The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-07-15
THE BURGLAR STORY.
A Midnight Thief With Literary
Taste Gets Out of Tight Place.
Ashton Reporte

Ashton Reporter.
II think that the story 1 am about to
tell You is about as curious an experience
as l ever had" said a retired burglar. II
had got into fine big house without much
trouble, and had found things inside just
as | expected to find them. There was
some silver in the dining-room, and l
nipped few little things that | could get
into my overcoat pockets handily, but l
had other things in mind, and | went on
into the next room, which turned out to
be the library. As L threw my light
around this room | saw on the table in
the center magazine open and lying face
downward | picked up this magazine
and turne my bulIseye on it and saw that
il was open at the commencement of a
story. The title caught my eye, and |
stood there a moment with the magazine
in one hand and the bullseye in the other
and read few lines. 1t seemed to be
mighty Interesting story. l sat down in
big chair. stood the bullseye on the table
at my elbow where its light would strike
the pages, and began TO read, and became
so interested that [ forgot that l was there
on business.
Il don't know how long 1 had been
reading. maybe twenty minutes or so,
when L felt hand on my right shoulder.
l looked up anu saw standing alongside OF
me a tall man in dressing-gown. He
had 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 cO0lly. l confess that as
Tar as was concerned L was surprised,
and when he asked me what l was doing
there [ was at first actually too fabber.
gasted to reply, but | finally told him |
was reading a story in that magazine.
He asked me what story | was reading
and told him. thought / saw just the
faintest flicker of a smile on his face at
| that, but | couldn't be certain about it.
What do you think of ii? says he. had
| come back to myself by this time and |
told him l thought he ought to be able to
| see what l thought of IL himself; that L
was interested in it enough to let him
| come down and find me there reading it.
| but wouldn't undertake to say what l
| thought about it absolutely until ] had
| finished reading it. WE'LL said the man,
| don't let me interrupt you. Go ahead
and finish it,
"He set his lamp down on the table by
the bullseye and pulled up big chair
| himself on the other side and got another
chair to put his feet on. Then he picked
up book off the table and went to read
| ing, while he waited for me to finish the
| story. When l had finished it the mau
said, Well, what do you think Of it now p
And told him that | thought it was inn
mense, and that's what did think about it.
| The man laid down his book and got upon
his feet again. He picked up his lamp and
stood there for Il moment holding it and
looking at me. He said nothing, but il
was perfectly clear to me that he was
about politely to bow me out of the house
L laid down the magazine and picked up
my bullseye, and | moved toward the door
| Just as | might have done if were guest.
The tall man opened the door and calmly
bowed me out AS | went down the stairs
J heard him boiling the door after me:
You know wondered who he could be. DuI
| when l came to find out l wondered that l
didn't think of il myself before. lie was
| the man who wrote the story"