Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-02-27

| nc1ency OF their WINDOW taSten1ngS.
| Familiar with mechanic devices as am,
and accustomed to think of such things,
! the precautions of householders some
times move me to laughter. Your outer
doors, front and back, are of heavy wood,
chained, locked and bolted, often double
locked and bolted, but your lower win
dows are closed in the first place by the
ightest kind of shutters, which are very
seldom fastened at all, and in the second
place by little continuance connecting
the two sashes, which is held in place
by a couple of baby screws. If these
contrivances are of the best kind and
can not be opened from the outside with
a knife-blade or piece of tin the burglar
puts chisel or jimmy under the lower
sash nd.gently pressesit upward, when
the baby screws come out as easily as if
they were babies milk teeth. Not for
moment does the burglar trouble him
self about the front door, with its locks
and chains and bolts. He goes to the
window, with its baby screws, which
might as we'll be left open as shut for
all the hindrance it is to his entrance,
and if he meddled with the door at all it
is simply to open it from the inside, SO
that when he is ready to depart he may
do so easily"
''But all that does not apply to my
windows" said. ''They are not fast
ened that way"
''No, sir" said the man, ''your lower
shutters are solid and strong as your
doors. This is right, for if shutters are
Intended to obstruct entrance to a house
they should be as strong as the doors.
When James Barlow first reached this
house he tried his jimmy on one of
the shutters in this main building,
but he could not open it. The heavy
bolt inside was too strong for him. Then
he tried another near by with the same
result. You will find the shutters splin-
tered at the bottom. Then he walked
to the small addition at the back of the
house, where the kitchen is located.
Here the shutters were smaller, and of
course the inside bolts were smaller. Ev-
cry thing in harmony. Builders are so
careful nowadays to have every thing in
harmony. When Barlow tried his jim
my on one of these shutters the bolt
resisted for time, but its harmonious
proportions caused it to bend, and it
was soon drawn from its staples and the
shutter opened, and of course the sash
was opened as 1 told you sashes are
opened"
"Wen," said 1, shutters and sashes
of mine shall never be opened in that
way again"
at was with that object that spoke
to you,'' said the tall man. 81 wish
you to understand the faults of your
fastenings, and any information can
give you which will better enable you
to protect your house 1 shall be glad to
give it, as slight repayment for the
injury may have helped to do to you
in the way of broken glass and spoiled
carpet. 1 have made window fasten-
ings an especial study, and, if you en-
ploy me for the purpose, I'll guarantee
that will put your house into condi-
ton which will be absolutely burglar
proof. If do not do this to your salts
faction 1 will not ask to be paid
cent"
''We will not consider that PROPOSE
ton now" said, ''for you have other
engagements which would interfere
with the proposed job" 1 was about
to say that thought we had had enough
of this sort of story, when Aunt Martha
interrupted me.
cit seems to me-" she said, speaking
to the tall burglar, shat you have in
stincts, and perhaps convictions, of
what is right and proper, but it is plain
that you allow yourself to be led and in
fluenced by unprincipled companions.
You should avoid even the outskirts of
evil. You may not know that the pro-
posed enterprise is bad one, but you
should not take part in it unless you
know it is a goed one. In such cases
you should be rigid"
The man turned toward my aunt and
looked steadfastly at her, and as he
gazed his face grew sadder and sadder.
"Rigid," he repeated, "that is hard"
eyes" remarked, shat is one of the
meanings of the word"
Paying no attention to me, he con-
tinued:
Madam" said he, with deep patho7
in his voice, mo one can be better aware
than am that l have made many mis-
takes in the course of my life, but that
quality on which think 1 have reason
to be satisfied with myself is my rigidity
when l know a thing is wrong. There
occurs to me now an instance in my ca
reer which will prove to you what 1 say
ST knew man by the name of Spot.
kirk, who had invented iniment for
the cure of boils. He made great sue
cess with his liniment, which he called
Boiline, and at the time speak of he
was very rich man.
zone day Spotkirk came to me and told
me he wanted me to do piece of bust
ness for him, for which he would pay me
twenty-five dollars. was glad to hear
this, for was greatly in need of money,
and asked him what it was he wanted
me to do.
"'You know Timothy Barker, said he;
well, Timothy and 1 have had a misun-
derstanding, and want you to be
referee or umpire between US, to set |
things straight
every good said I; and what is the
point of difference?'
"'I'll put the who lie thing before you,'
said he, for of course you must under
stand it or you can't talk properly to
Timothy. Now, you see, in the manu-
facture of my Boiline ] need a great !
quantity of good yellow gravel, and Tim
othy Barker has got gravel pit of that
kind. Two years ago l agreed with
Timothy that he should furnish me with
all the gravel I should want for one
eighth of one per cent. on the profits of
the Boiline. We didn't sign no papers,