St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-12-01

but to be alone in . burglary requires

but to be alone In . burglary requires
the strongest kind of courage.
Il left the old boots in the passage.
| SO as to create the belief that the bur
glar had taken off his boots before 60
ing upstairs. The farther the deteo'
tiyes followed their track the farther
would they 60 from mine. l then
went to the rear of the house and
opened q window, leaving it open. In
this way the belief would be induced
that had entered and departed by
the same way.
Il then went cautiously up those
dark stairs. Here and there the steps
gave forth little creak beneath my
footsteps, as IL protesting against the
tread Of the intruder. 1t was very aR-
gravating, but / proceeded steadily.
and shortly found myself at the foot
of the room recently occupied by the
deceased lady. Here slight difficulty
presented itself, but q little profes-
sional manipulation succeeded in ef-
fecting an entrance.
Il closed the door of the bedroom
softly, and then proceeded to light my
candle. The next thing was to ar
range my accessories SO rs to induce
the opinion of the (false) identity OF
the burglar. and to establish \ theory
that he had been disturbed In his
quest. / had rolled q few bread
crumbs in the old newspaper. This |
now opened, and laid it on the bed,
with the 'waxed end close beside it.
Then laid the old cap on chair. and
the awl and hammer on the drawers.
They were intended to tell tale.
Having thus arranged my supposed
surprise. proceeded to work-solid
work. All the jewelry ! found in .
box. locked and placed in locked
drawer.
THE locks, however. made little
difference to me. l appropriated all
/ was rather touched. confess, when
1 discovered the dead lady's wedding
and engagement rings tied with .
piece Of black silk, and carefully
placed in the corner of the little box.
How those rings had kept the poor
woman thinking, from the time she
put them on until her dying day! I
actually began to soliloquize In spite Of
myself Then l adhered to my plan
and placed them in the corner of tho
envelope had brought with me to tho
house for that purpose. had pre-
viously torn the envelope diagonally
across. leaving the postage stamp and
Obliterating stamp visible.
Il had also left the final letters Of =
Road Oh the envelope to be studied
by the detectives. The rings left be-
hind me.
Il never did believe in making lit
ter about bedroom, SO having placed
the valuables in my pockets l closed
the drawers and looked closely about
the room for something more. You
may judge Of my surprise when I
heard key turned in the door below
stairs. and the movements Of Mr..
Chumleigh in the hall.
HE had returned earlier than had
expected. Calmly blew out my can
die and left the room silently, creep
ing down the stairs to meet him il he
had any intention of coming up. Then
my heart began to beat in earnest.
really thought that each pulsation
would attract him. 1 saw him enter .
bedroom, light the gas. and deliberate
ly examine the chambers of q revolver
which he had lifted. Then ! knew my
light had been observed and that he
was prepared to make m example Of
the intruder. Quick rs thought
stepped past the door of the lighted
room trusted to his not seeing mo
and he did not. I rapidly concealed
myself in the corner Of the stairs.
Meantime my heart was humping.
Il had scarcely steadied myself when
Mr.. Ckumleigh turned on the gas, aud
mutte,ing something to himself, crept
up the stairs rs cautiously as had
previously descended. When he was
well on his way / crept downwsrds
once again. and when l heard him
strike the light in hi. late wife's room.
I noiselessly let myself out by the
front door, and as noiselessly closed is
behind me.
AOu ASV0 COl ~ ASCus mr. uC COu tlu~
ued, but it was not = bad nights
work. l netted over three hundred
pounds sterling for my plunder. and l
had the satisfaction of not having
robbed his dead wife's treasured rings.
This in itself was q satisfaction. OF
course had committed felony. and .
shameful crime, admit; but the busi-
ness Of = burglar and the business OF
q moralist cannot be expected to agree
in every particular.
THE morn ing papers told us of the
burglary of the preceding night As
a neighbor, l went up to sympathize.
A sturdy policeman was standing at
the door, and two others were making
search inside.
Here's where the cove has put OF
his boots said one of the policemen,
and q nice blooming pair of beetle
crushers they are
They certainly did not look re-
spectacle in daylight
He has come through this Windows
here said another. in a strong Irish
accent, to Mr.. Chumleigh, left his
boots here and gone up the shtairs in
his bare feet
"'And the GOODNESS Of the fellowr
added the other. why, he has sat
down and ate his tucker on the bed
with the Morning News for . clans
tablecloth.'
Then the detectives went upstairs,
and came downstairs. and measured,
and studied. and looked wise. And
one saw it was new hand and said 20
from the first; and the other said 1t
was an old hand, and shook his head.
Everybody was satisfied on one point,
and that was that the perpetrstor Of
the act was a shoemaker who lived on
the Beasley road.
Il had some interesting experiences
over that burglary. 1t was amusing TO
hear the theories Of the detectives and
the public The police went dashing
about everywhere and arresting every.
body. There was not . shoemaker In
the country but the sheve. of sorne in.