San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-13
A GOOD JOKE.

Tommy Apes cried out to the porter in
voice loud enough to be heard all over Eus-
ton; "Darklingbourne-Sir Charles Noodles
place-are you deaff'
"Yes, sir; no sir" answered the porter.
I'm have it put all right, sir; only thought
YOU said Rottenboro." And he ran off to get
the luggage relabeled.
"Confound Rottenborol" grumbled Tommy
Apes with an affectation of anger, as he
scrambled into first class compartment. As
a matter of fact, the young subaltern, instead
of being annoyed, was delighted by the por-
ter's biunder, for it had given him an oppor-
tunity of letting those about him know that
he was bound for place no less fashionable
than the country house of the great banker
and distinguished politician, Sir Charles Moo
die
'These porters are very stupid, said one
of two gentlemen, who coming into the same
compartment as Tommy, had noticed his ap-
parent annoyance.
'Stoopid, doosed stOopidI' replied Tommy,
fixing his glass in his eye and gazing earnest
" at the speaker. Just imagine, he didn't
know where Sir Charles Noodles place was
thought it was at ROttenborow
/, Absurd" said the stranger, at the same
ing next where Windsor Castle is"
"Ya-as, downright monstrous!" said Tom
my, as he flung himself into a corner Of the
cArriage and turned his attention to the
perusal Of a sporting paper.
The two other gentlemen in the compart-
ment also devoted themselves to their news
papers, until the train had steamed out of the
station and was well into the country. Then
ma IN had bafprp ar IrasSpd
Tommy, lowering his newspaper for a mo-
ment, said:
pardon me, sir, but isn't Braxby Hall
somewhere near clearinghouse"
sob, old Squire Cherry's place" said Tom
my, eager to show his knowledge of country
,seople. well, it's in Doltshire, too; but
you could hardly call it near Darlingbourne.
"AhlI only inquired because | see here"
said the gentleman, pointing to the newspa-
per, shat there has been a burglary there"
'By George!" exclaimed Tommy Apes, in
tensely interested. you don't say So"
.'Oh, yes; but nothing seems to have been
stolen" added the gentleman quickly.
~ suppose" cried Tommy, with a loud
laugh, 'that was because there was nothing
worth stealing. Old Cherry is As poor as
church mouse"
The stranger laughed quietly at TDmmy's
little joke. Then, lie said, after moments
silence, 81 can't understand why people should
keep valuables at their country houses; it
seems to me so dangerous. Yet | believe
many people do"
''Yes, of course they do" said Tommy
Then, DESTROYS of showing his intimate knOwl-
edge of the domestic arrangements of the
fashionable Noodles, he proceeded: Now,
there's Lady Noodle, for instance. She keeps
the bulk of her jewels at her town house, but
some of them are always at clearinghouse,
even when she herself is not there. She told
me so herself" And Tommy lay back in his
chair with consequential air. He felt that
he was deeply impressng the stranger
''Do you think that's WISE" asked that gen
tleman. If were in her position certainly
should not keep such valuableS in lone cOun-
tfy house. Why, it seems TO me almost like
holding out an incentive TO burglary"
"Ah, but precautions can be taken against
burglary" said Tommy.
well, of course they cam" replied the
stranger, with dubious shake of the head,
''but l should not rely on them. No precau-
lions, to my mind, can be sufficient"
..Oh, yes they can" said Tommy, very
positively. For instance, Sir Charles Noodle
saws that he defies mouse to enter Dark
lingbourne at night without his knowledge.
''What precautions has he taken, thenF'
asked the stranger.
'sWeIl he has had electric bells put to"Yery
door and window in the house. These are all
duly set at 10 o'clock each night, and after
that not door or shutter can be removed
without an alarm being given.
"a very sensible device, said the stranger,
I.