Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-28

A RETIRED BURGLAR's STORY.
Curious Happenings In IA House In
Pennsylvania Town.

Curious Happenings In IA House In
Pennsylvania Town.
81 think that about as curious an ex-
perience us ever had" said retired
burglar to New York Sun reporter II
had in town in western Pennsylvania.
| had got into fine big house there
without very much trouble, and had
found things, when got inside, about
MS | expected to find them, There was
some silver in the dining room, and
nipped a few little things that could
get into my overcoat pockets handily,
but had other things in mind, and !
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 centre, u magazine open and
| lying face downward. picked up this
magazine and turned my bull's.eye on
| il, and saw that 1t was open at the be-
ginning of a story. The title caught my
eye, and | stood there for u moment
with the magazine In one hand and the
bull's-eye in the other, and read few
lines; it seemed to be a nightly inter-
esting story. Whoever had been reading
the magazine had sat in n big leather
chair, which still remained alongside the
table, sat down in this big chair, stood
the bull's.eye on the table at my elbow,
| wNere its light would strike the pages,
and began TO read, and became so in
terested that forgot that was there
on business.
IL don't know how long had been
reading, maybe 20 minutes or so, when
! felt hand on my right shoulder. |
looked up and saw standing alongside
of me a tall man in dressing gown. He
had n lamp in his right hand he had
touched me with his left, and that hand
still remained on my shoulder He
looked down upon me coolly confess
that as far as | was concerned was
surprised, and when he asked me what
| was doing there | was at tirst actually
too tlahbergasted to reply, but finally
told him was reading story in that
magazine. lie asked me what story |
was reading, and told him. thought
saw just the faintest flicker of smile
on his face at that, but lcouldn't be Ger.
tain about it
"'What do you think of it2' y says he
81 had come back to myself Ivy this
time, and told him thought he Ought
70 be able to see what thought Of il
himself; that l was interested in II
enough to let him come down and iinC
me there reading it, but that wouldn't
undertake to say what thought about
il absolutely until l had finished read
ing il.
"Welln says the man, "don't let m,
interrupt you. Go ahead and finish it,
ale was looking perfectly calm ant
cool, just as he had been when l tirs
looked up ut him. He set his lamp down
on the table by the bull's,oye, ans
pulled up big chair himself on tn,
other side, and got another chair to pu
, his feet on; he had only slippers on
and suppose he thought his feet woult
be cold on the floor. He sat down in thu
big chair, put his feet up ON the other
and pulled his dressing gown up arount
his legs, making himself quite comforta
! bic. Then he picked up book of TIL
i table and went to reading, while h
waited for me to finish the story. Nhel
had flushed il the man said:
well, what t0you think of ii now :?
"And told him, aud that's what
did think about it, that thought it wa
immense.
5 1.-The man laid down his book and 20
Q up on his feet again, He picked up hi
/. lamp and stood there for momen
, holding it and looking at me. lie sal
nothing, but II WAS perfectly clear t
: me that he was about politely 10 boy
9 me out of the house. | laid down tn
e magazine and picked up my bull's-eyt
/. and moved toward the door lust us
Il might have done ii l had been 4 CUES
The tall man opened the door an
calmly bowed me out As Went dow
y the steps heard him boiling the doc
i after me.
II You know wondered who he coul
be, but when came to find out, wor
dered that hadn't though, OF it myse
y before, he WAS the man that wrote til
l