Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-24


none too welcome, for he's been holering
ever since. Doctor says he needs some
kinder food, Nesting food or some SIGH
name, and wanted to git ii, for some-
way don't Jest want him to die, IL he is
mean! Then, / wanted to git my woman
things; she's an awful nice woman, I'll say
that, and about all we've got, she's earned
washing. / have been out a week, walking
about hundred miles, i guess, begging for
job everywhere / heard jobs were to be
mad; but, you see, we were strangers, and
there amt enough work to go round mong
the old men. Today, as / went back from
the shoe factory cross the river, and seen
all the turkeys in the winders, and remem-
bered how there wasn't a bite I'm our house
Tor today nor for tomorrow; and looked
al the rich folks that don't love their fam
lies mite better'n / love mine, j got kin
der wild, 1 guess. / never had grudged
rich folks their money before / was will
ing 10 work hard. and not to have very
ihach; out now, II seems as IL there wasn't
an men or room for me and my family on
thls earth! We'd pawned every last thing
we could pawn and there we was, a starry
But, goodness graciousr' exclaimed Miss
Merryweather. who had with difficulty re-
framed from nterrupting him before.
Wy dlunt you go to the Associated
Charlues or to the Industrial Aid?"
You see, lady, we amt used to being
poor, we didn't know about them places.
Lady, tell you, ii amt the poverty poor
that gifts squeezed the hardest when there's
hard times; bless you, no! They're used to
leanin' on other folks and they Just lop
over leetle heavier; but it's the decent
folks that never knew the way to the poor
overseer's Office before. or even to the DAVE
shop, that catch it. They suffer and don't;
holler about it,"
Il see,' said Miss Merryweather, Ego on.n
There amt much more" said the man.
very neatly folding the napkin II told NV
wife had got job. and would have the
money for turkey for tomorrow, not to
1ret, Ia git some advanced went
straight out. meaning to enter somebody's
hcuse and git enough to buy a Thanks
giving elmer. / prowled about for n long
time, first deciding on one house and then
on another. Bye and bye / saw all the
folks In your kitchen going out and the
light up stairs; and says i, that lady is all
alone by herself and can git some money,
easy. So come"
But how did you get in? The windows
are barred downstairs"
fesm they look like good wirders But
l come IN by the door. the Kitchen door.
reasoned like the girls would have some
/ could hunt it up Most like IL would he
under the doormat. That's where it was,
too" '
They shall have a latchkey. every one
OF them; of course YOU sot in. But didn't
| you wake the dog?'
NO ma'am, he just slept like the dead.
Ihem big dogs is jest like men about
sleeping, they sleep so sound"
But when you came up the stairs what
| did you do about the mat at the foot OF
the stairs? The lights ought to have
| sprung up and the bells rung the Snstan1
| your foot touched the mat"
why, you see, lady," said the burglar
| apoiogetically-he seemed to fear lest she
should be hurt by the failure of her care
| fully planned burglar traps-"you SEQ r
| naturally struck a match, now and then
| TO see my way, and when 1 come on that
plain, common mat in that beautiful hall
with the handsome rugs about, 1 knowed il
| 10 be a burglar mat, so I lest stepnad over
| it; I've no doubt all the things would have
happened If had stepped on ii right
Il don't know" said Miss Merryweather
gIoonliiy may be the plumbers got it out
| OF order. But, come here, open that chest"
| she pointed to the nuns chest against the
| wall, and the burglar obediently laid his
pistol down to do her bidding An inner
| projecting handles.
Lift the cover" commanded Miss Mer-
ryweather.
| A smile of grim expectation partai her
nrm nps: now approached her triumph The
| burglar laid his hands on the knobs and
| pensively nodded his head, screwing up his
| flavor
"Yes'm," said be- "galvanic battery, amt
1t? Kinder prickly!'
TN weaken the current" said Miss Mer-
ryweather; you must be perfect Spartan
We'll, you see. 1 ruther suspicioned what
1t vas, the burglar replied. letting his
| hands drop.
cried Miss Merryweather.
Hain't you weakened the cuircnt?, dep
recated the burglar. SHAW! thought you
had or wouldn't taken them down; I'm
real sorry
Miss Merryweather laughed Everything
is failure" said she you ou-ht TO be
held prisoner. with your shoul3sSs Eunch-
ed up. It's all wrong"
''Oh. no IL amt, ma am" the bursiar tried
TO reassure her. Il amt no manner OF
doubt that them mats down stairs would
work splendid. We kin try. going down.
But these here galvanic batteries are
mighty unreliable. Never mind l kin fix
IT all right for you. I'm glad came.
so am l." said Miss Merryweather. DO
you think something is the matter with
this, tooT displaying her revolver.
1t was big revolver. of glossy and
iridescent black; not feminine frippery
meant business and showed its intentions,
honorably.
mo. it's all right" said the burglar, ad-
miringly; you could "a plugged me, sure"
Unless you shot me first
'Humph! that would a been difficult.
seem mine amt loaded, and there's some
thing the matter with the trigger, so 1T
can't go off; else 1t would a been in tho
pawnshop stead of here"
Well" sighed Miss Merryweather, its
mercy you tried to hurgle me With that
useless thing, instead Of some one else.
Now, for goodness sake, come downstairs
and let me give you that basket and set
you off before the servants come"
Miss Merryweather had very much tha
sensations of a burglar in her own house,
as she despoiled the larder, the friendly
burglar holding the candle. They hurried
at every glimpse of the clock; they trembled
at all the creakings of the floor.
Robbins never did stay out before later
than II or l; It's a quar-Great heavens!"
Miss Merryweather jumped. Suddenly she
was bathed in flood of light aud bells
seemed to be ringing all over the house.
II guess the mats is straight goods" said
the burglar. You trod on one by mistake,
ma am. Say, what's that? They're a-hol-
lering in the yard! I'll try this door"
mo, you will not said Miss Merry
weather, all herself again; you will stay
just where you are, while l open the door"
She was at the hall door before she ended,
calling loudly to the shrieking maids, who
came in, timidly except Robbins) in the
rear of the two men, who were none too
valorous.
Nothing is the matter" said Miss Mer-
ryweather Il stepped on the mat myself.
1t works perfectly. Harriet, I've engaged
a plumber, and he is to work all night and
the plumbing Will be done by tomorrow
afternoon If you need those extra TOOLS
you better go home and get them now"
turning upon the bewildered burglar
land you don't need that candle any more;
put IL down. Don't forget the basket"
ma