Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1893-03-18
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! |mhe |
! Burglar
........-UoH-

-hoh
He might very well have asked
me for a fill Of tobacco 1--WE were fell
low travellers in third -class carri-
age) without telling me that he had
not smoked a pipe for eighteen
months.
In face of such candor / felt it no
presumption to inquire in friendly
tone how he and the laws ofhis couD-
try had managed to fall out.
Pulling luxuriously at his pipe, he
looked at me a moment, decided ap-
parently that I was man who could
appreciate a "reminiscences, slapped
his thigh and with a chuckle began
his story:
"I'll tell you, sir, COS you're
gentleman. Me and nay mate got
wind of a very touchin' little occur
renee as 'ad took place at a CRIB
called Minervy 'Ouse. The young
ladies as got their learning there
took and gave the misses luminat-
ed address and a 'andsome silver
salver on the occasion when the old
woman had bin teachin' of 'em FIVE
and twenty years.
1t were a real 'andsome salver,
and me and Bill saw 1t in a shop
winder before it went up to the
'ouse. Well, sir, me and Bill 'ad
been workin' ard for five and twenty
years, too, mighty ard some of it on
Ter majesty's 'lowance o. grub-and
we thought we lad as good right
to that salver as the missus.
'She could ave the address and
we'd call it square. So enc dark
night we packed up the tools and
started for Minervy 'Ouse.
ave kaowed about where the
plate was KEEP. 1t lay in a chest in
the old lady's room on the second
floor, and we knowed about where q
ladder was, too, and we reckoned we
could persuade the old lady to lay
4 quiet.
nt'Ere's luck. Wedon't want nc
ladder. They got the fire escape ur
ag'fnst the wall, and, jedge me, if il
amt slap by the missus' winder.'
"You may guess, sir, as we sale
grace, for glttin' tho ladder was the
ticklish bit, on account Of the gard
ener sleepin' ANDY to it.
"'Lord it's easy as drinkin',
Gays I, so we 'adn't any fear Of thu
Job goin' wrong. Well-trouble yor
for another fill, sir-when we come
over the wall and got near the 'ousi
Bill e says, Up we goes, and their
we are y
Up we went, sir--I fust and Bill
follerin'. The escape was beautiful
goin' and o. course no one coult
spot us, but | told Bill to stay neal
the bottom and give me shout ]
any one came round.
Well. then, up ! goes, sir, sof
and sure, and soon / was standin
with my cad just out O. the escape
and not three feet below the winder
'adn't made a sound, sir-swell
me, 'adn't, and it was all goin
beautiful. Things was SC quiet tina
'ailed Bill, and told him to bring
the sack for the stuff, and he com'
up, and we waited 'arf minute ant
'eard nothin'.
g Now list me up, old man. say
I, and I'll do the trick Bill wa
| just a-putiin his shoulder under NJ.
leg to list me when, all on sudden
the shindy begun.
"a bell rung. There was shrieki
| of Fire Fire 7 then lot of runnin
about and bit of screechin' anC
then the escape begun to move. YoI
may suppose, sir, as we wasn't owe
and above pleased. We got dow
into the escape and lay still, sir, ant
the old thing moved like winkin'.
"Some one down below says, 'Lor
Mile, amt it 'eavy. But, we trav
eled, sir, all the same. Presently W
stopped and / says to Bill:
sss Can we clear p
s'Not it, says he, there's acrow'
on them down below
Curse the fire,' says /. Ca
you see it,
NO says Bill Blamed
Jest at that minute, sir. We ear
, a winder open. And thumpl Some
: thin soft come tumblin' down on N
driyin' my head into my shoulder
and my feet into Bills mouth. 70
should ave card Bill. Then tt
soft thing give an arful screech, an