River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-09-21
..wbv don't Won come ou?~ shouted

''Why don't you come on?' shouted
back. half Historically.
''TIold on" they yelled. and I could
hear them running up and down the
shore in the darkness.
''Oh, you're all right" I laughed
shrilly. ''I'll come and take you off in
the course of a few hours" and then,
fearful that they might get their guns,
J rowed away as fast as could for the
mainland
think I made that three miles in
half the record. and when | found the
first policeman. he was for running me
in as a lunatic or . sleep-wallxer. but
he knew me. and as soon as ! told my
story, a force of ten men boarded tug
and we returned 10 the island BY this
time the first gray streaks of dawn were
showing in the summer sky. and as we
cautiously ran mp to my wharf, 1t was
almost light enough to see the house.
We saw no burglars. however. nor
any signs of them. though knew ! had
them penned up on the island and es-
cape was impossible. We waited until
daylight, ard then. deployed as Skin
mishers, the policemen began to move
across the island. expecting any mo-
ment to flush burglar or get a shot
from ambush.
As we came up to the house one OF
the burglars appeared in the doorway
and was covered on the instant by a
dozen guns.
Come in. gentlemen. come right in. -
he said. cheerily. I'VE were expecting
you and we've got nice breakfast
ready"
The mans GOODNESS almost gave me
the Mysteries. for knew by the sound
of his voice that he was the fellow who
wanted To fix me.
But he was uttering the truth-they
Z did have nice breakfast for us tout OF
my larder). and not that only. but they
/ had found that Henry was not dead,
and they had washed him ana done
what they could in caring for him. and
hat done j. - well that he IS alive to-
day with o., an ugly scar on his neck
as a memento.
Thsre were four in the lot and we
soon had them handcuffed. and then
we sat down To breakfast and enjoyed
/ il. though I must confess that by this
I time the condition | was in physically
was not pleasant
You're a queer gang" said the
/ lieutenant of police to the leader, who
/ had invited rs To breakfast. What did
you do this fOr?''
THE breakfast. yon mesn?"
And all the rest Of it," said the
officer
well cap'n. he replied. 'sit's like this:
/ We wuz here fer de swag. kill er no,
and we thought we had killed the fusi
/ one, and, of course, the other one had
/ to go. to stop talk Then when he got
away and had us penned up like rats
/ we came 10 the conclusion that we had
| better git out the best way we could.
/ The one we thought was dead only
needed repairs, so we repaired him, and
we knOwed you'd be here Oimeby to
/ look fer us, and probably coming out
so early in the morning YOU might be
/ hungry. SO, beggin' the gents pardon
fer trespassin' we turned in and fixed
YOU up a nice breakfast. Now, wasn't
I that about the white thing TO do?'
mad had enough to put most men in
+ a bad humor. but this candid Statement;
I struck my funny-bOne somehow. and
/ laughed until the tears ran down my
cheeks. and even the policeman smiled.
OF course. the burglars had done the
best thing possible for themselves and
the very unique plan they had adopted
I of necessity was in their favor. and
[ they only got ten years apiece, Henry
I testifying SO earnestly to their polite
ness and care that that part of IL was
not taken into the count at all.
But | can assure you | did not GO
back 20 the island again. gave il to
Henry. as it stood. am he lives there
with his wife. respected and admired.
do believe. by every burgia. Z the
guild. for he holds them in the highes;
I esteem.
ON. yes. almost forgot. When this
story came out in the papers, and my
part of it was set forth. as only report
ers know how to do such things, lisa
bella. of course. heard of ii. and one
moonlight night she said To me:
Major. thought once you were no,
the kind of man for a woman to mar
~. but I've changed my mind"
feel under obligations to those bur.
glars myself.-W. J. Hampton, in De
trOit Free Press