St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-01
MURFREE'S BURGLAR.

front of the dresser glass, preparatory
to retiring for the night. mot par
ticle," she emphatically repeated. II
have known you to be positively cow
ardly at times"
Mr.. Murfree looked up in weary
way from the corner where he sat. Pm
sure. my DEAR" he began,
"No, you're not" snapped his better
half, You are not sure, you are never
sure OF anything-yOu only think. Bah!
l hate man who only Thinks and
she jerked the tangleS out of refrac-
tory auburn lock with additional force.
when Mrs. jerks was telling tonight
about that paragon Of husband of hers
| was simply consumed with envy. 1t
shows how much to believe in names.
Look at you two men-lool, | sayW
Eyes, my DEAR" responded Mr.. Muir
free, pulling OFF his boots in resigned
way, Ppm looking"
''Bah!" retorted his wife. 81 mean
your names, Ulysses Murfree-Peter
Jenks-just think of the difference, and
yet Peter jerks knocked a burglar
down stairs this week with one fist, one,
assure you one, and you, you are afraid
TO 20 calling on the SimsOngibbeers
after dark, because they keep a dog"
w GILL my uCOls lCCl'IJ
Mr. MurGree, sit is very large dog,
and l"-
Here Mrs. Murfree suddenly turned
around, and through lips containing
sundry hairpins, combs and such trif1ing
articles, Missed, Don't talk to meW
in such an impressive and disguised
manner that Mr.. Murfree subsidized at
once, and proceeded to finish pulling off
his socks.
lie was not disturbed again until the
moment came for retiring, when, con-
trary to their usual custom, Mrs. Muir
free turned the gas entirely out, leaving
the room in darkness, save where
streak Of moonlight fell thr Ough the
window, open for ventilation.
Now. if there was anything that Mr..
Murfree hated, it was to have the bed
room gas turned off at night, but he
ing a plan whereby he should be able to
shoot a burglar in the dark, should one
chance to visit his abode that night.
Just as the city clock was striking l
Mr.. Murfree awOke with a start and
looked in daZed way up into the dark
ness.
"What's the matter with me?" he
muttered, a sensation of uneasinesS
creeping over him. Il think-ha! what's
that?" and, broad awake now. with the
cold Precipitation starting from every
pore, he became conscious of a faint
rustic in the room, the cause of which
the heavy portieres draping the alcoYe
prevented him ascertaining.
Cautiously he reached under the mat
treSS for his revolver, and. to his horror.
found that after cleaning il on the pre-
Vious day he had careleSsly forgotten to
replace it in its w0nted spot.
'Oh, Lord oh, LOrdn he chartered
to himself, trying TO keep cool, mo re-
VolYer, no nothing, and burglar sure
as fate. Samantha was right. | am a
coward; what on earth shall | do? If |
awake Samantha L will never hear the
last OF it-she will nag worse than ever;
besides, she is sure to yell, and then we
will all be murdered;" and then the
poor man shook so that the springs
creaked and sent him into fresh fit of
trembling"
Rustic, rustic, 1t came again, and
then a soft thump and clink.
Hes got my pants" calculated Mr..
Murfree to himself, as he cautiously sat
up in bed and tried to calm himself.
Thump!
Il can't stand this any longer" said
Mr.. Murfree in whisper, beginning to
get hutfy. 'Im a fool. No wonder
Samantha said so. | will certainly find
out what is outside Of those curtains,
ana this time Samantha shan't have
chance to brag over me. Perhaps /
shall be able to do something for once"
Keeping well away from the Separa-
ton between the portiereS he carefully
let one foot out of bed.
AS it touched the floor the rustic
sounded again, and so near that Mr..
Murfree nearly lost his balance with
right, and found himself OH his feet
the next moment, shaking with alarm
lest he had provoked the marauder'S at
tention to the alcOve or awakened the
sleeping Samantha.
But no; all was quiet, and as soon as
he plucked up sufficient amount of
courage he peered cautiously through
the curtains.
With difficulty he repressed an ex-
clamatiOn of horror.
The moon's rays fell across the
dresser, bringing out each article on it
with a weird distinctness, and just in
the shadow before the cheval glass was
the STOPPING figure of man.
He was evidently searching the upper
drawer, and Mr.. Murfree gasped for
10y as he distinguished on the top OF
the cabinet to the right of the glass the
missing revolver.
IF l could only reach him." said Mr..
Murfree to himself, Jump on him as
he is bending over, and secure the re.
volver before he RECEIVERS himself-it's
good plan, and the only one. Pm get
ting kind of riled, [ don't believe Pm
such a coward after ALL"
With mighty effort he braced him
self and advanced cautiously, kee ping
his eyes on the bent figure.
In the uncertain light the man looked
unnaturally large and heavy, and
seemed each second to be OH the point
of rising. Indeed, as Mr.. Murfree
reached the tre-table he thought all was
over, and shrank down behind it in
despair.
But fortune was kind, the burglar
still searched busily, aud Mr.. Murfree,
gathering himself for grand effort,a and
nerved to point of desperation, made
a flying leap, and landing with terrific
force upon the burglars shoulders,
grabbed the revolver, yelling, police
thieves oh !-w
Over he went, bumpety bump; and
as he fONnd himself PROSTATE upon the
floor, win a chair and something soft
and thicR over him, he finished his eX-
clamation with - it.
"Oh! Ulysses! UlySseSW screamed
Mrs. Murfree, tangling herself up in the
bed clothes in her efforts to rise. Help!
Where are YOU"
Z Mr.. Murfree was OH his feet in flush,
holding in his arms the harmless cause
of his fright and disturbance, Mrs. Muir
frees fur cape, which she had hung
over the chair back in front of the
dresser, and which, with its high shout
ders and collar. bad looked i'll the dim
light like STOPPING figure.
Men think quickly sometimes, an d
Mr.. Murfree realized the situation with
remarkable speed, and being on his
mettle, determined not to be made
fool of.
Knocking Mrs. Murfree's jewel case
from the dresser as he fed, he rushed
out of the room pell-mell, stepping on
the cat, the author OF the mysterious
noises that had first awakened him.
i. l.. l. H., Il