The sun., 1893-12-17
a RETIRED BURGLAR's STORY.
Curious Happening In a House In . Penn
sylvaniA Town,


Il think that about as curious an experience
as ever had" said retired burglar. II had
| in town in western Pennsylvania had got
into fine, big house there without very much
trouble. and had found things when got In
side about as expected to find them. There
was some silver In tho dining ROOM and
nipped a few little things that could get into
| my overcoat pockets handily but had other
| things in mind and l went on into the next
room. which turned out to be the library. As
threw my light around this room. / saw on a
| table in the csntre a magazine open and lying
| face downward. picked up this magazine
and turned my bull's-eye on II. and saw that It
was open at the beginning OF a story. The
title caught my eye and stood there for mo-
mont with the magazine in one hand and the
bulls-eye In the other. and read few lines: it
seemed to be nightly interesting story.
Whoever had been reading the magazine had
sat in big leather chair. which still remained
alongside the table. / sat down in this big
chair. stood the ,bulrs-eye on the table at my
elbow, where its light would strike the pages.
and began to read. and became so interested
that forgot that was there on business.
Il don't know how long l had been reading.
maybe twenty minutes or so. when l felt
hand on my right shoulder l looked up and
saw standing alongside OF me tall man in
dressing gown. He had a lamp in his right
hand; he had touched me with his left. and
that hand still remained on my shoulder. lie
looked down upon me eOolly. confess that
as far as was concerned was surprised and
when he asked me what | was doing there I
was at first actually too labbergasted to reply
but finally told him | was reading a story In
that magazine. lie asked me what story l
was reading aud told him. thought saw
Just the faintest flicker Of a smile on his face
NJ hat m | pnuIdn't ha nAFtnin "A hnnt n
go What do you think Of IT, says he.
Il had come back 70 myself by this time. and
what thought OF II himself that was inter-
esied in II enough TO let hin come down and
uaierrake @ t. say what Thought about il aSso.
lutely until had finished reading it.
rurt You. E Go S ahead @ ana man Dish let me inter-
lilo was looking perfectly calm and cool,
lust a. be had been when first looked up at
the huiPs-eye. and pulled up big chair him,
sell on The other side; ana got another chair
! SUPPOSE no thought his feet would lie cold
3n the floor, lie sat down Ia the big chair. put
ing gown up around hts legs making himself
qGitG coEiortahle; Then he picked upa book
waaS wa nl 5S 5SGas s T. nSd Eenf IT, 70 tSan While hS
ilnlshed u the man said;
=. We'll, what do you think Of il now?.
And told him. aud that's what did think
about II. that thought II was immense.
The man laid down his book and e 4 up on
MS lsel again. lie picked W his lamp and
stood there l4r moment holding IL aud look
ing az me. lie said nothing but 70 was per
teetly clear 20 me that he WAS about politely
10 bow me out Of the house, ! laid down the
magazine and picked up my bulls eye and
moved toward the door Iust as | might have
done 4 I had been guest, The tall man
opened the door and calmly bowed me out.
A. 'srnt .lowu tho steps heard him boltinE |
the lunr affer me.
You Know wondered who he could be- but |
when came TO- 1nd ont. l wondered that |
man that wrote the story"