The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-01-23

US no more than do the obituary notices
of people we don't know. All we did
was TO talk vagGely Of getting a dog.
This was thcsIcep; presently came the
awakening. ono fatal Monday morn
ing our marital slGmbers were disturbed
at seven a. m. by the cook rushing into
eur bedroom, and with pallid cheeks,
distcnded eyes and disheveled locks,
crying: ''Oh, m'm,, there's been robbers
in the house,"
In less time than that brief pc
riOd popularity known as 'jify" my
wiso and / reached. the scene of the
ca sastrophe. Never shall forget the
spectacle that met our gaze. The viii
lain had apparently confined his depre-
datioHs 10 the kitchen. but there he had
wroaght fearful havoc. All the doors
OF the cupboards, all the drawers Of tho
sidcboards were wide open, and such Of
their contents as had been left were
sire wn upon the floor. 0n the rug were
fragments OF cold rabbit pie and cocoa
nut sake, apparently cast there out OF
pure sUperfuity OF naughtiness- On
the 7able were the pie dish and cake
plate; both empty. There also stood a
glass and jug from which the rufiian
had evidently been drinking beer. Hard
by were some half-burned lucifer
matcIies and few shrods. of toba eco,
showing that he had finished up COM
forta5ly with a smoEe- Both the
kitchen windows and that Of the scul-
lery were wide open-a fact which
thrust itself upon our outer conscious
ness, for the morning was raw and
damp and we were thiniy clad.
When we had recovered sufficiently
to take note Of our actual losses, then
indeed the iron entered our souls We'd
ding presents are not always 4 source
Of unqualified pleasure 70 either donors
or recipients. The former frequently
regard them as little better than a tax
le7ied by custom; the. latter occasion
ally feel that Aunt Jane and Cousin
Peter might have done the thing rather
more handsomely while they were about
it But it is astonishing what a won
derful affection one feels for wedding
presents when they have been stolen.
As We looked for this gift and that,
and found them not the most tender
chords were touched. / remember hav-
ing thought Uncle Snifkin's pair of
plated snuffers rather a poor gift, for he
Is something considerable in the city.
But, now that the accustomed peg knew
them no more, / saw those snuffers in a
new light i thought how uncle had
probably walked miles to get them-he
was greatly addicted to secondhand
. shop in the Mile End road-and a soft
ened sadness stole over me, and /
. longed to grasp his honest hand and
hint at his buying us another pair. My
wife bore the trying ordeal OF seeking
and finding not bravely enough until
she made one dreadful discovery. Then
she broke down, and, fiiuging herself
on my breast, exclaimed through her
tears: 80 dearest, the wretch has act
ually helped himself to some of our
wc-e-dding csker'
Eventually nay burglar was captured,
and had the pleasure OF 4 personal in
terview with him. lie was thick
set young fellow with not unpleasing
air Of melancholy about him. BY pro-
fession he was a shoe-maker-that is to
say, he professed 10 follow that calling;
but the pair of boots he made for his
solicitor (who represented him at the
triaD were a misfit, and were actually
being touched up at the moment he was
arrested. In some respects he was
man Of careful and providential abits;
he banked at the postoffice (eI1 9s stood
10 his credit when he took my spoons),
and he kept a diary. In the latter
were artless references to certain calls"
he had made, and particularly ''remem-
branccs" he had taken away with him.
Joe-for so he was familiarly addressed
by the police, who boasted quite nod
ding acquaintance with him in private
life-was rather offended when ] asked
il he had experienced much difficulty in
getting into my house. why" be
said, ITO crack a crib like yours is as
easy as kissing my hand" He further
explained that he took the servants
stockings from the dresser drawer merely
20 put the knives and forks in. He had
also taken volume OF culinary recipes.
MY missis amt much OF a cook, " he
said TO me half apologetically. The
whole plunder he had wrapped up in
my Inverness cape; and he actually
used to wear that garment not a mile
from my house when passing the bad
money for which be was primarily nab
bed! Had / met the rascal in the street,
with what a start OF surprise should /
have recognized the cloak.
asked him if he usually had bite
and sup in the houses he visited.
Yes" he said, confidentially, you
| usually feels bit down whe you've
| finished Job" Poor fellow, he dimes
on skilly now, for he got seven years.
Perhaps l need scarcely add that my
house is now a sort of combination Of
fortress and arsenal / have had the
kitchen and scullery windows barred,
and the other windows secured with
heavy shutters. Strong bolts have been
! fixed on the passage side of the drawing
and dining-rooms, so that II either of
these were entered from without the
sphere of operations would be confined
to that one room. Then, on all the
back doors i have fixed bells and
springs. In the passage / every night
chain up large and savage dog. l have
purchased double-barrel gun and re-
volver, and with the latter ! practice at
= target on the wall, and am now SO
sldllful that never by any chance miss
the wall And when at night VIC retire
to rest, my wife leading the way. the
cook following with the plato and
last armed to the teeth-well, really.
sometimes almost wish that n burglar
would pS US another visit.--St James
Budget
| An Anecdote OF Monster.
~, Dow IA