Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-09-25
MRS. HOWA RD'S BURGLAR.

~ am not criminal, nor have the In
clination to hc one. Nevertheless" sad Mrs.
Howard, ''if | had had my deserts, 1t IS pos
sil!. that | might FOR few days, weeks,
months, or, possibly, years, have langnished
behind prison bars.'
"Tonw exclaimed tho guest, whose chance
expression had drawn forth the above con
f.xsion. "You! My dear Mrs. Howard!'
~" calmly yes" in reply to Il look of
incrcluity.
"But howl Pray tell ms"
Mrs. Howard laughed at the surprise writ
ten on her friends face. II was rather TIM
pul,ive In my younger days" she said, land
fun of theories, ono of which UGs that all
criminals save uurdcrors-l drew the Inc
shnrlv thcrcA-should be demonstrated nnd
reasoned with instead OF Icing imprisoned.
Prison Lle prison discipline, har'icned and
emlittcrcd them, argued. soon after my
first husbands death ! hah an experience
where opportunity was given me to put my
theory into practice. wa, then exceedingly
careless IN al business matters, and one day
went into savings bank, where had d"p'A-
it'd some odd hundreds, and drew 800.
Then. with these bills in my hand-not even
hidden IN my pursa, mind you-l walked
froin hat h;n!l;. on ono OF the busiest streets
Of our city. straight to my own house All
the way held them lightly rlasp"i In my
band.
Wen, Of course, ~Aat might naturally
expcy; TO hnpleu. dill happen. Yes, that
night a mnr entered my h"Hre t"iN@rh ono
OF the area windows. He had seen mo, as ]
wnlllI nonchalall.ly along the street, wing
ing my roll nt htll-, onl. wanting money h"
came for Il. But Il" would hardly have taA'n
thr tr0ullc had he known that Ge"!fTcv. my
brother, who Is now in Brazil happancI to
come to nurh that day, aud insisted, very
,,"r"nytorily ! thought then, very wisely
think now, upon taking the bills end giving
mo Il check for The amount
NV ro,brr, knowing nothing Of this trans
action, entered the house by means OF n file,
with which he forccl ono of the shutters Of
tlu arcs windows.
Startled! Frightened Very Thoroughly
startled, very thoroughly frightened was
that nj hit flo entered the hoase, he scar he'd
the lover rooms, ha came ny t. my chamber
;,,il ordered nae, rather roughly, conf~s, to
rise and produce the money had that morn
ing brought INTO th' horse
With chattpring teoth, with trembling
rnl,s complied wish his r"&l.,t. lnl,ed,
could nos vel 90 cthrrWi.". sincn u, ~toDl
over mo with n large billet OF wood in his
band which was quite sure Lo would test
u;on ne, t,ia rlfu4o TO obey.
\ VIII thoryht occurred t. mo, IA s!ipI"d
into n5v wrapper, and ut once pro2"yd"d 70
execute il.
l., I,.,li. a Gala, my
robIcr Catching me by tha arm and giving
me n vioru. shaking, n5 we'll Hs Il dreadful
heart throh ".io fo1liu', minl yon! But
inst you lead ~" straight 70 III" place where
you've had that money il.
ut Is down in the cellar fnltrrni.
"rhat's in III swc@r!' h" exclaimed.
"Oh, lut it H." answered.
II don T. lioVr q ---- WOri nf IT,
was rather moro composed now, nnd
said again, very firmly:
'It is, it is there. 1t is under a big smooth
stone in the er chamber Of the furnace.
sent my r,ai' 3owM t. TIE grocery, and th"n
carried lny money down and hid it there
mysylf."
The smooth, untripring confidence with
which | delivered tins false statement nlndo
an impression on the man. | followed 1t up
instantly: ~ viii l;l,ht a lamp and 60 down
with you, and show you the very spot,
said
"Go long, then he ordered; "but If it's Il
- lie III pull the hair outer yer head,'
"Nery well,n said, proceeding, to light u
litchcn lamp ~ will 60 first, il you please
| held the lamp before me as we descended
the cellar steps, lighting the way for myself
but not for him. Swearing vigorously at the
darkness, be followed me. When We reached
the flooring stood Il little aside. "A Oh must
step carefully over that loose board, said,
"f0r tho soft water cst"rn Is sunk III the
ground there Carefully, carefully. Lightly
| now, Ah! and with loud scream threw
the lighted lamp far ahead into the cellar
then turned, fed up tine dark stairway, closed
and botcd the cellar door before my robbtr
comprehended my purpose.
This had been my plan from the moment
We left my room. but he'd thought 1t would
| be fur moro difficult of achievement. The
blaze Of the exploding lamp would do no
! damage knew, since the floor Of tho cellar
was a stone one; and while 1t would lewldcr
him, it would do him no injury. And rs tho
cistern, upon whose brink he stood, existed
only In my imagination, felt no compunc-
ton in leaving him Iosed upon the board.
All. what long breath drew as shot
that bolt into placel What e sense of relief
was mine.
For although had spoken calmly, and had
acted as if felt no fear, WAS IN reality
desperately afraid Of this man.
Now that he was safely imprisoned IN tho
cellar, that fear changed into deep resent
.ncnt. What had l done, asked myself,
Mat ne should uso me 50 roughly Had not
oseyed himf
MY theories did not recur to me then. In
deed, as ran into the drawing room ana
opened window my only thought was u
cali in an officer and have the man carried
to tho Jail No inclination did feel then 10
demonstrate or reason with the man who had
broken into my house, had threatened me,
had clutchetl and shaken me!
For others not fol myself, were my tEco-
res that night.
A polcer,an soon came down the street,
aud called to hl-n. As he stood under my
window l hastily told him of the burglar.
First go for my brother" added, and
then yet him out Of the cellar and carry him
of"
Gcoffrey lived in the house facing mne
and, with the same strong feeling OF resent
.ncnt watched the officer cross the street