The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-05-30


~ <,$z>s novel event, the
man. of-a l-work
- gave her another
surprise, presenting a telegram which
set forth that his sister was i'll and
needed him: OF course Mrs Balcom
let him go. 1t did not occur to her
that the double departure left her and
the children unprotected, and if
it had she would have smiled at the
idea of danger. She did not know
that there was burglar in town.
Mr.. Balcom did know. As he came
up from the train the evening before,
his neighbor Jones had stopped him
to whisper that the Hartshorne house
had been entered and iudiciously ran
sacked. The Hartshornes were in
Europe. Their care-taker had been
sojourning in that other foreign land,
a drunkard's paradise, but rs soon as
he came out of it he discovered the
robbery and hastened to ask Jones's
advice. Jones, who had nervous
mother-in-law, suggested that the mat
ter be kept as quiet as possible; and
he wanted to know if Mr.. Balcom-
"You did just right" Mr.. Balcom
interrupted, when the story had gone
thus far. ''These country constables
would frighten every woman into hy-
sterics, but they wouldn't catch bur
glar once in Thousand times. Profes-
sional, is hep
$50 I suppose. He seems to have
gone into the house and through it as
though he knew his business"
'I'll back my burglar alarm against
himl" Mr.. Balcom chuckled, conf
IDENTIFY.
"How about Ben EzraP" the neigh
Dor asked.
''No fear of him. You see, my stable
is as well protected as my house." Mr..
Balcom explained. 'Fact is, I'd
sooner lose half there is in the house
than that horse. Little off his feed,
the poor fellow is. 1 had veterinary
out yesterday to look Mt him, and
can't drive him for week. 1 guess
L"
81 suppose we ought to do some
thing" Mr.. Jones ventured TO hint.
He knew that ii allowed to go on Mr..
Balcom would talk about his horse
until the burglar-and the listener
died a natural death.
'Oh, of course we must trip the fell
low before he goes any further.
Tell you what: 1 know private de-
tectiye who was on the Boston force
for years-long enough to get ac-
quainted with every rascal in the
country. I'll bring him home with
me tomorrow to look over the ground.
1t would be better to pay him a hun
dred than have the thing get out and
scare the women"
''Yes, indeed!" said Mr.. Jones, fer
vently.
So it was decided. And after the
neighbors had exchanged the usual
remarks on the dryness of the season
and the need of rain, Mr.. Balloon
sauntered homeward, calm in that
contentment which a managing man
has a right to feel. He kissed his
wife and children and then he went
out and caressed his horse. With the
burglars accomplishments in mind he
looked carefully to the locks and
the alarms. They were perfect and
in order. He went to bed in peace.
That night, however, he had a hor-
rid dream. 1t seemed that Ben EzrS
was stolen; that he had expended his
fortune in seeking the horse; that,
finally, when he had sunk to beggar
outcast, he found the wreck of Ber
Ezra hauling a garbage cart ! The
dream so wrought upon Mr.. Balloon
that he awoke in cold perspiration
He rushed to the stable and proved i
only dream. But it might be
warningl That superstitious fsnc,
fingered with him through the hour
of dusk and dawn, and the early glar,
of an August sun did not dispel it.
hurried him to the city, as has beer
told.
Looking at it in the light of his new
knowledge, Mr.. Balloon could Sc,
many reasons why Maple Park SHOULD
attract burglar. Its isolated and un
guarded location is one; the small
ness and sleepiness of the town that i
fringes is another. Seekonket ha
only two constables and one hand fir
fire engine though, to be sure, it ha
four churches and the arIstocrati
residents cut themselves off from al
these blessings by building on tn,
farther side of Greenleafs Hill. A
Maple Park holds aloof from Seekon
ket, so Seekonket keeps away iron
Maple Park; and MIR. Baleom won
dered, the longer he thought of il
that some frowsy Napoleon did no
organize his army of tramps and oh
literate Maple Park, sure that the dee,
would never come to light until
wandering peddler passed that way
Mrs. Balloon was not imaginative
and no such terrors ever oppresse
her. If she had formulated her rul
of life she might have said that III
pleasant things were best let alone, t