Tombstone epitaph., 1891-02-15
KISSED sy 4 BURGLAR.
zAe story of san PrAneAseo asri's kIsd- nixhs Ad<sntars.


 zas story oS . san FraneAseo ssri's kBd. nighs Ad<entsrs.
 'sI heard the oldest of all burglar stories when vas out on the Pacific assssst' % sss4ts sss4stss sssSss ys-kes sl.e hsz i'.st retnrnea fronl tsere to New York San reparter 1t vas told me as having happened to a household in suburb of San Francisco. Private detectives were employed to hunt the desperate, bEt, the fear of publicity hid the case from the authorities. In the front hall room on the second floor of a detached house slept the daughter of the house, the other members of the family being only her father and mother. The Chinese servant was in all probability at some friends laundry or over in san Francis co smoking opium, as those servants are almost certain to be after nfghtfall But he does net count, at any rate. The young lady was not asleep She was in very poor health. and part of her ail- ment was an inability t0 sleep except in eat-naps. She heard noise on the pOreh beneath her window, and a min ute later her window was thFown open and a man stepped lightly. into the room. Without haIting to see if his action had aroused any one he passed along the very narrow passage between her bed and her trunk "a way so narrow that 1t was the young ladY's custom tq sit on her bed and search her trunk and to lace her shoes by putting one foot at a time upon the trunk while she was seated on the bod.
 ha hi rr-laE vvaean1 alone hAatfa the bed he dropped one hand upon the young woman's head, and then let it re- main in that position ss he moved, and 1t swept along Der side over the bed elothes- Bat when his hand reached her feet be pinched one of toes, gently aud G2!schievocsly. and passed e.lt ct the room into the hall, She did not dare to scream, nor did she care to venture out after the thief. While she lay there, dreadfUlIy frightened and wondering what to do, back came tho man. He stood in her room, closed and locked the door, end then sat down on the bed.
 q Now, said he, in gentle voice not at all modulated to avoid being heard, T know that you are awake. and l am going to sit here and talk with you. Upon my honor as burglar of reputa- ton and good instincts, 1 will not hurt you. In only one way will transgress the rules of good breeding. am going to kiss you, that is all
 'The young woman found her voice and screamed. -s...... " Oh said the burglar. T an sorry you are frigh tened. l have half a mind to go away and come again when you are more Accustomed to my presence. But, no; can not do that Oaly mean to take one kiss
 s''At this point her screams were at her loadest, and the noise she made was SGch as tO wake any but dead household, one would have thought a. '''I really wish you would not do that, said the burglar. It will not deter me. What do care? can only die at the outside, and au not ir the least afraid to die. l have seen you again and again on the streets, and I have made up my mind to risk every thing in order te kiss you-to kiss yoH when you are awake, and know that I am stealing the favor, for would not risk day in jail to kiss a woman asleep, We'll, |! yon won't stop screaming can not see any use in delaying-' ......
 Here he put an arm under the girls shoulders, and, gently raising her body, he bent his own and kissed her on her lips as lightly and respectfully as if she had been his uaiden aunt With that he lowered her, still screaming to her pillow, and leaped out of the window. Her screams brought her father and mother, all too late, and they found her able to tell all that had taken place Net in an hour she had grown delirious, and it was month before she was even mentally herself agaIn. The bravo was never captured" "