Telegram-herald., 1890-07-15

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S1F oe2Foo1s an6 sta Pailld ehseAa.
aGssea.@d eYes Aaa disAeFeled iocAs,
cfflaS On, q n. sEsre's eeea robbers
IN The n0esess
IA less tine thaa that brief Pc
ried PeP0taFiy known al . .idy mf
~ife ant reached tbs scene q tie
catastrophe. Never snail forget tie
sPect@els tAAt 2sE cur g&zs- The VII
l-1n hAa apparently co8nnsd ais tePre-
datlons 70 the kitchen. but there BE lad
wrought fearful havoc. All TIE doors
OF the cupbo&rds. al the drssers 0t ths
sldeboaras we're vide Ope8. and sach of
their eonteuts as lad been LETT were
stresn epoa the noor On tue rug we're
fragments Of cold rabbit pic and cocoa
nut e4se. apparently east there cut Of
pure suPernuiry Of naughtinesS On
the table we're the pie dish aud cake
plate. both empty There also stood a
glass and iag from which the runian
had evidently been drinking beer. Hard
By were some half-burned lucifer
matches and few shreds Of tobacco.
showing that he lad finished up COM
fortably With a smoke. Both the
kitchen windows and that OF the scuI-
lery wore vide open-a fact which
thrust itself upon our outer conscious
ness. for the morning vas raw and
damp and We were thinly clad.
When We had recovered sufficiently
% take note Of our actual losses, then
indeed the iron entered our souls. We'd
ding presents are not always a source
OF unqualified pleasure 70 either donors
or recipients The former frequently
/ regard them as little better than tax
/ levied by custom; the latter OCCASION
ally feel that Aunt Jane and Cousin
b Peter might have done the thing rather
more handsomely while they were about
IT. But 10 is astonishing what a won
I deriul affection one feels for wedding
presents when they have been stolen
/ AS we looked for this gift and that
and found them not the most tender
I chords were touched. | remember hav-
ing thought Uncle Snifkin's pair Of
/ plated snufiers rather poor gift. for he
| IS something considerable in the city.
| But, now that the accustomed peg knew
/ them no more ! saw those snufers in a
new light / thought how uncle had
| probably walked miles 70 get them-he
! was greatly addicted 10 a secondhand
shop in the Mile End road-and soft
ened sadness stole over me, and
/ longed TO grasp his honest hand and
| hint at his buying Us another pair. My
/ wife bore the trying ordeal Of seeking
and finding not bravely enough until
she made one dreadful discovery. Then
she broke down, and, firging herself
on my breast. exclaimed through her
tears: 20 dearest, the wretch has act
ually helped himself to some Of our
we-e-dding cakep'
Eventually my burglar was captured.
and had the pleasure OF 4 personal in
terview with him. He was thick
set young fellow with not unpleasing
air OF melancholy about him. BY pro-
fession he was shoe-maker-that is to
say. be professed TO follow that calling;
but the pair of boots he made for his
solicitor (who represented him at the
trial) were misft, and were actually
being touched up at the moment he was
arrested. In some respects he was a
man OF careful and providential h abits;
he banked at the postoffice (el1 9s stood
to his credit when he took my spoons),
and he kept diary. In the latter
were artless references to certain calls"
ne had made, and particularly ''remem-
brances" ho had taken away with him.
JOe-for so be was familiarly addressed
by the police, who boasted quite a nod
ding acquaintance with him in private
life-was rather offended when | asked
IL he had experienced much difficulty in
getting into my house. why" he
said, Ito crack crib like yours is as
easy as kissing my hand" He further
explained that he took the servants
stockings from the dresser drawer merely
co put the knives and forks In. He had
also taken volume OF culinary recipes.
my missis amt much OF cook" he
said TO mo half apologetically. The
whole plundcr he had wrapped up in
my Inverness cape; and he actually
used to wear that garment not mile
from my house when passing the bad
money for which he was primarily nab
bedl Had met the rascal in the street,
with what start Of surprise should I
have recognized the cloak
asked him II he usually had bite
and sup in the houses he visited
Yes" he said. confdentially. You
usually feels a bit down whe n you've
finished Job" Poor fellow, he dimes
on skilly now. for be got seven years.
Perhaps | need scarcely add that nv
house is now sort OF combination oi
fortress and arsenal have had the
kitchen and scullery windows barred.
and tho other windows secured with
heavy shutters Strong bolts have been
fixed on tho passage side Of the drawing
and dining-roOT1s, so that ~ either oi
these were entered from without the
sphere OF operations would be confined
TO that one room. Then, on all the
back doors / have fixed bells and
springs. IN the passage l every night
chain Up large and savage dog. | have
purchased Gouble-barrel gun and re
volver. and With tho latter | practice al
a ta-get on tho wall, and sm now 50
skillful that mover by any chance miss
tho wall And when az night we retire
20 rest. ny wife leading tho way, ths
cook following with the plate and
last armed % the teeth-well. really.
sometimes almost wish that burglar
would pay Us another visiE-St James
Bpd-et