Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1891-04-23
VAN BIBBER'S WAGER.

s e - |ei 1zz3. Cd ether men ol
he particular set wef4 grouped around
The club window rxluncheon, on
breakfast, as it happensd to be, when
Van Bibber said he thought seriously OF
entering upoA. career of crime. Van
Bibber was given to making disturbing
statements of this sort, which required
one TO think, even il one did not reply to
them, and the other men rather wished
he would not.
For instance" said young Van Bib
Der, Il went to dance last night, and
the room where you were TO put your
hat was filed with old silver, little bits
Of it-snuff boxes and spectacle cases
and bonbon boxes and buckles and
girdles. The chap had made q collec-
ton of them, and had them all lying
around loose. had good mind to fill
my overcoat with half of 'em, and then
thought it would be much more fun to
fill every other mans pockets, and wait
and see the row, but some one. came in,
and ] couldn't do it. Now, there are
these teas and receptions and days and
all that sort of thing that women 90 to-.
Why shouldn't ! start out some after
noon and sweep the places bare, and
melt the silver down and get rich; !
might become q sort of Jack the Rip
per- or Louis the Litter I'll bet" ex-
claimed Van Bibber, becoming more in
terested in his idea, that can 90 out
this afternoon and bring back more
than five hundred dollars. worth Of sill
yer and bric-a-bfac, and I'll do it, too,
If any of you have any sporting blood" "
There was no question as to the men
having sporting blood. They jumped at
the chance. Van Bibber found not the
least difficulty in dividing up his wager
among them all.
But watt" said Travers; "how do
we know that Van Bibber won't fix 1t
with the people in the house? Even il
his friends did see him handling the
bric-a-brac or even if he put fork down
his coat sleeve, they'd not say anything.
They'd think he was joking Or he may
let them into it beforehand"
well, / must say l appreciate your
confidence" growled Van Bibber; IN
play fair, of course, and I'll tell you
what I'll do; to make sure, I'll only 90
to houses where they don't know me,
and I'll bring back spoons marked with
the peoples initials"
This recklessness delighted his friends.
"You are sport, Van Bibber," they
cried with admiration, land you'll be in
Jail before o'clock"
The servant brought them a society
paper that made a feature of printing the
announcements of coming social events,
and Van Bibber carefully selected the
names of five estimable ladies who were
giving receptions that afternoon, and
who were making desperate fight to
get into society, as the proper people to
rob. AT he ordered hansom, put his
list inside his hat, placed fresh chrys-
anthemum in his coat, and started smil-
ingly forth on his career of crime His
friends watched him from the window
with keen delight and with much excite
ment.
"Now, lnen," said Travers promptly
and decidedly. "the thing for us to do is
to send detective after him and have
him arrested"
Exactly" said the rest.
Mr.. Van Bibber alighted first at
very handsome brown stone house, lust
few doors off tho avenue on Forty
third street. There was an awning over
the door, and line of carriages on either
side of the street. The name of the lady
who was paying for this he discovered,
by referring to his slip. to be MOBILES.
The man saw him through the door and
opened it, saying, Third floor, front"
Mr.. Van Bibber pushed his way
through the crowd of women and girls
and old men and pots of chrysanthe-
NUNS, and threw his overcoat in a cor
ner. There was no one in the room,
and Van Bibber, while adjusting his
cravat, cast n wandering eye over the
dressing table. It was Uttered with sill
yer toilet articles. He picked some of
these up and bit them, in most pro-
fessional manner. Plated" he re-
marked, with some disgust; lady prob
ably gets her silver from a caterer,
Hardly worth while to try down stairs.
Guess I'll move on to next place"
he picked up his oyercoat and hat
again, and went ont without having
gazed upon Mrs. Mobiles. The next
place was ON the avenue itself, and was
very crowded. Van Bibber pushed his
way slowly up stairs to the second floor,
and, without a moments hesitation,
gathered up four silver photograph
frames, complete manicure set of sil-
yer, gold watch, which hung in a slip
per at the side Of bed, and pair of sill
yer backed hair brushes. He placed
these carefully in his overcoat, and went
down stairs in stately and dignified
manner. He avoided the first door,
where he guessed the hostess was sta
toned, and made his way toward the
rear. There was o terrible crush, and
yet he saw no one he knew.
In the rear room there was a long
table overloaded with things to eat. He
gathered up three or four spoons, one at
time, after examining them carefully and
stored them away back of bit of china
on sideboard, then he went back after
more spoons. Nobody paid any atten-
ton to him, and he paid no attention 70
sny one else. he carried Q plate with