The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-01-25
KLEPTOMANIA in SOCIETY.
ONE OF THE PECULIAR TRIALS OF
THOSE WHO ENTERTAIN.
A Gentleman Who Filled His Pockets
With His Host's Cigars-what Society
Woman says--The Experiences of a
Sable Butler.

He was neatly attired in evening dress in uni
form with the other invited guests who thronged
the handsome house. He looked frank and
honest and apparently a well-bred man.
1t was in the library that his suspicious move
ments attracted the reporters attention. Sew
eral opened boxes of Havanas lay upon the
tables. Many gentlemen lounged in comfort
able chairs or posted their shoulders against the
walls, smoking and chatting. He stood alone,
evidently too earnestly bent on his questionable
mission to mingle In conversation. On table at
his elbow lay one of the boxes of cigars. He took
cigar, cut Off the end, placed it to his lips, and
struck match. The reporter, from his
resting place, half lost to surroundings in
reverie, had fastened his eyes vacantly upon
him. Presently, glancing around as if to note
whether or not his movements were observed,
and assuring himself that they were not, his
hand gently glided down and secured another
of the fragrant rolls which he steathily secreted
The vacant light faded from the reporters
eyes. He became alrattention Soon the hand
dropped down again, and second cigar went
to join its companion, already in concealment
minute passed. The third cigar was assisted
from the box, then the fourth, the fifth, the
sixth--an entire row was swept away before the
untirfng set of digits rested satisfied
throughout the evening the reporter carefully
noted the actions of this gentleman, and felt his
vigilance rewarded only after witnessing the
removal OF perhaps hundred cigars. Where
he found room to conceal them about his person
was matter OF speculation, as. in spite of their
bulk, no ungainly bulging out of pockets ap-
peared.
Narrating this incident to well-known soci-
ETY. woman some time afterward, she said:
''Ihese petty pilferings are by no means un-
common and not confined alone to cigars Ere
quently after an entertainment have missed
from cabinets and buffets small articles of orna-
mentation or adjuncts to dinner services Often
these, are intrinsically valueless, and why any
one should wish to carry them away is impossi-
BILE to conjecture, unless they are actuated by
mere love of stealing itself. Again. small arti-
cles OF silverware such as may be easily secreted
ABOUT The person disappear, much to the chagrin
and Inconvenience of the hostess. Spoons and
forks are the most frequently purloined and
this is a constant worry to all good housekeep-
ers from the difficulty and trouble necessitated
In order to supply their places in the sets thus
broken. Little vases and curios disappear in
number, which shows, l think, that women
sometimes engage in this practice, for why
should a man wish to make off with such to him
generally valueless stuff.
"Fo' de lau's sake" exclaimed sable butler
when the reporter piled him with questions to
ascertain if in his experience he had ever expe-
rienced one of these ''now-you- u-see-it-and-n now
you-don't' matinees." 'Well, should lest
say had dat. Use seed one man cum hyah
san, Wnar dc WuS wine an punch an Ticker, an
sides loadin' phisself wild sich stuff, jest catch
hold Nv er bottle an chase hisself off to whar
dey wus no one lookin an fill his own private
flask. Dat's fact, sab; dats fact.
One ebunin' dey wus youn' chap cum
hyah an 'stid O. loadin' up one flask, by hunky
he socked two Nv 'um up to de brim. Did hit
in the butler's pantry, sab, whar he sneaked in,
an whar foun 'um. Never said nuthin'
nuther; but was just as pert an cheeky as he
could be. When foun' 'um he had loaded his
first, an stood it on de shelf while he filed de
oder. Ba George when / asked him what he
WIS doin' dat fur he jes' look at me am
smile, an say hit wus fur poor sick family he
was a nussln' an den asked me If hit wus
good BRAN Nv Ticker dat he wus film dem
TASKS wild ~