The Opelousas courier., 1895-01-12

loudest and grandly ordering the bold
warriors with guns from his room
when they rushed in to see if he was
being murdered. Twas lucky his bed
belonged to a terror-stric1en maiden
lady who had sought refuge elsewhere
otherwise MIR. Mummer might not
have been SO very smart, after ali.
But he got out of his scrape at day
light and took his swag, too, and on
s%equently his fame was undiminished
by that episode.
Now that / hare introduced Mr.. Will
liam Mrmmer. Esq: ! will go on with
my story.
Twas a.black midnight in a dreary
November. The sky a clouded and
a lively wind was banging shutters
and moaning through the swaying
branches as Bill and l quietly stole
along the dismally dark and deserted
country road.
With valises containing articles
used in our trade, and smoking pipes
with shoppers on to hide their glow,
we silently made good time over the
wet and soggy ground till old Fort
Electricity, as we dubbed the object Of
our attack, doomed up before us.
We knew the place well. for both
Bill and myself had managed TO Sc
cure work there when the house
was being remodeled. Through a side
hedge and across the largo lawn from
tree to tree we cautiously advanced,
~pausing frequently to observe and
listen.
Not a sound, save the uncanny
shrek of a screech owl and the
clustering. chilly wind soughing
among the evergreens and crealsing
the bare treetops, fell on our eager
ears.
Thanks to the supposed superior
protection of electricity, dogs We're not
OF hand to interfere with our pleasure
though had there been we had a
patent way of whining their friend
ship.
When we got close 10 the house we
made a circuit around it and, finding
everything safe and comfortable, we
prepared for business. Instead of at
tempting a guarded door or window,
or even cutting a hole through the
clapboards into the parlor, as we
might have done, to avoid the wires,
Il plan a to enter through the IN
protected roof. Taking from my bag
- barrow with & coil of fishing line at
tached, | placedi it in a bow (which had
been my cane while trayeling) and
neatly shot the line above and over
the house, so that it fell clear Of win
dows or distractions.
In a few minutes a signal tug on it
told me that Bill had found the arrow
on 'tother side Of the house. Then 1
tied or a heavier line, light but strong
enough to hang two ordinary men,
and signaled Bill to haul away. Next
I fastened On a well-greased, high
power pulley block, on which was the
flexible rope for our ascent and gave
the signal to haul away again and
make fast.
Soon Bill did so and, joining me, we
got ready to go aloft.
l went first, of course, being the
senior partner in the concern and
chief manager of my unpatented In
vcntion.
Comfortably sitting on a wooden
cross piece l pulled away on the end
less rope attachment Zone pound pull
lifting four), and easily raised myself
to where l could reach and mount upon
the broad " of the shingled slop-
ing roof.
In a jiffy Partner Bill performed the
same circus act and was at my side.
Like two cats we quickly clamberej.
with the help of the cross line, to the
scuttle. and then, with no trouble at
all to such artists as we were, the bolt
was forced and Fort Electricity was
taken. with it's garrison bl~issful1y
dreaming Of the safety afforded by the
latest burglar alarms.
Softly creeping down the scuttle
ladder we gained the garnet floor and
there, by the CHEEKY light of our dark
lanterns, we donned our working suits,
consisting of long white nightgowns
and caps, and which. I am proud to
say, I invented for occasions like the
present.
Being au honest burglar, I never
considered 1t square to needlessly
s~tartle a sleeping person. The ladies
especially suffer from nervous shock
and fright and either faint dead away
or scream SO loudly that it is annoy
ing, to say the least.
The men are apt to waken out of
humor u scared to death, and in beth
cases are generally beyond reach of
argument.
But in u handsome rufied night
gowns and caps WI fearlessly glide in
and out Of bedrooms, make half-awake
men turn over on their pillows SO we
can get their watches OF pistols, with
no more than q sleepy grant at being
disturbed, and even get in bed beside
them If there's danger of actual dis
covery.
You see our boldness and appearance
naturally u them to take us for
members of the family and treat us
accordingly.
This surely is much p~leasanter than
burning sulphur matches under their
noses or binding their eyes with the
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