Il NJ.
the romantic side oi life. and as he
smoked perfecto and slipped his
whisky and settler in front of the blaze
that night he INDUCED in imaginings
that would have shocked the hard
headed housekeeper upstairs worse
than did her private electric current
the day the battery was ovcrcharged.
Durston had for the moment for
gotten all about old maid and bur
glars. lie was in condition of bodily
and mental rcposo that drove into
outer darkness all the unpleasant things
of life. Finally the conviction came
upon him slowly that il was time TO 20
TO bed. He fought hard against the
proposition. but there was no escape
for him. Looking mt his watch he
found that ii was long after l o'clock.
Turning out the lights In the library
he entered his bedroom. He was still
In a state of sleepy contentment. just
as he was about to put out the gas he
was startled by a slight noise that
seemed TO come from tie cellar. He
listened intently. Five minutes passed
but there were no further sounds from
below. Durston surrounded himself by
perfect darkness and crawled into bed.
But he could not sleep. That unlucky
noise had rendered him feverish. The
thought OF burglars had destroyed his
serenity OF mind. His revolver lay on
a chair by the bedside and he kept his
hand on il for some time. The weapon
. seemed TO whisper to him: Peace.
Durston; 60 TO sleep, W. child. will
not 20 of unth the burglar comes
This assurance ON the part OF the
pistci quieted Durston somewhat and
he was beginning to feel very sleepy
again when he heard light step on the
stairs. There was no mistake about IT,
After keeping sullenly aloof for years
Durston's burglar had come nc last.
At first our bachelor felt cold chill
creeping up his spinal column. Then.
as the burglar carefully stole through
the hall and entered the library. Ours
ton was astonished TO realize that no
was lying In bed with a pistol In his
hand. a house-breaker In the next
room. aud that he was beginning TO
enjoy the adventure. Tho thought
flashed through his mind that even
breach-of-promise case might not be
as horrible ms he had imagined
The reckless fellow seems 10 think
that there Is nobody In the house.
chuckled Durston rs he heard his