The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-03-15
tler,s it was spacious. and showed evil.

ueuCc VI Uile wealth. IL COutdlN3u.
One evening after supper and while
we We're gathered in the parlor a tele-
gram was brought in and handed to
my Cousin Alice. OF course my de-
tective curiosity was aroused at the
similarity of the event and when it
turned out to be almost Identical in its
reading with the one sent to me the
night before the burglary, instantly
knew what was coming. So did the
rest, for they, as you may guess, We're
not ignorant Of the affair. b.
For some moments we gazed at each
other in speeches. establishment. Then
Uncle John, bound to joke, no matter
what happened, asked me with mock
seriousness if I would like the expected
trunk set in my room, which, being the
guest chamber, was the right place for
it.
My look of terror made him smile in
spite of his straight face.
mo! Mop 1 gasped. II should die at
sight of it. o Uncle John, do send for
the police at once. I'm sure We'll all
be murdered in our Sleep"
Eyes, but we want to trap your bur-
glar friend" he laughed, land may be
recover your jewels However, if you
are so unacceptable, perhaps Alice. will
take the stranger in
But Alice, with face more scared
than mine, declared positively that she
wouldn't.
"Well, then, I will do the honors,"
said uncle, glancing mischievously at
his frightened wife.
"John! you shall do; no such thing,
spoke up auntie, with>a trembling voice
iii have the trunk thrown down the
| we'll as soon as it arrives. No burglar,
dead or alive, comes into my room.
The idea!'
Finally we settled down to business
and fixed on 4 plan to catch the COM
| ing burglar red-handed and without
any danger to ourselves.
l. Early next morning I moved from
| the guest chamber to room with Cousin
Alice. Then my deserted apartment
| had it's windows securely barred, so
| that our expected guest could not es-
| cape through them should he feel so in
clined and it's door was fixed to be
| strongly bolted from outside, IN the
| hall. Some old watches and jeWelry
of small value We're carelessly left on
the dressing-case to tempt the rascal
| and keep him in innocence Of our Graf
ty scheme.
| Several well armed men were to be
stationed quietly in and about the
house, to do whatever fighting might be
necessary, though our plan was to let
the burglar rest in fancied peace. ii
| POSSIBLE. Then, after his departure in
| the trunk. we were to follow and cap
ture his pals in the city, and SO re-
cover the previously stolen articles.
Ills needless to mention our excite
ment, of waiting all the next day for
| the trunk, or our scarcely concealed
| agitation when, toward evening, it ar
rived.
Uncle John himself, loudly proclaim
ing his gladness at the pleasure of the
visit it promised, helped the unsuspect-
| ing eXpressman up the broad staircase
and carefully left it in the guest cham
Der, right side up and where it could
be observed from the hall by peepins
through the key-hole of the we'll fast
ened door.
Before dark T mustered courage
enough to steal in stockinged feet tc
the key-hole and peep in.
Yes, 8thc trunk was the very one
had entertained and even sat on in
my room at home, with never thought
Of it's horrid occupant. Ugh! The sight
Of it sent chills through me and aroused
feeling on my scalp, as if my hail
was trying to erect itself. Hastily
ran away from that worse than Blue
Beard chamber, and never stopped
shivering till supper was over.
You may be sure no eyes were CLOSED
in the house that night. The me1
guarding the hall heard the knob of the
prison-room door softly tried, but, @:
course, it didn't open, which was luck!
for the rascal within.
At last daylight came and relieved u
of some of our awful suspense. Afte
breakfast Uncle John noiselessly I'm
bolted the door and, carelessly hum
ming a tune and concealing a hand.
weapon. entered the room. The trun]
stood just as it was left the evening
before. But the jeWelry and stuff hat
disappeared from the dressing-case.
When brave uncle John returned t
us to report his eyes shone with
hunters delight. His game wa
trapped and ready to be bagged whe
, the time came.
Just before dinner the other tele
gram, almost a duplicate Of mine, al
rived, and after it the expressman fo
the trunk. Again uncle and the st1
unsuspicious man lifted the burglar
J receptacle and placed it on the WACO
5 to go to the railroad station.
| Then, as we watched it driven ava