Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-10-15
THE LEISURE BURGLAR

Sir said the warden, perhaps
you would like to see our Mr.. Forrest"
''Mr ForrestPn inquired.
why. yes, - he said in surprise,
Have you never heard Of our Mr..
ForrestP NoP Why" he continued,
rubbing his hands together exultingly,
'he is a man the likes of which wager
you will not find in another prison in
these statesl"
You are proud of him, chr
Proud of himl Proud of him! Well
now, YOU may believe it. ALI | tell
you, sir, he is none of your common
everyday of scamps. No, indeed
not he! He is a gentleman, every inch
Of him. But you would like TO see
himpn
Certainly. l answered. "if he be
rs interesting as you would make
OUT
"And more so, sir. assure you" he
said, enthusiastically
Where do you keep him?" in
quired.
I'VE set him at work in the library,
and a good man he is there, too.n
And leading the way he brought me
to the door leading to the library.
Pausing a moment. he leaned over TO
me and said;
Sir. if you can, you must get him
to tell you of his last piece of work.
A very artistic thing it was, and bold,
too. He's in for five years
And he opened the door. Sitting at
table reading some paper was a very
pleasant. affable-looking gentleman.
When | say gentleman, | mean that
he could not possibly be taken for any
thing else. His looks, his bearing,
Che courtly manner in which he rose to
greet us as we entered. and the CHEEKY
smile with which lie recognized our in
PRODUCTION stamped him at once as one
born a gentleman; and that he was
we'll educated and possessed of an in
tellect far above mediocrity was APP
parent before left.
The warden leaving a moment later
10 attend to his duties, we spoke casual
ly on several topics. | avoiding any
mention Of the fact that he there as
prisoner. aud wondering how tie ever
came to commit the crimes-for | had
found that his last crime was not his
first one, but that all his life he had
been a burglar and had, until the
present time, successfully eluded the |
search aud vigilance of the officers
which had brought him into his pres
ent position, and given him the unen-
viable reputation he enjoyed; for, when |
at last | did bring myself to the point
and somewhat timidly broached the |
topic. his interest heightened, and, in
stead of appearing downeast and |
Oh. I., b,,.
what with pride, and found no diili- /
Guilty in inducing him to give me a
detailed account of the piece of work
at which he was caught. He said:
II had abstainod from anv work for
over half year, owing mostly to the
onerous duties imposed upon me by
society; but my desire increased until
| could restrain il no longer, and one
night on a sudden impulse | set out.
taking with me but few tools, which
! carried in my pocket 1t was early.
very early, not later than 10 o'clock,
while operations are usually most sue
cessfully conducted between and or
5.
However, did not have the pa
thence to wait, but Immediately began
looking about for some house whose
appearance was prepossessing. BY
1850 had found my house and fixed
upon my way of ingress. which was to
be at window facing south near the
ground. waited impatiently for the
people to retire, which they did slow
ly.
Finally the only person still up
was a man, evidently the man of the
bn ,l-tt ,ta 4 ]
reading paper. | stationed myself
at tree aud waited, looking at my
watch from time to time, and uttering
imprecations on the man for keeping
Inc so long in the cold; it was near win
ter, and some snow was already on
the ground.
Soon | saw that the man was get
ting sleepy and finally, with a yawu.
he threw away his cigar, laid down his
paper. and. taking his lamp with him.
went to another room. Changing my
position | saw the light reappear on
the west side. he having. to the best of
my calculation, passed through a room
the room where he first was,
aud from that into his bedroom. Soon
the light went out, and, waiting about
half an hour for him to get drowsy, | I
went to work.
Il had no trouble with the window,
and opening It lightly crawied into the
room. Right ahead of me | saw a
stove, by the light of which saw that
| was in a little recess used for the
placing of flowers, which had now been y
As it was yet much too !
early to begin work, I sat down on a !
OH tah Il
and waited. The room was comfort
ably warm, the fire giving a CHEEKY J
glow, aud | soon found myself grow |
ing drowsy. Remembering the cigars |
my host was smoking. went to the
table, aud to my delight found there {
on a box, some of which l Immediately
They proved to be
very good smoke. and | contentedly
resumed my former occupation of gaz-
ing at the Goals. As fast as one cigar s
was used up l would light another, aud 4
l believe that / must have smoked v
some twenty or thirty cigars that night. I
Aud 10 that, aud to that only. can | v
attribute the fact of my being here. Il
But that comes later. +
As ] sat there noises on the streets [
grew less aud less, and soon all was v
silent except the ticking of clock in T
the room in which l was sitting. / D
heard the old tinekceper strike - IN d
slow, somber tones. and then l. | be- I
gan 10 be interested in tie beat Of the I
pendulum. aud uneonsciously con- G
slrucled rhymes that | repeated to nv 5
self Then 1 noticed that every few a
minutes it would lose a beat. followed I
by two close together. then lose I
nnother. As the time went on this ir- o
increased and ! came to the '
conclusion that my host had forgotten O
10 wind his clock.
As had already acquired an afTec- y
lion for il, | went up 10 the mantsi on 5
which it stood. aud opening the door v
Ielt inside for key. This | soon found c
and began winding. the noise Of which I
caused echoes TO ring over The whole y
room. However. I was not to be de- 4