Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-03-13

with me, but they was professionals.
These amt cracksmen; they don't know
nothiu' about it, but this one is handy
at tools and that's the reason brung
him along, but you see he kicked and was
goin' to give me away, and this young
gentleman ="
'sNever mind about that young gen.
man, 1 said; Il have certain curiosity
TO know why my house was not entered
when the others were-
well" said he, 81 don't mind tellin'
yer how that was. It was on account of
your baby. We don't like to crack
house where there's pretty small baby
that's liable to wake up and howl any
minute, and rouse up the rest of the
family. There's no workin' in house
with comfort when there's such young
one about. I'll tell you what it is, all
your burglar alarms and your dogs amt
worth nuthin' alongside of baby for
guardin' a house. If a craftsman amt
careful the alarms will go off, and If he
don't know how to manage dogs the
dogs will bark. But, by George, sir,
there amt no providin' agin a baby.
He'll howl any time, and nobody can
tell when, so 1 waited till your baby was
a little more settled in its ways and
slept soundly, and then we come along,
and here we are"
This statement very much surprised
me, and did not elate me. Without
saving so to any one, 1 had fattered
myself that the burglars had heard of
nv precautions and of my excel
lent stock of firearms, and per-
haps had got notion that 1 would be
an intrepid man to deal with, and it was
somewhat humiliating to find that it
was our baby the burglars were afraid
of and not myself. My wife was
amazed.
Can it be possible" she said, shat
these people know so much about our
baby, and that George William has been
protecting this hOuse?"
ut makes my flesh Creep" said Aunt
Martha. do you know every thing
about all of us?"
''Wish 1 did, ma'am," said the stout
burglar; wish I'd known about that
beastly liquor"
''Well, we've had enough of this" said
1, rising, land, my dear, you and Aunt
Martha must be ready to go to bed, and
David and 1 will keep guard over these
fellows until morning"
At this instant the youngest burglar
spoke. His face wore a very anxious
expression.
MAY ask, SIR" he said, ''what you
intend to do with me in the morning."
Il have already said,"I answered,
shat shall then hand over all of you
to the officers of justice of this coun-
try"
"But, SIR" said the young man, ''you
will surely except me. 1 am not at all
concerned in this matter, and it would
be of the greatest possible injury to me
to be mixed up in it, or to be mentioned
in public reports as an associate of a
criminal. I'm not acquainted with the
gentleman at the other end of the
bench, but have every reason to be-
lieve from what he said to me that he
intended to notify you if this James
Barlow proceeded to any open act. Fol
myself, beg you will allow me to state
who and what am, and to tell you by
what a strange confederation of circum'
stances 1 happen to find myself in my
present position-one which 1 assure you
causes me the greatest embarrassment
and anxiety"
"We've had enough storytelling fol
one night" said 1, land you had better
reserve your statement for the magis
trate"
Here Aunt Martha put in her voice.
''That's not fair" she said, ''two o.
them have been allowed to speak, and
this one has just as much right to
be heard as the others. What do you
say, Cornelia?'